The Montage of the National Past: Polish Right-Wing Illustrated Press and the Abuse of History

The study analyzes covers of contemporary Polish right-wing magazines and shows that many of them use historical images for political purposes. Referring to the terminology of Antoon de Baets, the author argues that the images on the covers “abuse history,” i.e., use history in an intentionally deceptive way. The main technique of abusing history is montage. Historical motifs are combined with each other either on particular covers or between them. Although originally montage was widely used as means of avant-garde and leftist art, it is now a common method of designing conservative and right-wing imagery. Drawing on the premises of the pictorial turn, the author further claims that the covers shape social and political realities. They are not mere illustrations but powerful actors of the public discourse that promote a view on history in which whole nations are either heroes or traitors, good or bad. Therefore, they contribute to the simplified and even falsified perspective on the past.