The Austro-Prussian War between Czech historiography, historical consciousness and local commemorations
Abstract
The War of 1866 is a well-known yet forgotten war. It is considered, depending on the national context, a closed chapter of state building, prologue to the War of 1870 and the Great War, or a tool, to be used in comparison of the narrative of road to total war. Somehow, it has no place in Czech historiography and historical consciousness either, despite being fought on the very Czech soil in the era of national emancipation. But the War of 1866 is still present in today's Czech Republic, in what we see as a stark discrepancy between the historiographical reflection and local commemorative culture. The memory of the Austro-Prussian war took deep roots not in the national narrative, but in the regional identity of eastern Bohemia, around the battlefield of Königgrätz.
Czech national history, as constructed since the nineteenth century, had very little reason to integrate the history of Austro-Prussian War into its national(istic) narrative. This was exaggerated, after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and the creation of Czechoslovak state, and after the further political turbulences of the 20th century. The empty space created by its disregard was filled by more relatable military examples such as the story of the Czechoslovak Legions. But even after almost a century of neglect, the memory of Austro-Prussian war is firmly embedded in the landscape by thousands of memorials and reenacted by numerous communities of uniformed enthusiasts, luring crowds hungry for entertainment, excitement and even education. The War of 1866 is still 'alive' today, disproportionately to its place in the master narrative of Czech history. It is a fragment of history, unchained. Our goal is to illustrate this particular interaction between historiography, historical consciousness, and local commemorations.