Whose Europe? Brussels Museum Presents Western-centric Picture of Balkans

Located in the 'European district' of the Belgian capital, Brussels, the House of European History sits next to the European Commission and a stone's throw from the European Parliament, its main sponsor. Spread over four floors, the exhibition space is dedicated to the history of Europe and is a key part of the EU's own tourist offer.

But how are the countries of the Balkans represented and how does the museum depict this region's role in European history?

Balkan nationalism

Photo: Fabio Bego

After passing an airport-style security check, visitors - who pay nothing to enter - are given a tablet and headphones to listen to the audio-guide.

References to the area that later became known as the 'Balkans' emerge at the beginning of the exhibition when the Greek origins of the myth and of the word 'Europa' are explained. Then we come to a shelf with artefacts symbolising what the curators believe to be the common features of Europe: democracy, rule of law, colonialism, the slave trade, Christianity, the Enlightenment, capitalism, Marxism, the nation-state, genocide, and memory.

Throughout the exhibition, the Balkans are evoked particularly when it comes to the issue of nationalism.

Greece is a partial exception, as it is often associated with progressive trends that characterised the 20th century, while ancient Greece is mentioned as the place where democracy was invented.

As an instance of memory preservation, the curators have chosen a book that was rescued from the Bosnian library in Sarajevo in 1992, when the building was bombed by Bosnian Serbs. The book is displayed next to a copy of the diary of Anne Frank.

A few artefacts from the Balkans are included in the section...