engleski

From the Positive Traditions of the Croatian Left to the anti- Croatian fifth Column: The History Wars over Communism in Croatia

The paper explores the construction, use and misuse of historical narratives of Socialist Yugoslavia to reach specific political ends in present- day Croatia. The first Croatian president Franjo Tuđman forged a twofold narrative on the Croatian communists. Tuđman juxtaposed the older concept where communists were depicted as a kind of traitors of the nation and the narrative on the “positive traditions of the Croatian left”. This was crucial for his reconciliation narrative founded on the claim that nationally conscious Croats - regardless of their ideological orientations - should unite in the struggle for Croatian independence. However, recently the (radical) right proclaimed the reconciliation concept a failure, instead began to forge a narrative on the “stolen Croatia” by the “offspring of communists”. Thus, the radical right advocates lustration screening as a way to finally transform the country from “Croato- slavia” into “Croatia”.

history wars ; nationalism ; Croatia

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