Cultural Identity Politics in the (Post-)Transitional Societies
Cultural Identity Politics in the (Post-)Transitional Societies
Cultural Identity Politics in the (Post-)Transitional Societies
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<strong>Cultural</strong> policies, identities and monument build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe<br />
“Gratitude” strategy vs. strategy of oblivion<br />
A specific part of monument policy was to realize it through a strategy of gratitude,<br />
and this is a tradition <strong>in</strong> south-Slavic countries as part of <strong>the</strong>ir “civil society efforts”. 10<br />
The first monument to Tolstoy outside Russia was erected <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> village of Selce (Brač,<br />
Croatia) <strong>in</strong> 1907, as a sign of Slavic identity and resistance towards Italianization. It<br />
is specifically gratitude to <strong>the</strong> great Slavic writer for keep<strong>in</strong>g Slavic nations respected,<br />
although often considered “non-historical” (depriv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>m of <strong>the</strong>ir rights for<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependence and autonomous development).<br />
The Monument of Gratitude to France <strong>in</strong> Belgrade, monuments to different French<br />
generals (e.g. Franchet d’Esperey), and <strong>the</strong> nam<strong>in</strong>g of streets after personalities who had<br />
helped Serbia <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> First World War to be recognized as a w<strong>in</strong>ner (such as <strong>the</strong> Swiss A.<br />
Reiss and <strong>the</strong> Greek Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister Venizelos) or had helped <strong>in</strong> war efforts (Scottish<br />
nurses such as Dr E. Inglis, B. McGregor, F. Sandes) and so forth, were part of a strategy<br />
to realize state memory (monument) policy.<br />
This tradition had cont<strong>in</strong>ued <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> new states. In <strong>the</strong> same village where <strong>the</strong><br />
monument to Tolstoy was erected now lie monuments to Tuđman, Austrian Premier<br />
Mock and <strong>the</strong> German M<strong>in</strong>ister of Foreign Affairs H. D. Genscher. This confirms <strong>the</strong><br />
statement about Western biased foreign policies (which before negotiations and <strong>the</strong> war<br />
took a clear stand). The monument to Cl<strong>in</strong>ton <strong>in</strong> Prišt<strong>in</strong>a reflects <strong>the</strong> perception of <strong>the</strong><br />
population of Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe of <strong>the</strong> importance of <strong>the</strong> foreign factor. The film<br />
Fuse/Gori vatra, by Pjer Žalica, Bosnia and Herzegov<strong>in</strong>a 2004, described those feel<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
(with an ironic distance towards “gratitude”).<br />
The model of dissent – creative dialogue<br />
The only ones who had <strong>the</strong> courage to redef<strong>in</strong>e relations towards <strong>the</strong> cultural heritage<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, apart from <strong>the</strong> efforts of <strong>the</strong> Yugonostalgic<br />
diaspora (those who emigrated refus<strong>in</strong>g to participate <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> division of <strong>the</strong><br />
country), were artistic circles. With <strong>the</strong>ir concepts and visions, <strong>the</strong>y confronted <strong>the</strong><br />
anachronistic monument policies of Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe, conservative and retrograde<br />
as <strong>the</strong>y were, neglect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> heritage of modernism.<br />
In this spirit Mrđan Bajic created a series of virtual monuments for <strong>the</strong> YugoMuseum.<br />
Inspired by <strong>the</strong> artefacts, events and myths which created but also destroyed Yugoslavia,<br />
Mrđan Bajic explored <strong>the</strong> hidden memories of both Tito’s and Milošević’s time. Each<br />
Bajić virtual sculpture is a monument which memorializes crucial events lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />
towards <strong>the</strong> civil war and <strong>the</strong> dissolution of <strong>the</strong> country. The Memorandum monument<br />
10<br />
Philanthropy was focus<strong>in</strong>g national identity: merchants and rich citizens of Slavic orig<strong>in</strong><br />
gave money for <strong>the</strong>atres, as well as for monuments, such as <strong>the</strong> Monument of <strong>the</strong> Four Faiths,<br />
constructed <strong>in</strong> Čačak <strong>in</strong> 1930 and devoted to soldiers of four faiths (Christian: Orthodox and<br />
Catholic, Jewish and Islamic) killed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> First World War.<br />
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