Паметниците – памет, култ или забрава
Monuments – Reminiscence, Cult or Oblivion

Author(s): Radost Ivanova
Subject(s): Politics, History, Anthropology, Politics of History/Memory
Published by: Етнографски институт САНУ
Keywords: socialist monuments; reminiscence; monument; cult; oblivion; Zivkov’ monument
Summary/Abstract: This paper is dedicated to monuments built during the socialist era; these monuments are the result of an ideology maintained by the Bulgarian communist party. A special attention is given to changes brought about by democratic reforms at the end of 20th century and beginning of 21st century, in relation to these monuments. The overwhelming relationship contained is a denial of the socialist past, reflected through ambivalence, active struggle to forget or even a destruction of certain monuments from the period. Another issue is more limited but nevertheless more indicative in relation to failures of democracy. Namely, there is a trend, especially among older generations, expressed in nostalgia for “good, old times” which brought about a renewal of the cult as well as a new monument dedicated to Todor Zivkov, a long ruling communist leader.

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