Description
The immediate post-Second World War in Slovenia was marked by mass killings, arrests, disappearances, and show trials organised by the Communist government of Yugoslavia. Arrests and trials continued until 1949. This lingering violence led to decades of silence over the mass killings and trials, yet Yugoslavia was at peace until the 1990s. As Slovenia became independent in 1991 through a relatively peaceful transition, the violent past became publicly addressed and acknowledged. A reconciliation ceremony on the site of a mass grave became a central step forward. However, the ceremony successfully acknowledged the past for only a few years, when a growing demand for investigations grew alongside a movement of revisionism. Today, a historical revisionist narrative shapes political discussions, disputing reconciliation and memory. The perception of the past has changed over time, oscillating between politically manipulated references to post-Second World War violence and a desire for historical accuracy. Based on archival research and interviews, this paper examines the challenges of reconciliation in a historical case where violence dates back over 70 years and everyday peace has been established for decades. While violence was to some extent addressed, memory remains unresolved and disputed and reconciliation is an ongoing challenge.
