Svätopluk ako symbol národa a ideál občianskych cností (v učebniciach dejepisu pre základné a stredné školy vydávaných v rokoch 1918-1945).
Svätopluk as a national symbol and ideal citizen (in history textbooks for primary and secondary schools published in 1918-1945).

Summary/Abstract: Analysing history textbooks used in Slovak schools in two different political regimes in 1918 – 1938 and 1939 – 1945, the article discusses the political instrumentalization of medieval ruler Svätoplukin school history education. Despite of changing regimes, different political values and agendas and developments in historical research, history textbooks in the period researched tended to ascribe him two distinctive roles, constantly. Historical hero, who became an iconic figure in Slovak nationbuilding historiography, was used in two different ways in the formation of the collective identity and collective memory of the pupils – as a symbol of social cohesion of the community – membersof the nation, and as an embodiment of the fight against the Others – the enemies of the nation. This lead to the exclusion of many students with minority background (Hungarian, German, and in thelater period also Czech) from the mainstream narrative and labeled them as enemies.

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