Culture of remembrance

The fall of the Soviet Union set off a comprehensive change of remembrance culture in its constituent republics – like in Ukraine and Moldova. In the last 20 years, the public space in both countries has become more and more diverse. The symbols and heroes of the Soviet Union have disappeared, new historical characters are honored with monuments, streets and squares are renamed. Democratization has opened the way for public representation of the past by different social groups and ‘communities of memory’: traditional (such as Soviet veterans, former KZ prisoners) as well as new ones (e.g., victims of Stalinist repressions, … Continue reading Culture of remembrance

Media issues

My rate for Germany is 8 out of 10. On one hand, the media landscape is characterized by a large number of newspapers, radio and television stations with a diverse background. There is no state repression that impedes journalistic work, as is the case in some countries of the European Union. On the other hand, there is increasingly economic pressure – journalists may lack time for thorough research and remuneration for freelance work can be poor. As a result, both journalists and the quality of their work suffer.   I have heard, that after the Maidan Revolution a kind of … Continue reading Media issues