Past in the Making Historical Revisionism in Central Europe after 1989 Edited by Michal Kopecek ~ CEU PRESS Central European University Press Budapest New York‘principal inicator of the accountability of any historical poreayal of the Sov century. as wel asthe emesis 1 use rank Ankersmit’s metaphor, of a dial eptemologial eriaqus of itrical knowledge, which claims that ‘the hata of the pas isa mete pragmatic convention o thetoricl Fig: the. Beyond tat however inthe loa contest of individual national cule rc, revisions ofthe recent past and the very notion of historical revision- {Bo squire connotations an peclie meanings, which draw on respective tational Istores or their specie pars rather than ona general European Istoncl narative ‘Where the line between leita reexamination of historia imter= pretation and amps to rewrite history in apoitelly motivated way tha Tlwngyates o denies essential historical facts? What are the layers and Sanuments of the contemporary debates about historical revisionism in ‘olving no ony academia and the mass media, but also decentralized rasroot initiatives empowered by the Tere, cheap digital storage, and towing felis? How does the international debate about ethnic cle ‘inp andthe expulsion ofthe Gornan popeltion during and ar Second ‘World War, and the thesis tat “expulsion equals genocide.” resonate in ferent Cental Eropenn counties? What tensions aie fom he juxtapo- Sion of plially motivated moral condermatins of totaiaraneegimes With a alevestined asademic discourse of social and cut ap- roel in recent histrigraphy? How do the mos or less traiinal "na onal historical narratives ett tothe spil-over of ntrationa and pli a eontoversis nt ther pier of ifluence ad intellectual obi? tis no the purpose of ths volume o give a systematic, well kit et of answers to these questions, which were aed inthe fist announcement of the workshop. The eonibuons range fm general accounts ofthe eis nological background of ecent istril evisionism, and atl concen {tating no the selaonship Bebweenstrcal scholarship, poles and popular historia eonseiowsness, 0 focused analyses of particular debates PerSecactural phenomena in individal counties, Both is thematic ‘ope and is pengraphicl range ae fa rm being complete in any sess, ‘veh though considerations ofboth played a certain role in the composition ‘tthe workshep program and te Subsequent volume. It is hoped by the SSuthors that ter ests wil lad toa ively exchange of eas and encour age futher inguiry. and ths prolong ia some way what they experienced dria sunny October weekend in Prague back in 2006. Micha Kopotsk, Prigu, March 2007 Historiographic Revision and Revisionism The Evidentiat Difference Avtezex Tucks Ths debate between historians nd rvs sich as Holocaust denies ress ana number of sue n psemoloy he rch of phos te bach of pies that deals with theatre of kaw and how hs acqied What's es {eric knowledge? How cane know if we possess the Hse rath it the ile ei Nagy hat mesma wih Bare cxremist polis an! revisions hore at a {abrcaes misrepresntations ofthe past? ea strognply. our bls about te pa ison, is in constant ‘ur beliefs are constantly bing vised, In that sense, al historians who Sondt research ae “revisomst,” Had historiography not boon ject to const revision ere woud ave been lite for bsoras to db, yond transiting received wd t et tote generation Histo "apy isa progresive and imovatvedspie comps of saans tale researeh programs precisely bec it capable of evi sel. ema inprovieg el expanding Knowle cing ron in sew hisorcl conten Broadly, ery ate tage Opes a ins ‘iographic revision: oe G).Evkenceebven revise ess from te di a kone of naw evidence New evidence may reduce the obabilies of hype aa the pst that nce hd scien hgh bait ob come pat or nowlelge ofthe past. or may increase the probity of hypotesce that had Tow prabbes or werent even considered