Historical memory as a source of conflicts in Eastern Europe1

1999 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Jedlicki
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Historical Memory ◽  
Recent History ◽  
Compromise Solution ◽  
Human Relations ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
The Past ◽  
National Memory ◽  
History Of

Memory of collective wrongs and atrocities suffered in the past from another nation or ethnic group often burdens a present conflict with strong resentment and makes it appear as a historical repetition or redress. There are many examples in recent history of Eastern Europe, the Balkans included, when vivid and deliberately inflamed historical reminiscences make it virtually impossible to negotiate a compromise solution of a crisis. Only when national memory has been “cooled” and sacrosanct historical places and symbols has lost some of their mobilizing force, may human relations between the enemy communities be restored.

scholarly journals MEMOIRE DES BALKANS, MEMOIRES DES FRANCE(S) : VERS LA RECONNAISSANCE DE MEMOIRES PLURIELLES ET NON EXCLUSIVES

2019 ◽  
pp. 33-44
Author(s):  
Jean-Jacques TATIN GOURIER
Keyword(s):  
Historical Memory ◽  
Third Republic ◽  
Former Yugoslavia ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
The Third ◽  
National Memory ◽  
History Of ◽  
Wide Readership ◽  
The One

MEMORY OF THE BALKANS, MEMORIES OF FRANCE(ES): TOWARDS RECOGNITION OF MULTIPLE AND NON EXCLUSIVES MEMORIES The contemporary approach to memorial memory in France is quite different from the one applied in the 1990s in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Nevertheless, the authors of the article have tried to compare them, relying primarily on the concept represented by Pierre Nora in the work of Les Lieux de mémoire, as well as on the distinction the author makes between the notions of memory and history. A certain tradition of national memory was imposed through the educational system in the Third Republic in France. But, in the early 1960s, the historical researches largely contributed to the differentiation from the traditionalist approach of interpreting history as a national novel: history was increasingly recognized as a social and anthropological discipline and the issues of an epistemological (history of history), theoretical and methodological nature were highlighted accordingly. The attention of researchers and a wide readership stays occupied by controversy over the interpretation of contemporary events (WWII, decolonization). In the wake of the brutal events of the 1990s, which resulted in the rebirth of different entities from the former Yugoslavia, the main antithesis of the place of memorial memory (which applies only to Yugoslavia / which refers to new, national entities) has, in some ways, been transformed. And the transformation was quite unbalanced, given that the commemoration of memorial events by the newly-created states is, above all, a matter of political choice. Each newly formed state asks its own questions: What has been deleted? What came to light and at what cost? How did each state instrumentalize its historical memory in the specific context? Keywords: Memorial memory, France, Former Yugoslavia, Balkans, history, nationalism / we

The Fall of Tripoli in 1289 in the Perception of Christian Communities of the Middle East

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
К.А. Панченко
Keyword(s):  
Educational Level ◽  
Historical Memory ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
13Th Century ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
Modern Era ◽  
Religious Polemics

Abstract The article examines the conquest of the County of Tripoli by the Mamelukes in 1289, and the reaction of various Middle Eastern ethnoreligious groups to this event. Along with the Monophysite perspective (the Syriac chronicle of Bar Hebraeus’ Continuator and the work of the Coptic historian Mufaddal ibn Abi-l-Fadail), and the propagandist texts of Muslim Arabic panegyric poets, we will pay special attention to the historical memory of the Orthodox (Melkite) and Maronite communities of northern Lebanon. The contemporary of these events — the Orthodox author Suleiman al-Ashluhi, a native of one of the villages of the Akkar Plateau — laments the fall of Tripoli in his rhymed eulogy. It is noteworthy that this author belongs to the rural Melkite subculture, which — in spite of its conservative character — was capable of producing original literature. Suleiman al-Ashluhi’s work was forsaken by the following generations of Melkites; his poem was only preserved in Maronite manuscripts. Maronite historical memory is just as fragmented. The father of the Modern Era Maronite historiography — Gabriel ibn al-Qilaʿî († 1516) only had fragmentary information on the history of his people in the 13th century: local chronicles and the heroic epos that glorified the Maronite struggle against the Muslim lords that tried to conquer Mount Lebanon. Gabriel’s depiction of the past is not only biased and subject to aims of religious polemics, but also factually inaccurate. Nevertheless, the texts of Suleiman al-Ashluhi and Gabriel ibn al-Qilaʿî give us the opportunity to draw conclusions on the worldview, educational level, political orientation and peculiar traits of the historical memory of various Christian communities of Mount Lebanon.

Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurit Yaari
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
The Political ◽  
Late Nineteenth Century ◽  
Jewish Culture ◽  
The Past ◽  
Future State ◽  
History Of ◽  
Late Nineteenth ◽  
State Of Israel

This chapter examines the lack of continuous tradition of the art of the theatre in the history of Jewish culture. Theatre as art and institution was forbidden for Jews during most of their history, and although there were plays written in different times and places during the past centuries, no tradition of theatre evolved in Jewish culture until the middle of the nineteenth century. In view of this absence, the author discusses the genesis of Jewish theatre in Eastern Europe and in Eretz-Yisrael (The Land of Israel) since the late nineteenth century, encouraged by the Jewish Enlightenment movement, the emergence of Jewish nationalism, and the rebirth of Hebrew as a language of everyday life. Finally, the chapter traces the development of parallel strands of theatre that preceded the Israeli theatre and shadowed the emergence of the political infrastructure of the future State of Israel.

A Personal Odyssey on Schools for Blind Children

1993 ◽  
Vol 87 (6) ◽  
pp. 171-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.H. Hatlen
Keyword(s):  
Recent History ◽  
The Past ◽  
Blind Children ◽  
History Of

The evolution of schools for the blind over the past 30 years has been dramatic. Sometimes changes have been self-initiated, and sometimes these schools have been forced into different roles and expectations. This article traces both the recent history of schools for the blind and how one observer learned and matured from his experiences.

scholarly journals Thracian

2020 ◽  
pp. 787-817
Author(s):  
Wojciech Sowa
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
The State ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Entire Period ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
History Of ◽  
South Eastern Europe

Thracian belongs to the group of languages spoken over the entire period of Antiquity in the areas of south-eastern Europe (mostly the Balkans) and which, like other vernaculars spoken in this and neighbouring areas, had died out by the end of the Roman period leaving but scanty evidence. This chapter provides an introduction into the state of our current knowledge about the Thracian language and epigraphy and the perspectives of research of this language. Since our comprehension and understanding of grammatical system of Thracian is limited, the current knowledge of the language makes any translation of attested inscriptions impossible. It is however expected that the progress in studying development and history of the Greek script may provide us with new and relevant data for interpretation of Thracian.

scholarly journals On Preserving the Historical Memory of the First Half of the 20th Century. Introduction to Considerations about the Past of Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-19
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Michalski
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Historical Memory ◽  
Interdisciplinary Studies ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of

In the context of reflections on the breakthrough moments in the history of Poland in the first half of the 20th century, the content of the volume of the journal “Nauki o Wychowaniu. Studia Interdyscyplinarne” (Nowis. Interdisciplinary Studies) which testifies to the preservation of their historical memory, is discussed.

scholarly journals Contractive Practices in History of Serbo-Croatian Relations

2021 ◽  
pp. 92-105
Author(s):  
V. Rozumyuk
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Significant Part ◽  
International Tribunal ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
The Past ◽  
War Criminals ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
Heavy Burden ◽  
Common Future

