Historical Comparison of the Politics of Historical Memory in Germany and Spain

Abstract

The violent events of the 20th century are not only part of history but also part of the identities and memories of many survivors, perpetrators, by-standers and their family members. After fascist and dictatorial regimes, mass-violence events and genocides, many scholars have raised the question of what has been done and how should the memories of such violent events be preserved, and their role in present day European countries. This paper explores the different approaches to historical memory and reconciliation in Spain after the Spanish Civil War and Francoist Repression and in Germany after the Holocaust. These two countries have been regarded as opposed models for historical memory: while Germany remains as the ‘paradigm’ of preservation of memory, Spain is often seen as the country of forgetting. Comparing the strategies undertaken by the governments of Spain and Germany can help understand the challenges and complexities of the preservation of historical memory after a traumatic historical event, as well as its influence on presentday national identities and politics.