Trauma, but Whose? Memories of Right-Wing Extremist Violence in Germany Since 1990: Continuities and Ruptures in Negotiation and Recognition

The paper investigates the historical and contemporary treatment of right-wing violence in Germany – focusing on the perspectives of victims and affected communities. It highlights the insufficient historical contextualization, which often leads to these acts being treated as isolated incidents. Addressing these violent acts (e.g., arson attacks on refugee shelters or racist assaults) involves not only critiquing and mourning them but also explicitly acknowledging the suffering of the victims and those affected. This challenge is crucial for both pluralistic societies and the academic community.

Historical discourse analysis is used to show how discourses not only shape social perceptions but also construct social realities. Discourses are understood as structured patterns that are closely linked to power and both constitute and restrict knowledge and reality. Drawing on the work of Foucault, this approach is based on the interdependence between discourse and power and thus enables a nuanced examination of historical conceptions of reality and power relations – which are primarily expressed through language, though not exclusively. The analysis therefore attempts to uncover the conditions under which specific knowledge and truths are recognized in particular contexts. This includes exploring why certain (historical) statements by political actors, security agencies or victims of right-wing violence are (not) publicly articulated, acknowledged, or overlooked.

Based on an analysis of the relevant discourse in Germany since the 1990s, the paper identifies continuities and ruptures in public recognition of right-wing violence. The paper examines which narratives gain legitimacy in the public sphere and why these particular narratives hold discursive power. It also highlights how competing narratives are constructed, institutionalized and contested. By providing crucial insights into the social-historical treatment of victims of right-wing violence, the paper deepens our understanding of how processes of recognition can either alleviate or perpetuate trauma and underscores the need for an inclusive memory culture.