The challenges posed by
a “European historical
memory”
since the beginning of post-Second-World-War
European integration, attempts have been made
and are indeed ongoing to supplement existing
national collective identities and memories trans-
nationally in order to lend additional legitimacy to
There are basically three alternative ways of the “European project”. However, while European
approaching a collective “European memory”: “cultural heritage” in its widest sense, the Second
World War as the zero hour and trigger of European
I. Acknowledging both the diversity and similarities
integration, and the achievements of the integration
in national memory cultures, in line with the process themselves were traditional reference points,
European Union’s motto: United in diversity, over the last twenty years the Holocaust on the one
with no further aspirations to create one single hand, twentieth-century totalitarianism (especially
European remembrance culture. National Socialism and Stalinism) on the other have
moved centre stage in political attempts to foster a
II. Encouraging a common European historical
European collective memory.
memory based on general topoi such as
“democracy” or “freedom”, yet with an overall Given the fact that there seems to be a wide degree
non-committal nature. of common consensus between the European
Parliament, the Commission and the Council
III. Endorsing a collective European memory based
regarding the actual reference points of European
on clearly defined historical landmarks, with a historical memory, it seems legitimate to talk of an
commensurate commitment involved. at least rudimentary “remembrance policy of the
European Union”.
It is on this last alternative that recent political
initiatives in Europe have mainly focused. Ever
An expression of this basic inter-institutional
Plenary hall of European parliament in Strasbourg, April 16, 2013 | Ikars, Shutterstock.com
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