at all New ev an he Hy pp 8 ew bypass han a re satis a revision in historiography. Hypotheses that explain a toatr fangs of evidence and lead to he dscnery snd explanation anew dence a prefered 10 hypotheses hat expan & arower range of ev see, Progen te aay of srry si fll anne ons that alow historians to wiz new types of evidence, suchas the discovery ofthe archive as an evita etre rave he half othe et, ea overs hae ie wide we of io imentary evidence such as material remains or bureaucratic re- Sore thar can vd genet quntinve trgrapy. The seach ‘nm esa ee hen rte tes ey SPOUEE aut te rected te atenton, och asthe tory ofc Me Fanci not ben coed iat fr soins ia epullcancedriven its from changes in what historians MSpeamesdiven revision rest eo nwt itr conta sigan hoy. Ate es tans ms cone ‘Thor the muy poate poostn tot he ps whch hye ‘Reorng dare ton he cies vot eng Some wo Writ kage fhe psn sted ae 6 cea 2 Sah oo ee: els and racing ei ref ng or spacace of the historia poss Tis perception ot fence revel aa et of histo hangs For camp ita hang strane for recede ater em Senta pres The merece of tara he 20 en tay Bt Mts Connor tera ase 0 ex sarah corsa he eof he 20 cerry, Sine i {Gr processes tke tne he sane of ame ees and te Sth my scone nn ng er wee Ha ig GAlN-preserit such a retrospective understanding of processes cn ‘fs hey se completed, wot coal have writen ofthe Minded {ens arse fw nt lr understanding oe inennce ihe US. resistance in Afghanistan during the of the US suport for ani Soviet cs rng 1985s fer the atk gs the Und Sas in 204 Eth criti ose mor vat of actin acon fag fo aumeqensy, may abo be and tee tht ra ‘Maes hater actos andthe ages who pore he Sorin to te siiene in espe oe Tatcn revo hse when Horns eval the is tral ves and pone hy ese and exis may es her Tanne evans tt ed fo aeration of ps hen fiom min the system of values that historians employ. to evaluate, seer sand ade For example the Metongrpty oT trippy mi, rahi has neve ope ei see saan of works of ar, erature and philosophy. Sec ‘halations beep historiography relevant i Hissriographic Revision at Revisionism 3 Readers of sion istorogaphy,epeily those who read more than single interpretation of sir evidence can exilydhanguch revisions th re de to dire systems of wali comers ot signifance from those that ret fom dfferent evidence, Revisiot sonography shares wih revised historiography the tev son ot hens Sigifeace and syst of valves. Haweverrevisnst Nsosoprany int fom revised historiography in bing immune fo the flere eve Eien. One ofthe che revision strays hasbeen "make fe pstemoloical iss to make the distinction between evidence based probable knowlege of history and tion vague and unclear lis the Bonlersieen hstriographic th ad alehood by aig thee con te more han a single “ive” hsoiogaphs paraine.Hitrtal events "the Holsnus may then be “re” fr sone peopl and "ot tae” foe “ers I historiography is edible tthe poles and the sh ves ire and aliations ofthe people who wei the Helocan may be apr ofthe nares of sme communis, bt of ees dermonstate inthis atl that revisions hitarography can as be disguised from istrgrphic revisions. Reon herent umigely founded on the penchant for rapt values over copie tales. Revisonist temps to cofise knowledge wih flonan founded on bad philosophy, invalid arguments and misodesonings of Contemporacy epitemlogy and philosophy of science We have ery 804 esos to elev in the ist wth ftheHoocatst and to ase ‘he methods hat historians hae been sing one i A disintively piesopieal approach is eqied to debate revision ism heats tn historical arguments ae sit 0 combat the second ine of defense of revisionists. When bsins prove mg dene an tanardhisrigraphie methods hatte was» Hee, the vison can and do fal tack on dspaing the epistemic Sadar of mainstreai Wistriography fr example, by sahming tht the pole or etn bikes of most htrans, the“ juste” event then frm cing what te revisits conser the “wth” Agua, ie ‘wan is wien bythe winner, andthe vangsed News nay have their native as wel which may be ja gate Though Fsccat deniers are eo-Naxs anor anes of varios sade who not ssly bln tothe seadonie mainstream, the piksophcal underpin sings of tr atack on he epstemte foundations of our wedge o te Holocaust are shied by sane academic, ho ae pier ting ple cal exremiss nor racists Relativit ndshepial pilsopers uth tc icra) Richa Rony oF (he Marit) Hayden Whi, ba of StatonUniver clam a ts ipl to pove te poi of he i ‘Safe bas rtucny oer et Tape plus fs send ne of Sne af ess is fomded om th se assumption that tee ae nt wo piesa Sion ett posts oe postmodern epi sou ur Kw cree etc an te Stroy petit "we am nore ee Geni and win hae efor ocak ys ime eel site in comenpnryspsangy a los wrest Sn for pod renor:al nose, mot na) sei SLES acon and vale aden, Mos cotenporay players Seiji soe tect pert es an Setar any vewpoi Hover, popes n the piso srg of kates ad cjoany dc ot py hte these tah heey othe ble” toe that some puis cll perspec” intohed by Niche and upbel y ser tesco Sle thse GctdngHstriogran) Fos tations to ahee te bs explanation fhe evidence the ptt a aes the evens most ya th explana ‘Sthess most pcb, What hora cor knw, ie sith Sie pete inst hp pales fe alle rte ron aeet Evan scene, ding stop. aledben He ar ed no ge es pion nee Sao ie evieer, spy once, ge of explo Powe et ettency an ilgece nthe sar rene) hat 5 ‘sue hetween cmpeting peice eerie valet Se pene! he bay of eeu ofthe propels a hey ae ‘Rathod mor or pole vles fo expe Hiroe reve Sete unnasabe fom lepine revit ropa) y BOERS Meacontacve sete cope vae andy ee Seepane ofa hrc of lus ssordngo Wich copie vas ii pccioce verter ae judgments nora. ‘ave goed tooo tat coment among soins, ia 8 nig hecogmeosy le nd uncocel govp ely ade SreSRge neces Shed knowee et tun ay comple eof Bhi a ore pebbleenplaton osha aniguly aeogereous ire no cmotngetogenenu cose on easier FBT Mee toucd thr sucha uniguely Heterogeneous consensus in pele) ty ones folowing inmodcon sound te tuna ti Toth cay of oe pra at care ote acted wi Ranke Tench ms prc inked nono sare cogtve va a Hisoriographic Revision and Revisionism 5 ton preserving similares between tr concen ae am tht here was a Holocaust “Revisions hsrans” eho dry i nego at the standard consensus-generating cognitive values that bistorler aap bem ch yt Gt Fee een coer fren won hang en 5 osama abd atl ply apes lo ml esate istorii Kw my sectine eee ‘Trsame rope For example. a meni of 8 ‘ sist commmunty soc a Asan Aerian, hay develop ih meget asf chlevenet other forbes ee a ‘Eb ens of Ase a te comity of Aan Ars ‘Thc nd eclogite dior sl se SEN ave were her state and cnr, a he er Sicctnine ast hseroen emilee Sei Spl, 2 member of a ansveeafl or back ni my re Belavehis aato the re o l epry Aes hs pup de by sone op of ple emi 1 Stu nh Sch ath na consis tn ergs Wc secs epi Freed ry oo ane Stan tenes he tele om Pepto sia th img le oan akoetdgene fel eo al lage Mole sac honogapy my dane the, Ei sy psn ain ih pale ad oh uence ai ‘Shey cay toes sid te ofan oo aoe eo an ra atte Tema li sogntve ves of wentfe htoregraphy allow te thera ste chips to fall as they may. . he dscion cn senility iio iy heifers he comune a et he, i aphyTounded on, scientific cognitive, values. is acceptec a By hecrosccons and uncoeted communi. istriogaphi {Gilat co tpn aes esx by roalr homogeis ‘Stunts haar clay ential sending ft robles a [grievances; Holocaust denial is popular among neo-Nazis Lay 7 ae AER wich the Nari, aby impetn er ale ad savor. [arcane an wn nea lea ne dig Nn on anlar nto stage mth re pom oa of partusrnatnal ents who slr fom a i aac ige” thn conpracie is promoted by particular gous 0 Hiswriographic Revision and Revisionism 2 people who share a sense of helplessness and meaninglessness as the ‘wot changes