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

Minister, Dimitri Rupel, I founded the Conference of the Mayors of
the Capitals of South-Eastern Europe. Even during the war in Yugoslavia,
we managed to bring on board both the Mayor of Sarajevo
as well as a representative of Belgrade – quite literally bring on
board: the Mayor of Athens had invited us to found this loose association
on a ship!
For me and for the work that I now do for the European Union, these
– and many others – were formative events that I experienced directly.
I was therefore never able to see any alternative to or contradiction
between deepening and enlarging the European Union.
The family and the region into which I was born, with their roots in,
and connections with, the neighbouring areas to the east and
south-east, marked out a certain path for me – most notably my
commitment to social democracy.
Politics without any historical background is unthinkable. My
personal experience of these eventful times has taught me to steer
clear of ideologies and fanaticism. I have always regarded even the
student movement of 1968, a movement which politicised me and
drew me to the left, with a touch of scepticism. I took part in the ’68
movement without ever indulging in its ideological glorification. Zeal
and emotions are necessary in politics and politicians but we must
also continue to learn the lessons of history. Learning those lessons
equips us with a healthy dose of pragmatism and scepticism.
235 Hannes Swoboda