Central European Identity from Central European Perspective

Abstract

The thesis of this paper is the Central European identity inCentral Europe. Is there such an identity and is it influenced by thehistorical developments in the region? What are the historical roots of theCentral European identity and integration in Central Europe? Does theCentral European identity collide with the national identity in the region?Current developments in Central Europe are certainly rooted in history.Slovak - Hungarian relationships or lack of cooperation between theCzechs and Poles are few examples of the current developments whichare rooted in history and come to the surface nowadays. The aim of the paper is to find the roots of the Central Europeanidentity in Central Europe, to describe them briefly and to show theconnection with the present situation. I would like to find out whether theCentral European identity collides with the national identity in the CentralEuropean region. I will try to show the historical circumstances that led tothe current developments in the region as far as their identity isconcerned. Then I will focus on the current developments concerning thatidentity in Central Europe. The countries in Central Europe, on which I will focus upon, arethe Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. Of course, alsoAustria and Slovenia belong to Central Europe but for the...