From the First World War to the present: History and Memory, a Century for Reflection

Abstract

Taking the First World War and the commemoration of its centenary as a starting point, this article/questionnaire offers a reflection on the past in the broadest sense, on the uses of history and memory, or memories, and their use by the most diverse groups; from their appropriation by power —or powers— in an attempt to offer an official history that legitimizes it in the public eye and perpetuates it, to their utilization by those who do not support the powers that be and develop narratives of resistance and reparation. The article also reflects on the uses of history and memory as a cultural or consumer product, the consequence of a commemorative obsession in Western societies, and the perhaps inevitable conversion of many of the sites of memory into tourist attractions.