crimes committed by totalitarian regimes - Ministrstvo za pravosodje

Crimes committed by totalitarian regimes
Thomas Hiio
Possible common European history school textbook
Item not listed in agenda – reaction to press reports 1
1. Line to take
This is an interesting suggestion which merits consideration on how it could be developed. The
LLP could support initiatives in this area. At the same time we would need to proceed with some
caution and to be clear about the purpose of any such initiative.
2. Speaking points
I fully support the thinking behind the idea, that we should move away from narrow, nationalistic
or ethnocentric interpretations of history and that we should make space for the learning of history
which can help to highlight our common heritage.
However, I am sure we would all agree that we should not seek to put forward a single European
narrative to the exclusion of other narratives. It is preferable to promote an approach to history teaching
which takes into account Europe’s diversity and which fosters an awareness of multiple perspectives
and the point of view of others. History should at times focus on the European and the global level,
sometimes on the national and often on the local level as well.
Supporting networking among practitioners, including both academics and schoolteachers, the
production of teaching materials, exchanges of thinking about teaching and research methods – all of
these would facilitate such an approach and would seem to me to be the best way to proceed.
The LLP programme is available to support networks in this area – it has done so in the past – and
it should be in a position to support imaginative ideas in this area in the future. In this context, Madame
Chair, it would be useful to me to hear more about some of the interesting bilateral activities which have
already taken place between German and France and Germany and Poland.
3. Background note
There have been reports in the press (UK, Poland and Germany) that Mrs Schavan, with the
support of Mrs Merkel and of the Commission, is “to push for the publication” of “a new school history
book for the whole European Union” at the Heidelberg meeting.
The press commentaries have been at best neutral, at worst quite critical.
The Presidency informs us that Mrs Schavan is not pushing the idea at Heidelberg, but it is not
clear whether she will refer to it, and in any event there may be questions from journalists and there is
also some indication that the idea might in any event be taken up by the Polish Minister.
We understand that the idea was first addressed in a press query at the press conference following
the Council meeting on 16 February.
The Commission has supported a number of multilateral history education networks or initiatives,
for example:
– Euroclio, the European standing conference of history teachers, which aims to support the
development of history teaching so that it strengthens peace, stability, democracy and critical
thinking;
1
Formal Meeting of the European Ministers of Education in Heidelberg, 1–2 March 2007.
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