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Remembering the First World War

The legacy of World War One | Photo: Fondazione per la Scuola

August 1, 1914 marks one of the most memorable days in the European History: the outbreak of the First World War. During more than 100 years that have passed, the First World War has shaped personal family histories and continues to do so today. Participants of HistoryCampus have dealt with the question why it is therefore important to remember the First World War: 

On the importance of remembrance of WWI

Almost everybody wrote that it is important to remember the past and learn from past mistakes. Read excerpts of what participants of the HistoryCampus had to say:

Andreas from Belgium quoted a famous quote: “He who does not know history is condemned to repeat it.”

Tamara from Slovenia thought along the same lines as Andreas when she mentioned the short memory of mankind. “Due to this short memory the patterns of social, economic and political spheres are indeed repeating themselves and I am afraid that if we stop reminding ourselves of the past mistakes and failures we are going to repeat them all over again”.

Agnija from Latvia also connects the past to the present: “WWI changed our ancestors’ lives and as a result has influenced ours. If you lose your past, you lose yourself.”

Kaja and Eva from Germany both stressed that the First World War showed how important diplomacy is.

And Martin from Bulgaria and Haris from Austria both underscored the European perspective. Martin suggests to “listen to the voice of history in order to create a stable united Europe today”. And Haris wrote: “What we have learned from WWI is that the one thing that enables peace and stability is “integration” of the different former enemy states. The EU is such a project of integration of different states, histories and views of history. One hundred years after the First World War we should understand history more transnationally, taking into account different perspectives to overcome stereotypes and myths to strengthen the European process of integration.”

Watch Haris video here:

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And here is Martins contribution:
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Simon from Belgium sums up the importance of WWI in this rather unique comment: “Learning about our common history is a feeling that can be compared to the need of an adopted child to get to know his biological parents”.

And now we are curious to find out why you think that is important to remember the First World War.