CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020
| Author | Michalsky, Julia |
|---|---|
| Title | Atoning for the Past? Conflicts of Historical Understanding in the Memories of ASZ and ASF Members (1958-1990) |
| Summary | The thesis project seeks to contribute to the existing research on the history of the German civil society organization Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste which was founded in 1958 by Lothar Kreyssig. The focus will lie particularly on the memories of the East German members of the organization who had to deal with the fact that their ideals and opinions concerning the Third Reich past of Germany did not conform with the the East German state’s view due to the dominance of the anti-fascist doctrine in the GDR’s memory culture. By focusing on the experiences and individual memories of Aktion Sühnezeichen members, we open up the established interpretation that arises when looking at the work and history of Aktion Sühnezeichen from a top-down perspective. First, how do the interviewees express their individual memories? Memories are as much a reflection of the present as the past. What differences and commonalities do we see among the different ASZ members in their process of reminiscing parts of their life story and what role does the generational gap to the end of the Third Reich and Holocaust play? Second, this may also show us how individual memory mobilized the interviewees to become involved in non-conformist activities. |
| Supervisor | Al-Bagdadi, Nadia |
| Department | History MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2020/michalski_julia.pdf |
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