Observing Memories Issue 4 | Page 9

In the “ Europe insight ” section , we have delved into the following question : can memory bolster democracy and prevent the emergence of new discourses of hate ? And we have done so from a number of different angles . First , the winner of the 2018 European Book Prize , the journalist Géraldine Schwarz , once again probes the figure of the “ Mitläufer ” in order to explain how , although we recall what happened in the Second World War and the Holocaust , we have forgotten how it was possible and the implications that such forgetting entails . Second , the political scientist Sarah Gensburger offers a full analysis of the opportunities and complexities of transmitting democratic values through policies on memory . Lastly , to round out the section , we include an interview with Spain ’ s current State Secretary for Democratic Memory , the historian Fernando Martínez López , who discusses the various challenges , issues , lines of work , new draft legislation and other aspects of new public policies on memory that are being pursued in his country .
In the “ Overview ” section , we feature an interesting piece on one of today ’ s leading specialists in the history of the workers ’ movement , the historian Selina Todd , who highlights the distinction between the public memory and popular memory of the working classes in order to grasp the logics of today ’ s left in Great Britain . The architect Julian Bonder takes us deeper into the complexities of the transmission of memory through commemorative monuments and the challenge of public space as a site of socialization where the public learns narratives of the past . Also , the historian Vjeran Pavlakovicć examines the status of monuments dedicated to the international brigades in today ’ s Croatia and looks at the discussions that their memory elicits .
As in every previous issue , we also have a section of short reviews , which may be bibliographical or memorial in nature ( such as the pieces written by the EUROM historian David González or the Columbia University student and EUROM fellow Luis Gasca ) or may take us on an interesting journey through the former Iron Curtain ( provided by Michael Cramer ). Lastly , in the “ Sightseeing ” section , we feature the much-valued collaboration of Nora Hochbaum , director of one of the foremost memorials in Argentina : the Parque de la Memoria , or Memory Park , a monument to the victims of state terrorism . In her detailed piece , Hochbaum describes the significance of the place , the challenges and achievements , her lines of activity ( such as the relationship between art and memory ), the immense work being done and the challenges that remain . In closing , I would like to express my public gratitude to every author who appears in the present issue and to the entire team and all of my colleagues who make the journal possible year after year . This year the challenge has been even greater because of our not especially propitious circumstances . My special thanks go to Ricard Conesa in publishing and content , Fernanda Zanuzzi in promotion and design , and Oriol López , Celeste Muñoz and David González for their unstinting work . Let me conclude with a heartfelt embrace for each and every one of you . I wish you all an enjoyable read , the best of health , good cheer and much good fortune now and in the year to come !
Jordi Guixé Director of the European Observatory on Memories
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