and pesss them hy, Thre has always Beea's market for therapeutic historiography besanse people a ther institutions wil anaes ay to promos, read, ce hear therapeutic accounts of tee clever for that mater personal past. The psychological equivalent of revisions Mss tography would be therapies that would convnge the patent that whatever ersona failings they have. o social mess they have created for theres !ue the fault of somsone else and tht they have just been passive viethns, Undoubiely. such therapy may be effective in improving science, es Heving gilt and insiling a sense of esightaousness However the poss tive therapeutic effects ofthis matative do not contribute anyhing te ts probably. The abusive behavior of some parents may indeed he eepons Ble for the character ws of thee offepring: the axles, ition oy ‘obsessions; and, most sianificantly, ther abusive behavior towards omen However, despite the therapeutic benefits of convincing adults tha there Daren worshipped Solan and engaged i child scifi and sent abuse, an despite the therapeutic recovery of alleged "suppressed merores a Satanic rials and sexual abuse, there is litle evidence tht weld make these naraives of abuse historical probable Inconsistencies between therapeutic and scientific coghitve values ‘manifest themselves in socal conics between homogenous therapeutic communities and members of the uniquely heterogenens hitrtogepic community that share cognitive values, Dating te Toth century sorous ‘forged “ancien pot documents surfaced in Europe, but were cxpored despite their herapeatie value for nationalist causes, "The poems of the “Scotish Homer.” Ossian, were exposed in the early 19th cmtiry a hi ing been writen inthe 18th century by James Macpherson In Boheme “Tomais G. Masaryk paricipated ia exposing similar “ancien” Cacch po ems a forgeries. The universality ofthe cognitive valucy of sents historiography is demonstrated by Masaryk’ dual role asthe foremost leader of the Catch national movement who totam later the Fist pres dent of Czechoslovakia, and as a profesional philosopher and the chi opponent of te forgeries. “Legitimate hisorans, ike Masaryh, accept a hierarchy of vas, a cording to which thcir scientific cognitive values take precedence over the therapeutic values and needs of thee politcal, national, lass, ethnie,gen 4, rca, religious anor other groups) We may want to believe tat « s104p with which we identify has always been vious and futsal that whatever blemises we find in our group are the product of the et that was done to us unjustly by some other elas, or gender oe plicl,7 soa ce i rego ander er eo). at i Reith al opti sls te sop comma SITES hace angeey heepecosfatotognple coma way Shoat teen Bony aly. tp am of ons a tg esos rh iE owt fa wor eons hate pe grin ated by he precede of ical og Lepimate Nsorigapy smd by log rns roger nt te peso bar |historiographic interpretation is inevitable." As long ast hier archica pro ther values is preserved, legitimate wrlca precede af copie oer nae Wnoriggaiy can accomodate myriad differen and coicting al “soroumphe seen aby mala es byte aftaion plea bass and peste etm Thr tien ean fort cere beech a a cra of sinar sre proms aa events. YL [nective emphasis on the dilfesnces Bete istorographicnarr= thes may vedo te adage among soa mer pose ps el spe as easy Um tbe psec oie vas rte ae, Ose Sefsteonapl opine ie ed apa ‘Tor personal interpretations, perspectives, vale judas and int re tions ofthe meaning and signi cance of sora progr. For example, (Shane not ry Sw cope yas a npn ee uc aso Has ene Not hnwran Dai Aaa pti ook oping te mars three ote hs ay nite by Coma a Barve cpt vals af tography y pyig ast a aie th the evidence, another Marxist historian, Henry Ashby Turner, ve in ci efectvely xcommaote Asa and i Bos lin te spine vas of eter conund. “Maraist or not Philosophers of historiography have =. sting SEER Naormaphy old or sll ne Be value aden” Once Historiographic Revision and Revisionism understand the hierarchy that ghes precedence 1 consensus-genering Sorvies that would allow both group to share the post-communist spits ‘of power of wealth with immity. Doe's evidence was the social and insiaional contin inthe composition of most of the Cassh and Sko- ‘ak lites after the Velvet Revelation. In polities and dhe media, where thre as ¢ marked replacement of els, some former Charter 77 dis dents wete indeed inal, the beneficiaries. Doli assumed tha the Fiah positive correlation betwsen the winners of the proces of transition ‘fer 1989 and pro-I989 confiing communist and dissident elites must fave a conspiratorial explanation, The therapeu value of his conspiracy theow les I absolving the large Cacch public of complicity with or re- Sponsbility for te uteomes of Communism and the sls ofthe Velvet Revolt. [PCharter 77 was a communist front organization ll long, it ‘vat right and prodent to avoid joining it port 1989, and ordinary peo pie ua didnot become involved with sent have nothing to be ashamed SF ithe outcome of te Velvet Revoltin isthe result ofa deal between Histoviograpie Revision and Revisonisoe u lis, onary pope eater sponse ro obigd owe tnd svg inpove een os pounce on and wrestle conol over heir own vest anew domoeriy soy hen the pontsomi ietndfy brene es ane Sin yoyo hn ace hs ee isa sone ci’ Tt al pots can do es deste hapless pay ot he common pepe Be nce ee Sita ater tan i ca nek eee pe Imani aie biad ering. Te hepa ceo ee ‘py ead no ai fo epic es item wih scopy heap, whch se eae ees at ‘bili isthe absence of CiBorsion, Thee net shed of decor tary evidence eal testimony about communist anpuation of te leadership of Charter 7, o about any del alamg the lines of naan a spshng repent of te poli ees a wane cen tori Late Acres tl Suh Aten We oo a ara es Si denny nrc, th anon nd ancy fearon es pro the lie hom postin ad eater power Butt psscmmenacne cre ina ‘orto tlinmbing nS anes ab oe Ine les thal arers itary sup ta ee a ‘ite wht onthe or ne Pete Nea at seal aeopt esl msn ad inenen oa fms mw pep, wich mes th conoiy af dc mre ey lame se aan ee snd is founded on igo serch for ures evidence in othe ese stato aan ca peas theClass i ian Wma ‘eine liniaton and ten prevention fom he enegence of shenae ie eee elapse a fw ahora a a ine wpe arin ne catego ee eee «Sar sony ches fom ens pa ara ese wih owt copay A pels eae ete cli nthe Croc andthe 2,00 sigs Chater 7 ert oly ie ee nd wig mma ea Ra rac ths cts be ay fe cer oca within the “gray” professional cl that had be aes aon itu id ben pola ot to 1989, The flat tolerance of Charter T7 dung the lac seve 1 eis a eprint ak pea see a svia PAST HE MAKING Es seeet pole conor Char nn common alae al ghee” ta rn pat Si Ties thr rclonship withthe evdenee ot nthe content of thei theo Ties. The evidence for revisionist conspiracy theories usually consists of Ihe repent univers hep ako Knee, iad by Des ‘Sts hat consi they be amie an nore on nar ere cond that consi) eis prefer “a almost iiistic cr copy aes in gee Una cscn : Hisriopraphic Revision and Revisionism 8 te rc soe institions can nd do keep conspiracies ee, public at uions especially in itera states av no trusty. al panes tay be persecuted thik ht the probe with Keley's flats a {he problem is ins bivalent choice between universal septic aad abou, Abn i a reftion on the flag! ste ae ‘ere, mmsly the absence of velo, a meaning oF end fe besa proces. Tre tough this exon word view ay Bef st an “splaaton ofthe werd itis a releon on is Sat of mesinglenen Conspirey teres on he ter han ar primary ah expaston os sv the wali as ated by he eres mais of ssa pr Deople. This sll group inposce sieves clandstinely on te md an consequently the en of the historia! press corenponds ih te interests. Proper competitors to onspacy tos wuld