(“In a murky way, at peace with one`s conscience“)

The farther in the past the crimes lie, the more stubborn the perpetrators` silence. A conference on the elucidation of political crimes

The article summarises the main ideas spoken at an international conference at the German-Italian centre Villa Vigoni on Lake Como, Italy, on June 6-7, 2013  under the title “Truth and Reconciliation Commissions in Europe”.

The article reasons that there was one large historical change which would have theoretically provided an ideal chance for a truth and reconciliation commission – the fall of the Commmunist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe. However, this never happened. The smooth transitions were probably bought by a silence agreement on both sides, the Communist past remained taboo. However, the Platform of European Memory and Conscience strives to achieve a recognition of the victims of Communist crimes who suffered great injustice; the perpetrators should admit their crimes, then only reconciliation will be possible. The author however predicts that here, too, the situation will soon end like with the Nazi perpetrators – the Communist perpetrators will remain silent.