Politics of the past: the use and abuse of history - Socialists ...

The Real Problem Latvians
Have with History
147
Viktor Makarov
The twentieth century was a century of birth and hope for Latvia as
an independent nation. It was also a century of suffering and division.
Hopes were fulfilled as Latvia re-surfaced on the world map
two decades ago, but these were decades also marked by a fallout
between the two major ethno-linguistic groups of Latvians.
Contentious issues between ethnic Latvians and Russian-speaking
Latvians are many, but history has emerged as the most emotional
and deeply rooted. When Russian-speaking Latvians, many of them
young, gather in growing numbers in the Soviet-era memorial park
near the centre of Riga on May 9th each year to celebrate Victory
Day, the majority of ethnic Latvians feel very differently. The way
they see it, Soviet troops brought not liberation, but renewed
occupation for their country. Historical passions have hardly calmed
as time goes by, and they shape relations between the two major
ethno-linguistic communities. The significance of this seems to be
obvious: the problem that Latvians have with history is that history
itself is divisive and cannot be changed. This is not untrue, but my
argument is different: more than history itself, it is the divisive political
use and abuse of it that is the real problem. This is something
that can and should be changed.
But first, how deeply do Latvians actually disagree over history?
There is a mainstream narration of twentieth century Latvian history
that focuses strongly on a number of touchstones: the creation of
an independent state in 1918 as a culmination of centuries of historical
national development; the involuntary incorporation of Latvia
into the Soviet Union in 1940 with its tragic effects for the country
and its people; and the re-establishment of the pre-Second World
War republic in 1990-1991. These touchstones are hardly contested
today: even the most vehement detractors of the re-established
Latvian republic of 1990-1991 seem now to have accepted
Viktor Makarov, is Director of the policy centre EuroCivitas in Latvia
and Research Director of the Baltic Forum, an internationally oriented
think-tank. He has a degree in political science and is doing doctoral
research on national identity and democratic citizenship.