ABSTRACT

RIGHT TO MEMORY – A FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENT

The international political changes of 1989 radically altered the universal political architecture and geography. Romania was included in this huge, revolutionary wave - with numerous political, economic, social and cultural consequences -, paying painful sacrifices on the difficult road to democracy. A long transition characterizes the society and confronts all its citizens with shortages, difficulties and losses: many critics, numerous also, protestors, but also nostalgic, express themselves publicly demanding energetic, protective, radical measures on account of the negative effects of the socialist period.

During a long historical period, Romania has known great sacrifices, from which lessons should be learned, and the generation suffering from the oppression of the socialist period cannot and must not pass over them.

However, the sufferings, injustices and pain of the victims of the socialist era are not easy to seize with the means of historical memory institutions. Traces, samples and evidence are not characterized by sensational, spectacular and exceptional. Pain, injustice, oppression and prohibitions are difficult to understand for those born in freedom and exempt from the effects of dictatorship. The empathy of these free generations for what their predecessors suffered long ago exists and manifests itself, but it is limited, as not even the imagination supports it. So, the museums of pain must bring such proofs and arguments as to convince, correct and stop in the future any temptation towards absolutism and dictatorship.

Historical memory is, of course, difficult to seize in convincing forms. We are often willing to forget evil, to minimize it when it is not directly regarding ourselves.

Deprivations and difficulties are too easily forgotten! In order not to forget, commitment is required. It is what the Institute for the Investigation of the Crimes of Communism and the Memory of the Romanian Exile (IICCMER) undertook to do despite many difficulties, obtuseness and opposition.

A determined assumption as progress in the restitution of recent history results from the ten national meetings under the IICCMER logo - “The Memory Network”. The achievements confirm with undeniable arguments the need for knowledge and understanding of the mistakes, slippages and deviations on account of human rights, oppression and dictatorship in the socialist era. Through the institutions of memory, the young generation is supported to correctly judge and evaluate the avatars of the past and to persevere, through their own forces, to build a society based on freedom, justice and equality.

Keywords: memory, restitution, advocacy, oppression, museologizing.

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