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MYTH FACTORY: MYTHS OF YUGOSLAVIA 1918-1991
On the mention of the word "myth", the first thing that springs
to mind to the majority of people is a fabricated, fantastic, fairy-tale story,
something that is probably not so much (or not at all) related to the
'truth' or 'reality'.
As the material of which myths comprise contains a multitude
of levels and meanings, it would be best to keep
myths apart from politics,
yet as we do not live in an ideal world, the question is
whether the politics as we know it today would even
exist without myths.
The past of the state of Yugoslavia and its society
became a space more frequently filled with conceptions,
imagination and ideologically colored myths than knowledge
and the historical truth.
Year 1918 represents a milestone in the life of Europe and
the rest of the world.
The end of the World War I marked the end of the age
of imperia and the beginning of a new era of nation states.
Among young nation states was the Kingdom of Serbs,
Croats and Slovenes.
From the beginning, this young state was shaken
by nationalism and desires to form separate nation states.
Thus, for instance, while the existence of the common
state served Serbian nationalism, as all the Serbs from the Yugoslav
countries where finally brought together under the roof of a single state,
the interest of Croatian nationalism was leaning towards the creation
of the independent state of Croatia.
Slovenian politicians regarded the common state as a temporary
maximum in achieving Slovenian national interests.
'Yugoslavia, about which we knew little during its decline,
was a country that reconciled two paths in its existence,
first immediately on its creation in 1918, then after another,
even worse fratricidal and civil war in 1945.
Demanding that this period should be free from myths,
stereotypes and taboos would be inappropriate from
the perspective of political experience.'
Ultimately,
the very king Aleksandar Karađorđević utilised military glory,
thus enticing the cherished myth of him as an ingenious commander.
The Serbian dynasty became the dynasty of other nations as well.
Royalty commenced building a practically sacred cult of kings,
so Petar was gloriously named the Liberator,
while Aleksandar was named the Unifier.
Yugoslavism wasn't favored in the socialist Yugoslavia
for the first time.
'The myth of brotherhood and unity was also necessary
for the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918.
Its most ardent and relentless supporter was a Serbian politician
from Croatia, Svetozar Pribićević.
In as early as in 1897, he wrote his 'The Leading Thought
of Serbs and Croats', based on a credible assumption that
Serbs and Croats in a common political struggle must head
towards releasing themselves from this burden and constraint
of centralism coming from Budapest,
and reached the highly unrealistic idea that Serbs and Croats
are a single nation,
and that they actually represent two names for the same nation.'
Their religious ally amongst the populace were the Sokol movements,
which gladly joined the unification of the Yugoslav nations.
However, Yugoslavism failed to reach the hearts of the majority.
Yugoslavism wasn't alone in building mythomanical notions.
The nationalism of different nations nourished the same notions,
always aiming at not only representing its own nation in the best way possible,
but also vilifying those it blamed for its plight.
Notably, Serbian and Croatian nationalism
were involved in a substantial political conflict in which they
libeled one another and created mythical notions about own predestination,
honesty and bravery and the opposition's barbarity,
cowardice and dishonesty.
Year 1945 marked the end of the World War II.
The world exited the bloodshed divided into winners and losers,
the war coalition of winners was soon dissolved giving birth to two
blocs of multi-decade hatred, the armament race and
propaganda wars.