Pierwsza wojna światowa jako punkt zwrotny w kształtowaniu się pojęcia kolektywnej winy narodu
World War I as a Turning Point in Formation of the Concept of Nation’s Collective Guilt

Summary/Abstract: The Great War forever changed the face of Europe. In brief, time borders switched places, dynasties fell and social structures erected in the 19th century eroded. Among many interesting processes of the era we want to point out emergence of collective guilt of the nation. It was in formation for centuries. The World War was a specific moment when, metaphorically, all the pieces were in place. The idea of assigning guilt to the abstract group matured by that time, modern nations formed and there was a clear reason to blame such groups for atrocities of war. In this article we analyze particular conditions of formation of the collective guilt of the nation. We also try to show how the Great War enabled this concept to became what it is now: one of the most important collective emotions that shaped international relations in the 20th and 21st centuries.

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