A (Peaceful) Revolution, Refolution, or a Turning Point? The Fall of the Berlin Wall as a Cause of Terminological Turmoil / (Miroljubiva) revolucija, refolucija ili preokret? Pad Berlinskog zida kao uzrok i terminoloških previranja

Abstract

In recent German history several events unfolded on 9 November, with far-reaching consequences. Some of them, like the fall of the Berlin Wall, symbolize the end of the Cold War and of Germany divided. In addition to political implications, the fall of the Berlin Wall, or the events that preceded and followed it, also caused dilemmas on whether it was a (peaceful) revolution, (just) a turning point, or a refolution – pressure from below and reforms from above. The paper analyses events prior to and following the fall of the Berlin Wall, as well as the terms used for them in basic programs of the parties represented in the 19th electoral term of the Bundestag and the curricula of different school subjects in German states. It is concluded these parties use different terms for the events of 1989/90 on the territory of the former GDR, in accordance with their ideological positions, and that the events are inconsistently described in the curricula. The character of events was a revolutionary one, as they thoroughly changed the social and political relations in the GDR in a very short time. Despite this, the phrase “peaceful revolution” is still not present in the German language as a widespread, general term, but the rather vague “turning point”, or “reversal” is more common.

Key words: curriculum; Germany; history; parties; reunification

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Devetog studenog u novijoj njemačkoj povijesti odigrali su se događaji koji su imali dalekosežne posljedice za Njemačku, a neki od njih, poput pada Berlinskoga zida, simbol su završetka hladnog rata i podjele Njemačke. Osim političkih implikacija, pad Berlinskoga zida, odnosno događaji koji su mu prethodili i uslijedili, uzrokovali su i nedoumice radi li se o (miroljubivoj) revoluciji, (samo) o preokretu ili pak o refoluciji – pritisku odozdo i reformama odozgo? U radu se analiziraju događaji uoči i nakon pada Berlinskoga zida, njihovi nazivi u temeljnim programima stranaka zastupljenih u 19. sazivu Bundestaga te u kurikulima nastavnih predmeta u njemačkim pokrajinama. Zaključuje se da stranke različito nazivaju zbivanja 1989./90. godine na području bivšeg DDR-a, i to s obzirom na svoje ideološke pozicije te da se ta zbivanja vrlo neujednačeno opisuju i u kurikuluma nastavnih predmeta. Ti su događaji imali revolucionarni karakter, budući da su u vrlo kratkom roku potpuno promijenjeni društveni i politički odnosi na području DDR-a, ali usprkos tome sintagma miroljubiva revolucija ipak nije ušla u raširenu opću jezičnu uporabu u njemačkom jeziku, već se uvriježio sadržajno neodređeniji pojam preokreta, tj. obrata.

Ključne riječi: kurikul; Njemačka; povijest; stranke; ujedinjenje