Historicization

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As historiography ( Geschichtswerdung ) generally means the transition of a thing from a subject of current affairs to an object of historical interest, or even the process of gradual change of perception and interpretation of a thing or idea with time.

term

A term has been historicized if its meaning is not taken absolutely, but understood as developing (cf. history of philosophy , history of concepts ).

value

The historicization of values refers to the change in social values or their meaning. For example, one can speak of human rights as a modern phenomenon with the character of a primary virtue , while many of the Prussian virtues , such as a sense of duty , order and diligence , are only considered secondary virtues . In this sense, historicization always also means relativization , which is by no means to be confused with trivializing. (see also historicism )

process

The historicization of a process is when it is no longer interpreted in terms of its time with its opponents, parties, but also hopes and fears, but instead takes a more sine ira et studio perspective .

In this respect, historicization is an opportunity for greater objectivity , but it does not exclude the suggestion of current parties, for example in the sense of historical politics, into the past, or a subsequent falsification of history . Especially in connection with the Holocaust and the time of National Socialism , the historicization is deplored by many, because the existential concern with the historical singularity is lost.

However, the lack or the decreasing number of contemporary witnesses , which in most cases is a condition for this form of historicization, causes - as a kind of opposite trend towards increasing neutrality - the decrease in the availability of direct information at first hand. Although these are by no means uncontroversial in historical studies due to a possibly distorted perception of events, in contrast, they also provide an important insight into the background of current events and the self-image of those involved. From a later perspective in connection with the change in values, cultures and categories, this is only possible to a very limited extent, and the more so, the more profound this change was or the longer the history period. In this respect, a certain historicization has already taken place for the student movement and the terror of the RAF , while the Middle Ages or the Roman Empire are completely historicized.

If it is not possible to reconstruct the living conditions of the past and the formative impressions of the people of that time, then the processes of history, the attitude of people to these processes and generally also to their own time, are hardly comprehensible from a current perspective . The inevitable consequences of this process are the lack of understanding of the past, its valuation by today's standards and, last but not least, the moral overvaluation of the present. This explains on the one hand the endeavor to collect and preserve contemporary witness reports, for example through projects such as A Letter To The Stars or the Shoa Foundation , and on the other hand to reconstruct everyday life in the past. Historical research and archeology go hand in hand, which is why finds from people's earlier everyday life, for example from garbage pits , are often more scientifically significant than spectacular finds of valuable objects.

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