Überall in Europa fallen Statuen
Nach dem gewaltsamen Tod George Floyds in den USA diskutiert auch Europa, wie präsent Rassismus in der Gesellschaft ist – vor allem auch, was die Wurzel des Übels ist. Viele Nationen in Europa hatten Kolonien. Dieser Besitzanspruch wurde damit gerechtfertigt, dass Europäer über der einheimischen Bevölkerung stünden. Bis heute wird Vertretern dieser Gesinnung zum Beispiel durch Statuen gedacht. Ist es an der Zeit, sich diesen Relikten aus unserer Vergangenheit zu stellen?
Man kann die Geschichte nicht auslöschen.
Kritiker wenden ein, dass kaum etwas wieder gut gemacht wird, wenn Statuen fallen und wir einfach vergessen, was in den Kolonien geschehen ist, dass Verbrechen wie Sklavenhandel verübt wurden. Andererseits ist eine Statue kein Mahnmal, sondern ein Ehrenmal. Dürfen Profiteure des Sklavenhandels und Rassisten heute noch im öffentlichen Raum verehrt werden?
Eine Statue ist kein Mahnmal.
Deutschlands Kolonialgeschichte ist oft ein blinder Fleck der Erinnerungskultur. Bis heute gedenken Straßennamen und Plätze Kolonialverbrechern. Sicherlich ist es wichtiger, gegen aktuelle Diskriminierung vorzugehen, Deutschlands Geschichtsaufarbeitung hat sich zu Recht lange auf die Verbrechen der Nationalsozialisten konzentriert. Dadurch wäre eine „Hitlerstraße“ heute undenkbar, warum hinterfragen wir aber nicht auch die „Mohrenstraße“?
Osteuropa hat nach dem Fall der Sowjetunion die meisten Lenin und Stalin Statuen aus den öffentlichen Räumen entfernt – in Tallin gibt es einen berühmten Statuenfriedhof. Im britischen Bristol haben Demonstranten die Statue des Sklavenhändlers Colston kurzerhand im Hafen versenkt und damit eine Debatte angeregt, wie mit dem kolonialen Erbe umgegangen werden soll. Auch in Belgien gibt es einen Sturm auf die Statuen von König Leopold II, rote Farbe und abgeschlagene Hände symbolisieren das Leid und den Tod der Kongolesen unter seiner Herrschaft. Die Niederlande bringen wiederum seit einigen Jahren Informationstafeln an umstrittene Denkmäler an, um sie in den historisch korrekten Kontext zu stellen. Sollten andere Länder ihrem Beispiel folgen?
Wie soll Europa mit seiner Vergangenheit umgehen?
Jeder sollte sich im öffentlichen Raum wohl fühlen, was für eine Botschaft senden Denkmäler, die Sklavenhändler und Rassisten verehren? Sollten umstrittene Statuen und Straßennamen entfernt werden? Sollten Gedenktafeln angebracht werden, um sie in einen historischen Kontext zu stellen? Wie sollen wir entscheiden, welche öffentlichen Denkmäler unbedenklich sind? Und was geschieht, wenn es dazu Meinungsverschiedenheiten gibt?
Foto: Flickr (cc) Antonio Ponte
48 Kommentare Schreib einen KommentarKommentare
Learn from the past and stop repeating it. Why is the EU pro the communist World Economic Forum? I mean the WEF has ’some‘ great ideas, but their techno-communist obsession is NOT the way forward.
They should finally start to teach it at schools in Western Europe (the history of all regions of Europe) instead of letting hollywood movies take over. And same goes to the geography of Europe. West Europeans can’t be educated as if Europe was only UK and France.Hollywood lies us and makes us believe the church in times of Columbus believed the earth was flat (and that’s only the tip of the iceberg).
[PHOTO] https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.1997-6/851552_488524124594366_1963369419_n.png?_nc_cat=1&ccb=2&_nc_sid=ac3552&_nc_ohc=o_zmIJ-wBPcAX8ONyGt&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=66d6d47a72d51033357101ee93477af4&oe=601AF6B5
The past is in the past, and trying to judge people and events from the past, with the eyes of the present, it is both stupid and childish. There’s nothing to confront, just history to learn.
The thing is you keep dragging it into the past just by harping on this, be smart, once you move forward with your headlines im sure the world will too let us in 2021 Live in the present as much as possible and project a bright happy now and future anyone can!
Instead of questioning whether you should be ashamed of your ancestors, ponder about whether your ancestors would be ashamed of you.
