There are rare moments when in the civilization process there comes, as the Germans say, Stunde Null, zero hour - the time when history can begin anew. In the 20th century, such a time came more than once with the collapse of seemingly unshakable dictatorships. Thus, Germany had the opportunity to start with a clean slate in 1945; among the countries of the socialist camp in 1989 and further – among the republics of the Soviet Union, including Russia, in 1990–1991. However, in different countries the fall of repressive regimes led to very different results. Why were some attempts to draw a line under the totalitarian past and restore the rule of law successful, while others were not? What social and legal institutions and procedures were the key to success? How did the specifics of the historical, cultural, social context influence the trajectory of society's development? And why is the “unprocessed” past returning today, especially in Russia, in the form of political reaction? Evgeniya Lyozina, a political scientist and researcher at the Center for Contemporary History in Potsdam, is looking for answers to these questions in her research.