Što je bio komunizam?
The book by German historian Gerd Koenen explains the rise, totalitarian nature, and fall of communism in the 20th century, analyzing its ideological roots, repression, and enduring historiographical dilemmas.
The work What Was Communism? (Was war der Kommunismus?) by German historian and writer Gerd Koenen (published in Croatian translation in 2011 by Durieux) offers a concise yet profoundly insightful analysis of one of the 20th century's most influential political and social movements. Koenen—himself a former participant in leftist student movements—approaches communism as a global phenomenon from a historical perspective, consistently placing it within its historical context. The author dissects how the ideal of universal equality and social justice was transformed into systems of mass repression, totalitarian control, and party dictatorship, placing particular emphasis on the Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin and on Mao’s China. Rather than providing a mere chronological overview, Koenen focuses on key questions: why did the communist project—despite its ultimate economic and humanitarian collapse—attract millions of followers and leave such a profound mark on world history? The book also examines the legacy of communism in the contemporary post-communist world, providing a much-needed analytical framework for understanding the political radicalism of the modern era.
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