Ereignisregeln

Ereignisregeln, which translates to "event rules" in English, is a German sociological concept developed by Aleida and Jan Assmann in the context of their work on cultural memory. The term refers to the unwritten social norms and expectations that govern the way people in a given society respond to individual events and collective experiences.

Ereignisregeln regulate the ways in which events are commemorated, socially processed, and collectively remembered. These rules specify how events should be interpreted, remembered, and if necessary, forgotten. They can create distorted memories or myths about past events, affecting how individuals and groups perceive themselves and their histories.

For example, in the context of German national identity, the Ereignisregeln surrounding the events of World War II and the Holocaust led to a collective amnesia about the extent of the Third Reich's crimes. Meanwhile, the German government and public have since adopted a more nuanced and critical approach to these events, guided by new Ereignisregeln that acknowledge the country's complicity in the atrocities.

The concept of Ereignisregeln highlights the complex relationship between memory, history, and collective identity. By recognizing the importance of normative expectations in shaping public memory, sociologists and historians can gain insights into the social and cultural dynamics that influence how societies choose to remember, commemorate, and confront their past. The application of Ereignisregeln also allows for a deeper understanding of historical process, variables that shape modern German identity.