Right-wing historical myths

Right-wing populist and radical right-wing movements are increasingly using history further their political agendas. Across Europe and the rest of the world, they attempt to promote glorified images of the past and nationalist myths. History is supposed to demonstrate national greatness and create a sense of identity – one that is often based on exclusion, authoritarian values and traditional role models.

This poses a serious challenge for politics, academia, and civil society. Democratic actors must formulate responses to these reinterpretations of the past and it is therefore all the more important that they develop new perspectives on the political dimension of history.

On September 8 at 7 p.m., the Heinrich Böll Foundation, in partnership with the Leibniz Research Alliance "Value of the Past" and the Max Weber Foundation, invites you to discuss the political power of history within the context of the ongoing shift to the right and its implications for democracy.

The focus will be on the following questions:

• What role do history and right-wing historical revisionism currently play in politics and the public sphere?
• Where are the differences - for example between East and West Germany or between different countries?
• How can democratic actors and institutions react to historical revisionism from the right?
• Are we experiencing a new politicization of history - and if so, what risks and opportunities does this entail?
• What significance does history have for democratic culture?

Program

Introduction

• Jan Philipp Albrecht, Chairman of the Heinrich Böll Foundation
  

Keynote speech “Historical Revisionism Today”

• Volker Weiß, historian and journalist

Panel discussion

• Frank Bösch, historian and Director of the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam
• Constanze Itzel, Director of the House of European History, Brussels
• Katja Meier, Member of the Saxon State Parliament and former Saxon State Minister of Justice and for Democracy, Europe and Equality, Alliance 90/The Greens
• Volker Weiß, historian and journalist

Moderator: Christine Watty, Editorial Director and Presenter at Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Berlin

Registration
Please use our online registration form.
 

The event is part of the international conference "Re- | Visions of History in Right-Wing Populism and the Far Right. European and global perspectives“, organized by the Leibniz Research Alliance ”Value of the Past" and institutes of the Max Weber Foundation together with the Heinrich Böll Foundation.
 

Contact
Solveig Bartusch
Project Officer, Contemporary History Department
Heinrich Böll Foundation
E-mail: bartusch@boell.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 825 34 -257

» On-site participation
at the Conference Center of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Schumannstr. 8, 10117 Berlin

Please register. The number of places is unfortunately limited. If the room capacity is exhausted, we will broadcast the conference via video to other rooms. We would like to point out that there is no entitlement to a seat in the room.

» Livestream
Alternatively, you can follow the event via livestream.
Livestream in English
Livestream in German

» On the road to accessibility
At the Heinrich Böll Foundation, we are constantly striving to remove barriers. Whether in our offices, in the publication of publications or at online events. All information on this can be found under the following link: https://www.boell.de/en/accessibility/towards-greater-accessibility