The European Dream. Reinventing the Nation

The legacy of the main catastrophes of the 20th century compels European countries to repeatedly reassess their relationship with history; in the process of such revisions, the fate of not only the past but also the future is decided. The... main question before us is: "Is there an alternative to national pride that relies on fixed images of the enemy and forgets about the victims of its own history?" In two new books, combined in this edition under one cover, German historian and cultural memory specialist Aleida Assmann also poses this question. Against the backdrop of the shift towards nationalism that has occurred in recent years in many European states, the renowned researcher analyzes the post-war experience and the critical theories that interpret it. The author suggests not to agree with either utopians dreaming of a global cosmopolitan society or militant populists appealing to national pride and strength, but to link hopes with memorial culture, the task of which is to reinvent nations, instill in them a conscience, and make them responsible for a secure future for Europe.