Pomnik, który nie powstał, i ofiary, których nie było?

Abstract

A NON-EXISTENT MONUMENT AND NON-EXISTENT VICTIMS? ON POLISH RIVAL POSTMEMORY The article presents a case study of a yet-to-be-realized queer monument in Warsaw, a project that originated in 2007. The monument was intended to commemorate the alleged non-existence of nonheteronormative victims of both Nazi and communist persecutions. The author examines the controversies surrounding the project and analyzes the responses from the media, politicians and Internet users, who are viewed as various types of mnemonic actors. While acknowledging valid criticisms leveled at the project, the article also explores manifestations of “Polish rival postmemory,” a notion derived from Marianne Hirsch’s concept of “postmemory” and Michael Rothberg’s “multidirectional memory.” To illustrate the mechanism whereby the process of revictimization replaces commemoration, the article also references the concepts of “mnemonic wars” and “mnemonic mobilization.”