Taboos and symbols
13 May 2006
Participants were asked in mixed groups of 5 persons to discuss and to list the taboo topics and topics they find difficult to teach and explain in their daily practice. They had to match each topic with symbol that presents in best way the events. The preparation took 40 min. and each group presented the results in plenary for 5 min.
The results are:
Group I
(Didi, Goran, Amila, Zafi, Mirjana)
National fighters or terrorists
Bg- partisans in the II WW
Gr – National Resistance during the II WW
BiH – Gavrilo Princip
M – VMRO – Varhovist
S – Kosovo Commettee
Collaboration – patriots or betrayers
Bg- The National court
Gr – Vlah Collaboration during the II WW
BiH – NDH supporters
M – Gotse Delchev, Yane Sandanski
S- Chetnici and Partizans
Minorities – rights and integration
Group II
(Representatives from Kosovo, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia)
Nationalism (Flag, Gestures, Image of heroes, stereotypes, xenophobia against minorities)
War Crimes made by the Allies in the II WW (Partisans executions, Dresden/Hiroshima, Raping)
Communism (Dictatorship, nostalgia, labour camps, secret services)
Group III
(Norbi, Yordanka, Lili, Fahd, Mirza)
Minorities
1. Problems – historical background, number, culture and religion, crimes against minorities
2. aims – understanding and accepting, tolerance and respecting human rights, prevention of future conflicts
The Balkan Rug / carpet
Group IV
(Lumnis, Ivana, Igor, Dzenan, Nevena, Anca)
Controversial issues in teaching history;
1. Holocaust – that is a sort of taboo in Romania, because many teachers still do not accept that holocaust happened in Romania; It is not stressed enough in Macedonia and BiH; the similar situation is in Albania and Serbia – within the lessons of the II WW H. is mentioned in several sentences; Huge debate in Serbia – what are children supposed to know and what they can comprehend about atrocities. Is it possible to be explicit or is it going to be brutal towards the children
2. Communism – it is difficult to explain to the children that special atmosphere that we had during the communism rule; it is not taboo, but it is difficult to explain; new approach to the communist rule; stress on injustice that have happened; some positive things about communism (free education, urbanization) are not stressed
3. Insisting on reconciliation - in Macedonia we do not have expressions like “Ottoman Yoke”. The same question to BiH when they teach about Austrian rule. It is improper to say “occupation”.
4. Different approaches when teaching about the idea of Yugoslavism and Yugoslav state. Foe example in Croatia, they never speak about Yugoslavia, but exclusively about Croatia, no matter that Croatia was integral part of Yugoslavia.
Group V
(Majlinda, Besnik, Xhfer, Jelena, Mateja)
Albania: The question about the day of Liberation after the II WW
Macedonia: The crisis in 2001
Slovenia: Foibe in 1945, after the II WW
Kosovo: the question about solution of Kosovo crisis (peace/rebellion)
Serbia and Montenegro: ex Yugoslavia war (the Serbo-Croatian relation)