Rebuilding on Ruins: Transformation of Legacies in Europe

This article addresses the question whether we can develop a biographic approach to the past of Europe, one that takes the long-term perspective into account and also recognizes the role of decay, demolition and the reconstruction of civilizations on the ruins of former ones. We will try to show that adopting such a perspective may create unexpected views on Europe’s history. We argue that although we will never be able to or want to write the biography of Europe (or even a biography of Europe “as a whole”), this does not mean that we are left with a shattered past. Looking at the history of European societies from a somewhat different angle, may reveal variations on themes that characterize Europe as a geographical and cultural entity, even though they are not exclusively characteristic of Europe.