An associate professor at the Institute of History of Pomeranian University in Słupsk, Poland. Dr. Kusnierz studied history at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin. In 2000 graduated from MA studies with distinction, and was awarded by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities with the prize for the best graduates of the Faculty. 4 years later obtained a doctorate at the same University.
Dr. Robert Kusnierz is the author and co-author of five book publications. The first Ukraina w latach kolektywizacji i Wielkiego Głodu (1929-1933), Toruń 2005 – is the first Polish scholarly monograph on one of the greatest communist crimes committed in Europe – the 1932-1933 Holodomor, which claimed millions of lives. The second Pomór w „raju bolszewickim”. Głód na Ukrainie w latach 1932-1933 w świetle polskich dokumentów dyplomatycznych i dokumentów wywiadu, Toruń 2008” – presents the attitude of Poland towards the Ukrainian tragedy. In this publication were published, for the first time, 70 Polish hitherto unknown archival documents on the Holodomor. Coauthor and coeditor of the publication Holodomor. The Great Famine in Ukraine 1932 – 1933, Warsaw – Kiev 2009. In the monograph W świece stalinowskich zbrodni. Ukraina w latach czystek i terroru (1934-1938) w obserwacjach i analizach MSZ oraz wywiadu wojskowego Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej, Słupsk 2013 dr. Kuśnierz discusses the problem of purges and terror (1934-1938) in Ukraine from the perspective of Polish Foreign Ministry and the Military Intelligence. This book was nominated for the Jerzy Giedroyć Scholarly Award. With Piotr Kołakowski published a book AFERA RANA. Zatrzymanie przez sowiecki kontrwywiad por. Stefana Kasperskiego w świetle jego sprawozdania z 12 sierpnia 1936 r. , Kraków 2014 about the biggest blunder of Polish secret service in the USSR of the 1930s, so called the Ran affair.
He has also published his works in the leading Polish and foreign journals, like „Harvard Ukrainian Studies”, „Holodomor Studies”, “Gazeta Wyborcza”, “Polityka”, “Wprost”, “Dzieje Najnowsze”, “Ukrainian Historical Journal” etc. Dr. Kusnierz has written the scenario of the exhibition „The Great Famine in Ukraine of 1932-1933” presented at first on 5 March 2007 outside the Wawel Castle in Krakow, and then in many other Polish cities including Warsaw, Kielce, Gdansk, Elblag, Wroclaw etc.
He has received various grants and awards, including The Lanckoronski Foundation Scolarship (2002 and 2005 edition), Foundation for Polish Science (2006 and 2010 edition). He was also awarded by a weekly „Polityka” with the award for the best Polish young scientists „Zostańcie z nami” (Stay with us). In November 2007 Dr. Kusnierz was honored with the „For the accomplishments” medal of the 3rd degree through the decree of the President of Ukraine no 1169/2007 for “the significant personal input in the case of showing the truth of the Great Famine in Ukraine of 1932-1933”. On 8 December 2008 during the ceremony at the Royal Castle in Warsaw his wife Renata accepted the medal on behalf of him.
In 2009-2010 (4 months) was an Eugene and Daymel Shlar Fellow at Harvard University (Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute). In 2010 Minister of Science and Higher Education, Prof. Barbara Kudrycka awarded dr. Kuśnierz a stipend for „young distinguished scholars” for 2010-2013. Thanks to the Grant „Mobilność Plus” from Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland in 2013-2014 (12 months) dr. Kuśnierz conducted his research on the Great Terror in the USSR at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University,
Dr. Kusnierz focuses his research on the history of the Soviet Union and post-Soviet countries, especially Ukraine. His points of interest are also Polish diplomacy, the Polish-Soviet and the Polish-Ukrainian relationships.
His wife – Renata Wiaderna-Kusnierz, is a doctor of Roman Law and works for Pomeranian University in Słupsk.