Contemporary German History and Yugoslavia

February 1, 2017

My fields of research are contemporary German history and Yugoslav history. In particular, I am researching how national identities were constructed in Central Europe and the Balkans since World War I, and conversely, how residents who were not recognized as nationals were excluded. How do the mechanisms of nationalism and racism, which prevent people who have spent most of their lives together as good neighbors and even members of the same family from coexisting, historically arise? In this regard, I am unearthing and analyzing original historical sources written in Serbian, Croatian, and German concerning the dissolution of Yugoslavia by Hitler's Germany, the occupation of Serbia, and the creation of the "Independent State of Croatia," which included Bosnia. This was a significant turning point that dramatically changed the relationships between people in the multi-ethnic societies on the periphery of Europe.

In fact, "ethnicity" and "race" do not exist a priori in any society. In Yugoslavia, which was considered a multi-ethnic society, a single person could have multi-layered identities. The "ethnicity" to which one considers oneself to belong is sometimes determined by religious reasons, and in some cases, it is chosen for survival. Future aspirations could also be a deciding factor. A Serbian mother I met in Bosnia immediately after the civil war told me that after divorcing her Muslim husband, her two daughters, whom she had struggled to raise, suddenly declared themselves to be Muslims. As a result, the two daughters were accepted as refugees in Germany, while she alone was left behind in Bosnia. The background to this was that Germany's treatment of refugees from the region varied depending on their ethnic affiliation (whether they were Muslim or Serbian). Furthermore, the categories of "ethnicity" defined by the respective authorities also changed over time.

I myself have experience on the front lines of diplomacy, having accompanied the Japanese ambassador in Yugoslavia and Croatia. I experienced firsthand the complex and chaotic diplomatic process of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and the subsequent regime change. I was even exposed to tear gas on the day President Milošević was arrested. At that time, Japan was acting as the protecting power for German interests, and I witnessed how contemporary history was fascinatingly shaped by the international community, centered on the G8.

In the Major in Western History, we emphasize the importance of grasping historical societies as holistically as possible, without being confined to simplified "national histories," and cultivating the perspective and attitude to view our contemporary world in a multifaceted and complex way. What are considered historical facts may be the result of information manipulation by countries that represent the international community. If you keep in mind that various intentions and histories lie behind each "concept" and historical narrative, you will realize that even archaeology and medieval history are being rewritten to align with the interests of currently powerful nations and positions.

A great aspect of the Faculty of Letters at Keio University is that there are many enthusiastic students who actively seek to get closer to historical facts. Within our liberal academic culture, there are also many opportunities to discuss with faculty members from other majors. Students acquire the linguistic skills to read historical sources from multiple perspectives and engage in the empirical construction of historical facts, going beyond textbooks and general overviews.