Contemporary History on Trial Europe Since 1989 and the Role of the Expert Historian

Since the end of the Cold War, a series of heated and politicized debates across Europe have questioned the "truth" about painful episodes in the twentieth century. From the Holocaust to Srebrenica, inquiries and fact-finding commissions have become a common device employed by governments to deal with the pressure of public opinion. State sponsored programs of education and research attempt to encourage a common moral understanding of the lessons we learn from these painful memories. Contemporary historians have increasingly been drawn into these efforts since 1989 - in the courtroom, in the media, on commissions, as advisers.