Blurring Histories: King Svätopluk I and the Shaping of Slovak Identity through Pseudohistory and Slow Memory

This study examines how fabricated historical narratives and slow memory processes can shape nation-building efforts We propose an expansion of Wüstenberg’s (2023) slow memory framework, suggesting that the gradual accumulation of positive pseudohistorical accounts significantly influences collective remembrance. These processes cultivate what we term ‘slow joy’ – the gradual accumulation of positive emotions through sustained engagement with mythologized narratives of national greatness. Employing rhetoric performative discourse analysis, we explore performative actions and communication surrounding the medieval King Svätopluk I and the controversy over his statue erected at Bratislava Castle in 2010 to uncover how Slovak cultural organisations and governmental entities interweave historical facts with nationalistic lore for nation-building endeavours. Our findings reveal that these curated historical accounts, marked by a cherry-picked chronology and the elevation of particular historical icons like Svätopluk I, construct a continuous national identity with ancient origins. This paper contributes to memory studies by demonstrating the interaction of pseudohistory and slow memory in national identity formation, offering insights applicable beyond the Slovak context.