Being proud of it, and loyal to it, claiming for European native peoples the right to their lands and cultures to be respected.
Learn from it, move on.
We should remember that statues aren’t history books and that statues and other memorial monuments should be reserved for historical figures worthy of this honour. And we should also remember that history is nuanced and complex.
Learn.
With pride.
Do we have yo confront anything.. History should be used to improve the present time..
Duh, learn from its mistakes?
Europe is not even facing its present… It doesn’t acknowledge and address present reality. It can much less put together and act upon some serious vision for the future. And you want Europe to acknowledge and set past things right?
Naturally
Why do you want to confront the past? You want to destroy it? You don’t confront the past you respect it!
Learn from the past and stop repeating it. Why is the EU pro the communist World Economic Forum? I mean the WEF has ’some‘ great ideas, but their techno-communist obsession is NOT the way forward.
They should finally start to teach it at schools in Western Europe (the history of all regions of Europe) instead of letting hollywood movies take over. And same goes to the geography of Europe. West Europeans can’t be educated as if Europe was only UK and France.Hollywood lies us and makes us believe the church in times of Columbus believed the earth was flat (and that’s only the tip of the iceberg).
[PHOTO] https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.1997-6/851552_488524124594366_1963369419_n.png?_nc_cat=1&ccb=2&_nc_sid=ac3552&_nc_ohc=o_zmIJ-wBPcAX8ONyGt&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=66d6d47a72d51033357101ee93477af4&oe=601AF6B5
The past is in the past, and trying to judge people and events from the past, with the eyes of the present, it is both stupid and childish. There’s nothing to confront, just history to learn.
The thing is you keep dragging it into the past just by harping on this, be smart, once you move forward with your headlines im sure the world will too let us in 2021 Live in the present as much as possible and project a bright happy now and future anyone can!
Instead of questioning whether you should be ashamed of your ancestors, ponder about whether your ancestors would be ashamed of you.
Being proud of it, and loyal to it, claiming for European native peoples the right to their lands and cultures to be respected.
Learn from it, move on.
We should remember that statues aren’t history books and that statues and other memorial monuments should be reserved for historical figures worthy of this honour. And we should also remember that history is nuanced and complex.
Learn.
With pride.
Do we have yo confront anything.. History should be used to improve the present time..
Duh, learn from its mistakes?
Europe is not even facing its present… It doesn’t acknowledge and address present reality. It can much less put together and act upon some serious vision for the future. And you want Europe to acknowledge and set past things right?
Naturally
Why do you want to confront the past? You want to destroy it? You don’t confront the past you respect it!
Learn from the past and stop repeating it. Why is the EU pro the communist World Economic Forum? I mean the WEF has ’some‘ great ideas, but their techno-communist obsession is NOT the way forward.
They should finally start to teach it at schools in Western Europe (the history of all regions of Europe) instead of letting hollywood movies take over. And same goes to the geography of Europe. West Europeans can’t be educated as if Europe was only UK and France.Hollywood lies us and makes us believe the church in times of Columbus believed the earth was flat (and that’s only the tip of the iceberg).
[PHOTO] https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.1997-6/851552_488524124594366_1963369419_n.png?_nc_cat=1&ccb=2&_nc_sid=ac3552&_nc_ohc=o_zmIJ-wBPcAX8ONyGt&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=66d6d47a72d51033357101ee93477af4&oe=601AF6B5
The past is in the past, and trying to judge people and events from the past, with the eyes of the present, it is both stupid and childish. There’s nothing to confront, just history to learn.
The thing is you keep dragging it into the past just by harping on this, be smart, once you move forward with your headlines im sure the world will too let us in 2021 Live in the present as much as possible and project a bright happy now and future anyone can!
Instead of questioning whether you should be ashamed of your ancestors, ponder about whether your ancestors would be ashamed of you.
Being proud of it, and loyal to it, claiming for European native peoples the right to their lands and cultures to be respected.
Learn from it, move on.
We should remember that statues aren’t history books and that statues and other memorial monuments should be reserved for historical figures worthy of this honour. And we should also remember that history is nuanced and complex.
Learn.
With pride.
Do we have yo confront anything.. History should be used to improve the present time..
Duh, learn from its mistakes?
Europe is not even facing its present… It doesn’t acknowledge and address present reality. It can much less put together and act upon some serious vision for the future. And you want Europe to acknowledge and set past things right?
Naturally
Why do you want to confront the past? You want to destroy it? You don’t confront the past you respect it!