Paper short abstract:

The paper explores the dynamics of collective identity formation on the case study of commemoration politics in Opava, a borderland town of Upper Silesia.

Paper long abstract:

The relatively recent response of the city council of Opava, the historical capital of Czech Silesia (the Czech Republic), to cede to populist opinion within the region has led to the refusal to grant dedication of a commemorative plaque to the indigenous German speaking populations which was expelled between 1945-1951 based on the collective guilt sentence. Spearheaded by the Silesian German Association, the response of Opava's authorities and populous to the plaque was one of annoyance and disregard, relegating the prominently German character of pre-Second War Silesian language and culture once again to a silent memory. Drawing on a vast body of literature considering difficult heritage, cultural trauma and collective amnesia, through this case study I examine the dynamics of identity formation and commemoration politics in Opava. The situation in the city demonstrates both how cultural trauma affects a group of people which had previously achieved some degree of cohesion and the role of group agency in overcoming the collectively traumatic experience. I argue that the prevailing strategy emerging from this agency is a denial - which I theorize in terms of collective amnesia. The understanding of collective amnesia as a strategic response to collective trauma through this case study can aid both our understanding of the local context as well as how human groups adapt to the disintegration of their collective identities.