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Chapter 7. Commemorating the Warsaw Uprising of 1 August 1944

International relational aspects of commemorative practices
  • Titus Ensink and Christoph Sauer
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Transforming National Holidays
This chapter is in the book Transforming National Holidays

Abstract

This chapter describes the way Poland repeatedly involved other parties, notably former enemies, in commemorations of the Warsaw Uprising of 1 August 1944, thus turning a national Red Letter Day into a transnational event. The Uprising is ambiguous: it led to defeat, yet Poland is proud of it since it stands for her heroism, and the Uprising was suppressed by the Germans, yet Poland feels that the USSR/Russia bears some responsibility for its failure since the Red Army did not support the Uprising. Following a model proposed by Assmann, it is shown that Poland’s repeated efforts to turn a commemorative occasion into a ritual in which both victims and culprits participate are successful: acknowledgement of responsibility leads to forgiveness and reconciliation. A discourse analysis of speeches by speakers from Poland, Germany, and Russia shows that the key to success is the victim’s willingness to forgive, and the culprit’s willingness to acknowledge guilt.

Abstract

This chapter describes the way Poland repeatedly involved other parties, notably former enemies, in commemorations of the Warsaw Uprising of 1 August 1944, thus turning a national Red Letter Day into a transnational event. The Uprising is ambiguous: it led to defeat, yet Poland is proud of it since it stands for her heroism, and the Uprising was suppressed by the Germans, yet Poland feels that the USSR/Russia bears some responsibility for its failure since the Red Army did not support the Uprising. Following a model proposed by Assmann, it is shown that Poland’s repeated efforts to turn a commemorative occasion into a ritual in which both victims and culprits participate are successful: acknowledgement of responsibility leads to forgiveness and reconciliation. A discourse analysis of speeches by speakers from Poland, Germany, and Russia shows that the key to success is the victim’s willingness to forgive, and the culprit’s willingness to acknowledge guilt.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Contributors vii
  4. Acknowledgements xiii
  5. Preface 1
  6. Discursive construction of national holidays in West and South Slavic countries after the fall of communism 5
  7. Analyses
  8. Chapter 1. Collective memory and media genres 35
  9. Chapter 2. The quest for a proper Bulgarian national holiday 57
  10. Chapter 3. The multiple symbolism of 3 May in Poland after the fall of communism 81
  11. Chapter 4. “Dan skuplji vijeka,” ‘A day more precious than a century’ 101
  12. Chapter 5. Croatia in search of a national day 125
  13. Chapter 6. Contested pasts, contested red-letter days 149
  14. Chapter 7. Commemorating the Warsaw Uprising of 1 August 1944 171
  15. Chapter 8. Ilinden 191
  16. Chapter 9. Slovak national identity as articulated in the homilies of a religious holiday 213
  17. Chapter 10. The Czech and Czechoslovak 28 October 231
  18. Chapter 11. Disputes over national holidays 251
  19. Chapter 12. What Europe means for Poland 271
  20. References 297
  21. Appendix A. List of current laws on national holidays in West and South Slavic countries 311
  22. Index 313
https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.47.12ens

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Contributors vii
  4. Acknowledgements xiii
  5. Preface 1
  6. Discursive construction of national holidays in West and South Slavic countries after the fall of communism 5
  7. Analyses
  8. Chapter 1. Collective memory and media genres 35
  9. Chapter 2. The quest for a proper Bulgarian national holiday 57
  10. Chapter 3. The multiple symbolism of 3 May in Poland after the fall of communism 81
  11. Chapter 4. “Dan skuplji vijeka,” ‘A day more precious than a century’ 101
  12. Chapter 5. Croatia in search of a national day 125
  13. Chapter 6. Contested pasts, contested red-letter days 149
  14. Chapter 7. Commemorating the Warsaw Uprising of 1 August 1944 171
  15. Chapter 8. Ilinden 191
  16. Chapter 9. Slovak national identity as articulated in the homilies of a religious holiday 213
  17. Chapter 10. The Czech and Czechoslovak 28 October 231
  18. Chapter 11. Disputes over national holidays 251
  19. Chapter 12. What Europe means for Poland 271
  20. References 297
  21. Appendix A. List of current laws on national holidays in West and South Slavic countries 311
  22. Index 313
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