Remembrance and Taboos
Soviet History and the Aşarşylyq in Kazakhstan
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
For decades, remembering the famine of 1931–1933 was a taboo in Kazakhstan. Now the catastrophe, known in Kazakhstan as the Aşarşylyq, is slowly finding its way into official remembrance policy. However, assessment of the event is still controversial, particularly with regard to the question whether the Aşarşylyq should be classified a genocide. This is because the famine is linked to passing judgement on Soviet Kazakhstan’s entire history, which also influences the country’s current relations with Russia. It is not yet clear whether a new common view of the past is emerging or whether the debates about remembrance are dividing society.
(Osteuropa 8-10/2024, pp. 357–371)