Between national and local memories: the case of Vilnius (Vilnija) region in Lithuania

Abstract

ABSTRACT The main objective of the article is to analyze the interactions between national and local memory cultures through a case study of multicultural Vilnius region (Vilnija) in Lithuania. It suggests that, on a national level, some memory policies implemented by the Lithuanian state can be seen as hegemonizing. Ethnic and ethno-regional categories constitute the content of these policies. They are reinforced by historical stereotypes about the region and its inhabitants, the majority of whom are Lithuanian Poles. During this process, local memories are being ignored, thus turned into counter-memories that emphasize the multi-layered identification formulas of the local inhabitants. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this article analyzes the place of the region in the Lithuanian historical metanarrative that developed over the last century.