The article examines Serbo-Croatian conflict in the XX - early XXI centuries. The history of the formation of the Serbian and Croatian statehood is analyzed; the reasons for the confrontation between two close Slavic peoples are determined and the evolution of their relationship is highlighted; clarified the determinants that determine the antagonistic nature and demonstrative cruelty of the Serbo-Croatian confrontation. The formation after the “Patriotic War” of 1991-1995 of two parallel “worlds” was stated, as a result of which the Croatian and Serbian communities hardly intersect in everyday life. Constant quarrels and fights on ethnic grounds, burning of flags and desecration of state symbols have been and remain daily occurrences from the very beginning of reintegration, and war criminals convicted by an international tribunal are perceived by the two communities as national heroes and defenders of the Motherland. It points to the gradual aggravation of interethnic confrontation in Croatia and the growth of xenophobic sentiments, which has been observed recently. The conclusion about the failure of past and modern attempts to establish Serbo-Croatian cooperation in building a common future has been substantiated. It is emphasized that the Serbo-Croatian conflict does not look exhausted, not only because of the heavy burden of the past, which causes mutual accusations and long-standing hatred. Attention is drawn to the fact that this confrontation is primarily about the future - about the fate of various national projects. The mirage of “Greater Serbia” still tempts a significant part of the Serbs, who are hatching revanchist intentions, while the Croats are determined to defend their won independence. Accordingly, under certain international conditions, the confrontation of political ambitions in the Balkans can easily flare up with renewed vigor, once again confirming the reputation of this region as a “powder keg” of Europe.

scholarly journals Made in Yugoslavia: Studies in Popular Music

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 271-282
Author(s):  
Laura Emmery
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Popular Music ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
New Wave ◽  
World War ◽  
The West ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
History Of ◽  
Comprehensive Discussion ◽  
Made In

Made in Yugoslavia: Studies in Popular Music (edited by Danijela Špirić Beard and Ljerka Rasmussen) is a fascinating study of how popular music developed in post-World War II Yugoslavia, eventually reaching both unsurpassable popularity in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, and critical acclaim in the West. Through the comprehensive discussion of all popular music trends in Yugoslavia − commercial pop (zabavna-pop), rock, punk, new wave, disco, folk (narodna), and neofolk (novokomponovana) − across all six socialist Yugoslav republics, the reader is given the engrossing socio-cultural and political history of the country, providing the audience with a much-needed and riveting context for understanding the formation and the eventual demise of Tito’s Yugoslavia.

Essays on the Political history of the Countries of Central and south-Eastern Europe. From the Late Twentieth to the Early Twenty-First Centuries

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Political Development ◽  
The Political ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Early Twenty ◽  
History Of ◽  
South Eastern Europe ◽  
Late Twentieth

This collective monograph is a comprehensive study of the causes, evolution and outcomes of complex processes in the contemporary history of the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe, and aims in particular to identify common and special characteristics in their socio-economic and political development. The authors base their work on documentary evidence; both published and unpublished archival materials reveal the specifics of the development of the political landscapes in these countries. They highlight models combining both European and nationally oriented (and even nationalist) components of the political spheres of particular countries; identify markers which allow the stage of completion (or incompletion) of the establishment of a new political system to be estimated; and present analyses of the processes of internal political struggle, which has often taken on ruthless forms. The analysis of regional and country-specific documentary materials illustrates that the gap in the development of the region with “old Europe” in general has not yet been overcome: in the post-Socialist period, the situation of the region being “ownerless” and “abandoned”, characteristic of the period between the two world wars, is reoccurring. The authors conclude that during the period from the late twentieth to the early twenty-first centuries, the region was quite clearly divided into two parts: Central (the Visegrad Four) and South-Eastern (the Balkans) Europe. The authors explore the prevailing trends in the political development of Hungary and Poland related to the leadership of nationally and religiously oriented parties; in the Czech Republic and Slovakia the pendulum-like change in power of the left and right-wing parties; and in Bulgaria and Romania the domestic political processes permanently in crisis. The authors pay special attention to the contradictory nature of the political evolution of the states that emerged in the space of the former Yugoslavia. For the first time, Greece and Turkey are included in the context of a regional-wide study. The contributors present optimal or resembling transformational models, which can serve as a prototype for shaping the political landscape of other countries in the world. The monograph substantiates the urgency of the new approach needed to study the history and current state of the region and its countries, taking into account the challenges of the time, which require strengthening national and state identity. The research also offered prognostic characteristics of transformational changes in the region, the Visegrad Four, and the Balkans.

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