Der Kosovo In Historischer Rezeption Und Die Interpretation Des Geschichtsbildes In Der Politischen Diskussion
Mehmet YılmazataIm Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie soll der Versuch angestrebt werden, die voneinander abweichenden und sich gleichzeitig ergänzenden Geschichtsbilder und deren Genese im historischen Raum des Amselfeldes bzw. des Kosovo zu interpretieren. Generell soll vor allem die Rolle von nationalen Mythen bei der Ausformung von historischen Paradigmen untersucht werden. Hierbei soll sowohl auf einander ausschließende und miteinander konkurrierende Interpretationen eingegangen werden und dennoch versucht werden, gemeinsame Nenner zu interpolieren. Insbesondere der Balkanraum bedient sich auch in der aktuellen Geschichtsschreibung noch oft der im 19. Jahrhundert als allgemein gültig angesehenen Nationalideologie, wobei die hieraus fortwirkenden Schlüsse zu direkten politischen Handlungsmustern überleiten. Diese sollen kritisch jedoch unter dem Blickpunkt größtmöglicher historischer Objektivität untersucht werden. Des Weiteren wird jedoch betont, dass auch der Balkanraum prinzipiell keine Sonderstellung in der globalen Geschichtsschreibung einnimmt und alle Interpretationsmuster anhand allgemein anerkannter Kriterien der Geschichtswissenschaft zu überprüfen sind. Hierbei fällt auch in der vermeintlich objektiven, zeitgenössischen Geschichtsrezeption die immer noch nachwirkende Rolle des Historizismus auf; die unbewusste Wahrnehmung des „Balkan“ als Antipoden zur nicht immer wirklich klar definierbaren historischen Selbstrezeption Zentral- bzw. Westeuropas kann durchaus als Erbe des Historizismus selbst interpretiert werden.
Historical Perception and the Political Impacts of History Theses on Kosovo
Mehmet YılmazataThis study seeks to interpret the genesis of various historical interpretations and theories regarding the role of the geography dubbed Kosovo. This article examines national myths, both historical and contemporary, in order to duly ascertain the development of historical paradigms. Contemporary historiography can be postulated to still benefit from patterns in relation to the Balkans, patterns that were accepted as all-encompassing and that defined the concept of nationhood during the 19th century. The conclusions from those assumptions often continue to directly affect contemporary political patterns and paradigms. Notwithstanding, all these factors should be examined critically and without presumptions, using the greatest possible historical objectivity. Furthermore, the Balkan region per se can also be emphasized to not occupy nor to have ever occupied a special position in global historiography; all patterns of historiographical interpretation must be checked using the generally recognized criteria of historical science. Within this scope, the attempt can certainly be made to interpret the unconscious perception of the Balkans as an antipode to the not always clearly definable historical self-reception of Central and Western Europe as a legacy of the concept historicism itself.
The definition of geographical descriptions regarding the region around the river Ibar and its southern plateau, known commonly as Kosovo (also as Kosovo and Metohija) is an issue that continues to spark political controversies. Likewise, the mere attempt to provide an overview regarding the historiographical interpretations about this area more often than not result in a difficult task for researchers, with the dilemma remaining of whether to include or exclude certain sources, theories, or postulates that are dubbed as non-objective by one party or as extremely biased by another school of thought. Any exclusion as well as any inclusion of sources and viewpoints will create bias, and any attempt to provide political correctness in lieu of academic craftsmanship will ensure that any thesis loses a good portion of its scientific posture as soon as public opinion changes. Therefore, this article postulates that:
1. Historical impartiality and absolute scientific objectivity in historical research should be an ideal to be pursued in history research but to also never be fully achievable, including in this study.
2. All interpretations of historical events should be treated evenly and be subjected to the reader’s judgment as much as possible.
3. Due to the ever-changing zeitgeist, any historical interpretation regarding the research subject or other related themes will unconsciously reflect contemporary values and is relatively sure to be devaluated after a certain amount of time.
4. The science of history, unlike in specific areas of natural science, is subject to continuous retesting and adjustment just like any social science can never provide an absolute truth: It is only scientific in the way it applies the scientific method itself
In line with those postulates, this study strives to present and interpret the genesis of historical sources regarding the Kosovo region, as well as the impact ancient and temporary historiography has imposed on the formation of national identity. Within this scope, this study postulates that the deconstruction of national identity as attempted by Anderson is only relevant as long as it is accepted within the scope of scientific research and implied within realpolitik. Otherwise, a national or group identity in one form or another is likely to influence the interpretation of history and the forging of group identities as such. Therefore, the presentation of a variety of historical interpretations and theories regarding the development of a certain region, such as in the case of Kosovo (also Kosovo and Metohija) in this study, will include a number of theories that are doomed to conflict with each other. Nevertheless, these very diverse and exclusive interpretations are sometimes also unconsciously prone to compliment and build upon each other’s existence. As an example, this study can cite the pan-Illyrian theories, in which all concerned parties accept that a tribe called the Illyrians had dwelt in the Southern Balkans in ancient times. However, while a good portion of Albanian historians have attempted to establish a continuous presence of the Illyrians from antiquity until today, most Serbian historians assume a quite different approach by claiming the Illyrians to have been the ancestors of the Albanian nation. While accepting the historical existence of the Illyrians in this way, they reject any relevant ties to modern Albanian history and culture. Likewise, most Serbian historians defend the theory that the region of Kosovo, as a part of and nucleus of developing Serbian states, had been populated by a Slavic-Serbian or Slavicized minority and that Albanians as such hadn’t established any demographic presence until the late 17th century. Albanian historians, however, present a quite contrary view, indicating themselves as the autochthonous and historical inhabitants of the present geography, while describing the Slavic migration during the 6th century AD as a form of colonization.
Without trying to establish any attempt toward a historical judgment, this study present readers with the relevant national myths, both ancient and modern alike, thus enabling her or them to witness the development of the conflicting historical paradigms. The article will also attempt to point out a common denominator between these rival historiographic theories without imposing anything. Within this scope, the article duly realizes that 19th-century interpretations of national identity and historiography are still very much alive in the Balkans. This does not mean the Balkans as such are to be seen as an historical anachronism. Quite the contrary, these aforesaid concepts of identity, even as an antipode in deconstructing ancient identities and forging new group identities, are very much alive in other parts of the globe and are safe for using a different terminology. Therefore, as limited as the scientific method can be implemented within the vast area covered by history as part of the social sciences, it can still act as a guideline. Notwithstanding, the still omnipotent presence of the concept of historicism, once popular for seek to ascertain historical developments, still has an impact regarding the interpretation of past events. This is not necessarily a reason to be concerned but instead just points to the near impossibility of being able to establish an all comprehensive model of historical truth in history, whether regarding the Balkan region or any other geography.