The CERS community is deeply saddened by the passing of Distinguished Professor Emeritus Iván Berend, a longtime pillar of the Department of History and of our Center. An internationally renowned scholar, Professor Berend transformed the study of modern European history through an exceptional body of scholarship examining the economic, political, and social forces that shaped Europe. He was also a dedicated teacher, mentor, and academic leader whose influence extended across generations of students and scholars at UCLA and beyond.
Professor Gail Kligman, who succeeded Professor Berend as Director of CERS, has written a heartfelt reflection on the experiences, relationships, and intellectual contributions that defined his remarkable journey. Her remembrance offers a meaningful portrait of a scholar whose life intersected with some of the defining transformations of twentieth-century Europe and whose contributions continue to shape the field today. We invite you to read Professor Kligman’s tribute as we honor Professor Berend’s memory and the enduring legacy he leaves within CERS, UCLA, and the international scholarly community.
With deep sympathy,
Daniel Treisman, CERS Director
IN MEMORIAM IVAN BEREND
It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of Ivan Berend (1930-2026), Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History and former Director of the Center for European and Russian Studies, then called the Center for European and Eurasian Studies (CEES). As director of CEES for twelve years, his commitment to the center was steadfast and exemplary (1993-2005). During those years, he recruited me to serve as Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee and then ultimately to succeed him as Director. His activities on behalf of CEES notwithstanding, he continued to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses and advise doctoral students in History and other departments, including my own, Sociology. I also had the memorable experience of team-teaching with him an undergraduate studies course on “Eastern Europe through Film: Communism and Post-Communism.”
Upon stepping down as Director of CEES, Ivan informed me that he did not wish to serve on the Faculty Advisory Committee for the first two years to insure there would be no ambiguity about the leadership transition, after which he kindly agreed to again participate— one of many examples of his administrative wisdom. But during those two years, he remained actively engaged with the Center, presenting the inaugural Faculty Lecture Series address to a packed audience (2006). CEES also featured several of his publications in its book talk series, including An Economic History of Twentieth-Century Europe (November 2006). Over the years, Ivan frequently served as a discussant for book talks and topical panels. He also remarkably agreed to continue teaching until his 85th birthday, retiring from active service in 2015.
Ivan’s prodigious and impactful contributions to the discipline of history, particularly regarding the dramatic events of the twentieth century, are widely recognized across the globe. In addition to countless scholarly articles, Ivan authored more than twenty-five books focused on the economic and socio-political history of Europe, many of which have been translated into multiple languages. He wrote on topics ranging from nineteenth and twentieth century Central and East European economic history to the postsocialist transition, European integration, the Euro crisis, and the re-emergence of populism and nationalism in the twenty-first century. Ivan was also the recipient of many honorary doctorates and was elected to memberships in Academies of Science here and abroad, including to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2015).
These publications, honors, and awards are tangible traces of the impact of this exceptional scholar. Perhaps even more astonishing than his prodigious intellectual output is the trajectory of his personal life, deeply shaped by the historical events about which he wrote so eloquently. In 2009, the Central European University Press published History in My Life: A Memoir of Three Eras. Ivan lived through the Nazi, communist, and post-communist periods. During these eras, he was incarcerated at Dachau; afterward, back in Hungary, he rose to become President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1985-1990). In 1991, Ivan joined the Department of History here at UCLA, beginning a new career at an age when most people would be retiring (1991-2015). His formidable intellectual curiosity, indomitable spirit, good cheer, and enthusiasm for all that life had to offer were an inspiration to everyone that knew him. Ivan Berend was an extraordinary individual. All of us benefitted enormously from his presence here at CERS and at UCLA in general. His loss is immeasurable.
All of us at CERS extend our heartfelt condolences to Ivan’s wife, Katalin Radics, and to his daughter, Zsuzsa Berend. They have requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made in support of the UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies.
With deep sympathy,
Gail Kligman,
Director of CERS, 2005-2015