Old Statues Are Not History—Despite The Commentators On Social Media

There’s a standard belief today that objects from the past are “history”—and that infamously has included the many statues around the globe which were removed on account of changing values. This week, Polish authorities demolished a monument in Szczecin to the Soviet Red Army as a part of their efforts to eliminate memorials which glorify the communist régime.

Many individuals online have argued that “history ought to be preserved”.

One could argue that history is just our interpretation of the past. Objects similar to statues could also be historical, but that doesn’t mean they’re history. On this case, the statue of a Soviet Red Army soldier only served to memorialize the events carried out in the course of the Second World War—and even then only those which can be favorable to the Soviet narrative. It was clear that this memorial didn’t acknowledge the incontrovertible fact that invading, occupying and annexed Eastern Poland by the Soviet Union, and it also ignored the Katyn Massacre wherein the Soviet NKVD killed nearly 22,000 Polish officers and intelligencesia in April and should 1940.

The removal of those objects isn’t a brand new concept.

De-communization laws has been around since a minimum of the Eighties. “Poles similar to Lech Walesa and Adam Michnik were among the many first to start out the autumn of the USSR, explained Matthew J. Schmidt of University of Latest Haven’s Department of National Security and Political Science.

Schmidt continued, “Most Poles are usually not keen on the Soviet occupation.” Schmidt added: “And the conflict in Ukraine brings back memories for many Poles about when Moscow attacked Poland as well, which included Lviv at the moment and Western Ukraine.

Cry Havoc on History

Social media comments also remind us of the outrage that arose when Confederate monuments in the US were relocated. Nevertheless, it’s value noting that only a vocal but small group of individuals protested.

Schmidt identified that “a protest against statue removal here and there only proves the norm, because it is by far the rare exception.”

Additionally it is believed that the removal or alteration of those statues could be flawed as they try to change our collective history.

“We will’t ignore the incontrovertible fact that our present world is rooted in each past good and negative events. The parts of history we discover offensive are thrown out and hidden, and we lose the prospect to achieve a greater understanding. A healthy and proper view of World War II implies that you don’t see the enemy or victim, Nazi or Communist. “To tear down monuments is contrary to this philosophy”, suggested Craig Gottlieb, a military historian.

At what point does a memorial stop to be relevant?

The Victory Monument of Actium in Greece is a very good example. It was never actually torn down—but moderately was simply abandoned and it fell into break over two millennia. Although it has change into one among the various Roman-era break sites, the Battle of Actium continues to be a big battle within the history of warfare. It was fought between Mark Antony and Augustus the long run Roman Empire.

Owning History

Today it is just easier than ever to voice concern for the past—and people comments are echoed on social media. The removal of Red Army monuments sparked a response from individuals who probably didn’t know that there was a memorial until they heard the news.

Social media have connected us with quite a lot of global conversations. It is feasible to debate any topic with people from Philadelphia and the Philippines at any given time. Not all users are aware of the reality in regards to the topics which were trending over time. Jason Mollica is a professorial speaker and this system director on the School of Communication of American University.

On this case, the people who find themselves claiming ownership of Poland’s history don’t understand what many Poles wish to occur.

The Soviets erected these statues in post-WWII Poland to commemorate their soldiers. Poles suffered the best lack of residents, each to Nazism and the Soviets. The monuments represent these atrocities”, Mollica said. There are people on social media which can be quick to make judgments because they think they know. You’ll find that lots of the individuals who made comments on social media don’t have a very good understanding of Poland and its history. “It’s unlikely to alter anytime soon.”