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

- seeking the broadest possible consensus as to the assessment
of the tragic events of the 20 th century accepting different interpretations
on the basis of empirical facts;
- mourning the millions of victims deported, imprisoned, tortured
and murdered by all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, and especially
those of the 20 th century in Europe;
Whereas
A. from the perspective of relatives and friends of the victims it
makes no difference which regime killed a father, a mother, a
brother, a sister or other relatives for whatever reason, it is nevertheless
necessary to have a value-led empirical approach to the
systematic characteristics of European totalitarian and authoritarian
regimes;
B. the foundation of what is now the European Union was the answer
to decades if not centuries of national hatred, to the wars of
the 20 th century and to the millions of lives and the destruction that
the Nazis and their allies brought about;
C. the accession by Spain, Portugal and Greece to what is now
the EU meant ending years, in some cases decades, of military and
fascist rule, violation of human rights, imprisonment, torture and of
the killing of thousands of political opponents and opening the way
into a future of stable democracy;
D. in Central and East European countries millions of people have
been victims of violations of human rights, of imprisonment, torture
and killing much longer than in Western Europe which is another
source of historical consciousness of the fight for human rights and
democracy in the EU;
E. historical debate during the development of the EU has been a
source of learning and consciousness fostering reconciliation between
former enemies; whereas this process should be extended
to the new member states in Central and Eastern Europe; history
will be abused if it is selectively turned into an instrument of revenge
against political parties, sectors of society or other countries;
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