For a long time, statues have been society’s way of celebrating or commemorating people such historical figures. But just because statues often depict historical figures, it does not necessarily make them ‘history’, and taking them down reflects changing values and attitudes in society, not erasing or denying the history these statues may represent. Firstly, statues themselves are not ‘history’, but instead, the glorification of people who had an impact on history. History is something that we learn about and learn from, but statues do not really teach us about the historical figure, or anything about the past, except perhaps what the person looked like, and the fact that they were widely admired when the statue was made. In order to find out about the historical figure depicted through the statue and the history around them, one would have to research them themselves, or read the plaque sometimes built underneath the statue. But apart from this, statues are not a source of education; we cannot learn about history just by looking at statues, and though they may pique our interest, alone, they do not teach us anything. Therefore, taking statues down does not deny history, but rather changes the way in which we are presented with it. As Nicholas Grossman states, ‘Statues are perhaps the least impactful method of teaching history’ [1]. In addition to statues of historical figures not actually counting as history, taking them down is also not ‘denying’ or ‘erasing’ a historical figure, but instead merely taking them off the pedestal on which they were placed when they were made. This can be a very good thing, as it shows society moving on and/or condemning actions committed by the historical figure. An example of this removal of statues would be that of Edward Colston in Bristol last summer, which was quite rightfully taken down by anti-racism protesters. This was the right thing to do, as an immortalisation of a slave-trader has no place in the twenty-first century. Some may argue that we have to put the lives of these historical figures into the context of the time in which they lived. This is true to an extent, as we can’t expect great historical figures to live up to modern standards. However people are still celebrated in the form of statues despite being absolutely terrible people, such as Christopher Columbus, who is still depicted as a ‘hero’ even today. As previously mentioned, taking down statues is not denying history, it’s just changing the way in which history is presented to us. The glorification of people like Colston and Columbus do not belong in the twenty-first century, but history can still be learned without their statues existing, statues which only prolong the idea that they should be celebrated. According to Serina Sandhu, even historians say that ‘statues themselves are not history – rather they are a symbol about the time in which they were first erected, and from this we can conclude that taking down statues of historical figures is not erasing or denying history’ [2]. The only thing that taking down statues such as that of Colston erases is the celebrated public memory of the person, so really, instead of denying history, the removal of these statues is, in itself, an act of history, and, as Katie Donington states, ‘a part of the historical process of the country coming to terms with that history’ [3]. [1] Nicholas Grossman in Arc Digital Media, August 19th, 2017 (https://arcdigital.media/your-arguments-against-removing-the-statues-are-bad-f328b7b57809) [2] Serina Sandhu in iNews, June 12th, 2020 (https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/statues-uk-history-edward-colston-slave-traders-pulled-down-removed-protests-443543) [3] Serina Sadhu in iNews, June 8th, 2020 (https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/edward-colston-statue-bristol-monument-pulled-down-historic-england-reinstated-440610)

I can put it as simply as possible: After World War II, Germany dismantled any and all public displays, statues, quotes, or references to the Nazi regime or its members, especially those who represented them in any positive light. As I recall, Germany has not forgotten World War II.