Three states, one common past: chance or malediction? The role of history and historiography in the formation of collective identities and mutual relations in Belarus, Lithuania and Poland

Abstract

Common experiences and a common past offer a special possibility for good relations. But having a common past also can create disharmony. If one has to share traditions with others, it becomes more difficult to find specific elements to call one’s ‘own’. So especially in a situation of intensive search for identity a common past may be harmful to the formation of one’s own identity and to mutual relations as well. In the case of Belarus, Lithuania and Poland after 1989, both generalisations hold true. While Polish-Lithuanian relations are excellent, Lithuanian-Belarusian relations are rather complicated. The reasons for this are not only political or economic, but mainly a consequence of the important role history and historiography play in the process of collective identity formation. The present article will examine the structure of this process