Introduction: “Formulas of Betrayal”— Traitors, Collaborators and Deserters in Contemporary European Politics of Memory (original) (raw)

This book does not seek to examine proofs of betrayal or the legal base of accusations of disloyalty throughout history. Instead, it is geared to demonstrate how certain “formulas of betrayal” were formed, imposed, and exploited for the purpose of achieving specific political, moral, and ideological goals in twentieth-century Europe. It contends that accusations of betrayal, acquittal, and withdrawal of the charges, and sometimes even complete reversal of meaning of the act theretofore considered treachery, are not invented at random. The comparative approach applied within the volume makes it possible to observe how certain patterns of betrayal emerge in a multitude of cultural and political contexts across Europe.