Wars, treaties and other world events can change boundaries, politics and even a country’s name. Knowing the basics can help a researcher navigate the Eastern European scene

Sean Martin received an MA in history, an MA in Yiddish language and literature, and a PhD, focusing on East European Jewish history, from The Ohio State University. He is Associate Curator for Jewish History at Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio. He oversees the Cleveland Jewish Archives, collecting and preserving material related to the Jewish history of Northeastern Ohio.