collective memory

A Quest for Origins and a Battle over Principles: Dutch Reformation Commemorations in the 19th Century

Paul, Herman
Wallet, Bart

This essay is a first exploration of nineteenth-century Dutch Protestant memory culture. Using Reformation commemorations as our case study, we show that the appropriation of Luther and Calvin for group identity purposes underwent a twofold transition in the century between 1817 and 1917. Whereas the unity of Dutch Protestantism was a dominant theme during the first decades of the nineteenth century, the Reformation became increasingly used as an instrument for justifying subgroup identities.

Commemoration and Canonisation of the Past: On Discusions about the History of Slovakia

Michela, Miroslav

Following political changes in the late 80's socialist block, Czechoslovakia experienced a certain boom of nationalism, which became a legitimising element for the current political conceptions. Actually, in the year 2008, which is by political establishment named as the year of "magic eights" in history of Slovaks, lot of commemorational events were realized. Official speeches concerning to these historical jubilees contained a lot of historical examples and myths instrumentalised in current political context.

Topography of revolutionary traditions. On the topic of the area of Hussite Czechoslovakia in 1948-1955

Randák, Jan

The area of Czechoslovakia was ascribed various politically relevant, among others also historical, qualities by the discourse during the period of the Czechoslovak Stalinism. Such attributes caused that interpretations of a state or national area, respectively, became tools as far as the forming of social-political reality of Czechoslovak citizens was concerned. These attributes were also involved in creation of collective identities, loyalties or historical awareness.

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