Shared Histories, Personalities, Traditions. European Examples

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to show the role of the common past in the emergence
and development of some smaller European nations. Shared past in the Balkans is seen solely
through the prism of nationalism. When someone talks about a shared history, he does it
in order to show that the others in that history have no past. There are several examples of
shared history worldwide and it is normally not a problem, except in our region. Also, the
role of a person in the past of two or more nations is very common and it should not be a
ground for misunderstanding and conflict. Fluidity of ethnic identity is not associated only
with the Balkans; it is also present in some other European countries. Such is the case, for
example, with Lithuania. In addition, when it comes to the role of reformers and intellectuals
who had different ethnic backgrounds in the emergence and development of some modern
European nations, we may observe that there are such examples, for instance, in Finland
and Estonia. Unlike the Balkans, shared histories, common personalities and intellectuals
who had different ethnic backgrounds in terms of nations where they contributed greatly,
in some European countries it does not mean denial of the right to self-determination
and existence.