Ambiguous memory

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This work examines the official memories of National Socialism in West Germany, East Germany, and unified Germany during the 1980s and 90s. It investigates how these memories were internalized in the West and universalized in the East, focusing on social frameworks and specific sites of memory. Key questions include the impact of Nazi memories on national identity and legitimacy in the FRG, GDR, and unified Germany, as well as how public debates shape collective remembrance. The study suggests that memories of the past reveal insights about contemporary society and may influence the future. The formation of postwar German national identities was shaped not only by comparisons between the two German states but also by the remembrance of Nazi Germany. Unified Germany reflects a dual legacy, combining the West German framework of internationalization with the "newness" of a restored nation. Notable sites of memory—such as Bitburg, the "historians' debate," the 50th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the reinterpretation of Buchenwald, and the proposed Holocaust Memorial in Berlin—illustrate the complexities of memory across East, West, and unified Germany.