In the exhibition “Conditions of Peace” BOEM* is researching the transformation and democratization process in Austria after WWII, from being Hitler’s first victim, into a leading force of UN Peacekeeping Missions, and a proud member of the European Family.
According to the legend, the Austrian Flag was invented by Duke Leopold V of Austria as a consequence of his fighting during the Siege of Acre. After a fierce battle, his white surcoat was completely drenched in blood. When he removed his belt, the cloth beneath remained unstained, revealing the combination of red-white-red.
Austria’s history with the European Union was on one side an economical success story, but on the political side, Austria was the first EU member being the target of diplomatic sanctions, due to its right – far right wing government coalition in the year 2000. The smaller partner in that government, FPÖ is known by mourning the 8th of May as a day of defeat, and remembering the fallen Austrian soldiers in the second world war. FPÖ’s predecessor was formed in 1949 in order to reintegrate thousands of former national-socialist party members into the political sphere and to make peace with itself by silencing questions about Austria’s role and involvement in Nazi Germany and turning the page as Nazi Germany’s first victim.
We will collect documents, images and texts that manage to shed a light on the difficult period of Austria’s history that will grow over the next year and be presented as a fanzine inside the exhibition.
By images, we’ll as well include memes, as memes capture a kind of emotional political view and that are often the indicator about a certain layer of – what people believe is somehow true, or essential, but as well present a mode of manipulating, our fears and visions of the utopias and dystopias we could face. The materials will be as well documented on the blog.conditionsofpeace.org, where we can have broader discussions and react to current events and debates.
Another focus will be to try to understand if and where and what is the link between the suppression of one’s own history and the blank space of resistance to such processes. Austria’s transformation after WWII was sustained by a kind of privatization of politics. The social contract was negotiated by the different interest groups behind closed doors. Results were proclaimed and executed. No wonder, such democracies are threatened by memes. And if peace is not a public process – what is it then?
Historical research by Alexander Nikolic & BOEM*.
