Memory of Communist Crimes in Croatia and the Influence of the European Culture of Remembrance

Abstract

Dealing with various aspects of 20th century history still poses a significant challenge to Croatian society. This also includes dealing with the socialist period. In the last fifteen years, propelled by the Eastern enlargement (2004, 2007), the EU has developed a common European memory of the totalitarian and authoritarian regimes of the 20th century, including communism. This article analyzes the impact of a common European culture of remembrance on Croatian commemorative culture, especially remembrance of communist crimes. The analysis will include the political discourse of selected mnemonic actors and commemorative practices. In 2011, the Croatian Parliament passed a law to commemorate the European Day of Remembrance of Victims of All Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes every August 23. However, the article argues that a shared European memory had only limited success on Croatian debates and conflicting narratives on communist crimes and the socialist period. The main reason is the dominantly antagonistic mode of remembering and representing of the communist period in Croatia.