Reflections of political and social processes of the first quarter of the 20th century in First World War memorials

Abstract

The First World War created a wave of nation-state building and gave a new impulse to the democratization process. The article shows how such social and political transformations have been are reflected in the memorials of the post-war period, representing people’s recollections of the events of the era. From the artistic perspective, gradual diversion from the imperial tradition and more national symbols in the design of the monuments demonstrate the intensification of nation-state building, while reference to the heroism of common people and to the attributes of peace represent yet another wave of democratization. The article stresses the importance of memorials in visualizing collective memory.