Forever Amber : the impact of the Amber Room on Russia's cultural stature then, now
      and in the future

Owen, Jennifer Chowning.

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and in the future

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Owen, Jennifer Chowning.

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Thesis (M.A.L.S.)--Georgetown University, 2009.; Includes bibliographical references. May 31, 2003, found Russian President Vladimir V. Putin presiding over a unique ceremony in St. Petersburg attended by heads of state including Gerhard Schroeder, Silvio Berlusconi, George W. Bush, Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair and Junichiro Koizumi along with hundreds of well-wishers, celebrities, diplomats, and art lovers representing the different nations of the world. What had brought them together was the tercentenary celebration of the founding of St. Petersburg, Peter the Great's legendary monument to civilized achievement. At the heart of this grand celebration was the unveiling of a newly reconstructed room, a legend, stolen by the Nazis and then lost after World War II: the resplendent, toffee-colored Amber Room. Once housed in the grand Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, the summer residence of Russia's last ruling family, the Romanovs, the room was once called the "Eighth Wonder of the World." What happened to the original room is a mystery that continues to inspire historians and treasure hunters around the globe. This thesis, however, is more concerned with what inspired the Russian government, a German petroleum company and a host of master craftsmen to spend more than 20 years painstakingly bringing the Amber Room back to life. This thesis will examine why the room was important in Russian political and cultural history when it was created in 1709, and why it was so important to construct an exact replica of the room now, and what impact any future discovery might have on the future of Russian cultural and political stature.; I am using a comparative qualitative approach to explore the existing theories related to this topic. I will conduct in-depth research and analysis to understand and illustrate the probable fates that befell the Amber Room. I am interested in extracting the motivations supporting the formulations of theories that in turn drove post-war explorations for the Amber Room. I will compare the historical records, evidence and interpretations supporting both the German and Russian points of view in those explorations that ultimately resulted in reconstruction. I will conclude by supporting my own understanding of why the Amber Room was taken and the impact resulting from the ultimate recreation.