Von der Renationalisierung zur Demontage nationaler Helden. Oder:"Wie schreibt man estnische Geschichte?"

In: Osteuropa, Band 51, Heft 7, S. 810-819

Abstract

Ten years after independence, an interesting debate by historians in Estonia over their handling of Estonian history is beginning. Their reflection refers as much to the historiographic heritage from the period between wars, the time of the first independence, as it does to the time of the first Soviet occupation. Additionally, a new contemplation of the future is required in order for it to be incorporated, finally, into the international research landscape. Core problems of the discussion are bound with the question of whether Estonian history is to be understood as the history of the people or as the history of the land, or more specifically the state. In addition, one circles again & again around the topic of the historic role of the victim as moralistic legitimation for one's own independence. More quickly than with its southern neighbors, however, a position critical of myth appears to have been established in Estonia, at least with the professional historians. That this will not always be publicly accepted was demonstrated at the embittered 1999 discussion of the contacts of Estonian national president Konstantin Pats to the USSR. This article offers an overview of the tendencies of 1990s Estonian historiography against the backdrop of the current debate. 58 References. C. Houle