Politics and Remembrance in Post-War Vukovar

Abstract:

This paper investigates the state of post-war memory in the Croatian city of Vukovar. It addresses the recent resurgence of Croatian nationalism, manifested through the implementation and subsequent vandalism of civic bilingual (Latin/Cyrillic) plaques. It does so by examining the culture of commemoration that has come to define Vukovar since Croatian independence in 1995 and that has remained powerfully persuasive to this day. Considered a national symbol and an emblem of sacrifice, the city of Vukovar has become encoded by the rhetoric of its wartime past, allowing little opportunity for future development and growth. This paper argues that while such observance and remembrance are elements crucial to the formation of national identity, collective memory itself must remain in flux, constantly changing to remain useful for the generations to come.