“Was ist in der Tat das Internet...” Wahrheiten und Mythen über den zweiten Weltkrieg im Cyberspace
“What the Internet Will Tell...” Truths and Myths about WWII in Cyberspace

Summary/Abstract: The article attempts to show how the topic about the World War II myths and their rejection is presented on the Internet and how the professional historians are involved in this process, as well as how their messages are perceived by history lovers and the general audience. Based on the examples discussed in the article, the author comes to the following conclusions. The huge variety of opinions, ideas and different approaches to the same historical events and processes on the Internet, as well as the easy and quick access to many topics, documents and different points of view, does not lead to an easy and fast acceptance of those opinions and ideas, even when they are presented with the necessary skill and reasoning. The diminishing of the difference between professionals and amateurs, as well as between writers and readers, and the opportunity given to everyone to express their opinions freely, regardless of their level of competence, i.e. ensuring a free exchange of opinions, does not lead to any consensus. On the contrary, the comments in the virtual world often show great intolerance and are very often filled with hatred and aggression. The Internet’s opportunities to spread historical knowledge to a vast range of people are often used to replace one myth with another, and sometimes to promote total misinformation.

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