Laibach: Provocations of a problematic past

Abstract

This thesis examines the way in which the traumas of World War II and its aftermath in the former Yugoslavia are dealt with in the work of the post-punk group Laibach. The Laibach project challenges traditional memories by combining seemingly incompatible images of Nazism, Stalinism, Hitler, etc. The result is a forced reworking of the traumas of the totalitarian past. The renewed focus on past traumas encourages critical awareness and active participation in the process of memory for the individual. Laibach's work encourages awareness not only of the past, but also of existing state systems. By complicating the desire to forget the past, Laibach fosters an understanding of the interrelatedness of history and the present. Beyond exploring Laibach's provocations, this thesis also discusses similar aspects of projects in German artistic and intellectual culture to examine how these individuals continue to work through the problematic past of World War II.