The Berlin Eastern Europe Institute was founded during the years of the Cold War. Beginning with the founding years, the author traces key phases of the organization's biography up to the 1970s. The innovative aspect lies in the combination of a sociological approach to knowledge with an organizational sociological perspective. The book is based on the analysis of numerous documents, such as audio recordings, expert reports, academic papers, letters, and newspaper articles, as well as the evaluation of qualitative interviews. Significant scholars in the field of Eastern European studies discussed include Max Vasmer, Werner Philipp, Hans-Joachim Lieber, and Karl Christian Thalheim.