ten fe tere five explanations ofthe historia evidence for compra) theo, nea tay the positive coelations between histor! evs snd rose sn the interests an motivations of sll seca gros, The compuraine vain of sth comping explanations af sich veces ural evidence for ironing sages betnesn the expan, te they conspiracies or unintended consequences of comple inerctiny Between social uroups andthe evidence Conspiracy thers would have {0 expan the absence of such evidence bythe same od canspiacy. hie aterative explanations woul sully be able come up eh viooes for the uitended process that ead to craton etneen event nd inte. Cte paribus cet cognitive valuee mould dee ta he ‘Boos with the broadest scope of evidence, which are also Te and nese in being able to las tothe covey of new evidence nd eet some oft esis, would be prefered to teenie alemates The skeptical philosophy of hisoriography denis the scenic copa: five values ofthe uiguely heterogeneous, uncoewod and lr ete ‘iographie community and thee higrachi cadence over non soghtive sales. Insed it endorses value pial an denis the presen o copie vals over the vale. I skeptics interpret histrosapy hhaving the form of a narrative, they would claim that one narrative is as j= lt”? 00d a another, and therefoe there is no substan diference hetwea 1 historiography and fiction. For Hayden White, "historical naratives are verbal fictions, the contents of which are as much invented ay found 1nd the forms of which have more ia eonpection with thei counterparts in literature than they have with those inthe sciences” White soveluded tat the choice between competing hstorographi naratives i under ‘aken on aesthetic grounds and claimed thatthe existence of the Halo4 ASTIN THE MAKING aun ts dependent on politi interpretation Spit med tht the caus Seven rk dependent on rales aera on Ristrcal viene Lam Ks @ description or explanation of historiography. skepticism is mane te ih estoy and soiigy of Nstrogapty, The fel income orcad uniquely Heteogeencs community of sor existence of sgn on manly bles and cognitive vale oF St 285 a an vrei mystery forthe seis. Yet clay 1 cee pnk thy can prove tat hee war a Holenist an hat Mistre e monswer sufering rom paranoid desions, Shee Sa a genus pring Had the skeptics bee rig Ho eo i have teen ssi a frgmentd Uae ot cept iterrttion historiography founded 02 age ex sic oropaphy and piosopy of Wor. pror the tenon ented union eterogesons consenss Bato ee ee cope vals ad teresting Wsrloaahi Pe, ree dominate hstonography overnight They emerged 1 eh tof te 19Qh centr, italy ible Fr inex xc and ony at stingy wih oe ced westward during the 19th cy. Present NS rare mien or example by bon, Macaulay. and Michell wat sae ten aa oregoeny daw reading eliza 2 “en Toth cent even itt. 8 ae tthe ra eh ut contemporary Horas read sh Nate Banker san, ov een -preinorcs 1 we Eto’ prs.” The 2 ee soowapty costed of sien, cognitive vals conta eal mtr funder yan even deeper mine Mi at of hsagraphc research, a confusion of He sam cntonk above te past itera eis may li hat Se tae he ext thle ext al we have, But in stor sa ing te hsgapy of src, we ceri ve fr cr en aied stooge tess. Te text refers tough et a dene, Te hisoran infers historiography fom evident, foci 0 mean of the foe. Te aera i the teas an eam of sree peering heap 1 ah ad Erading mith Springtime fr Hie Hissriographe Revision and Revstonism Noms 4 TO me oi 4 hry tm Ce 6 ee ct rey ann CP Wom Kay," Eo That” Jel of Phy, Vo MN SK Mc he Nar Mey itn an: Mri 99 9.33 HEvRet Teams ann nn rs et et 12 Pa Trp Rv ath Wi wih ain Tats” oy ft Sr ns Vl Na (8) 4B ay “OF Coan ‘Pes Sl Pop, Ya 8 e389 19-1268 Key eee Sinn Ma hho Cnn Tay" rma ian sae ofS Php Vo 4. Ne (73-1. BL Ka. OF ain Tein of Psp, Vl 36 No (1 151 Whe prof Duo akin: a pis Unsty as. 1978, "7A.n pian hm Doo. Ln ty Teas Init Whe ccc (Dtoor is on ey 19G.R hin The Pras My (ge Cae, Op 1