Germanic Myth Versus Celtic Myth: On One Aspect of European Nation-Building

The article analyzes the evolution of national identity in France and Germany, focusing on the creation of myths and symbols that justify national unity. The author emphasizes that the Celtic and Germanic myths, although they refer to historical facts, build their own “past” on collective memory and social constructs that often have no direct relation to real history. The author shows how the Germanic myth, which originates from the ancient Germans and emphasizes the superiority of the German language, was transformed and used in various historical contexts, including the Nazi period. In parallel, the Celtic myth, which supported the ideas of freedomloving Gauls as the ancestors of the modern French, and its development from the 16th century to the present day are considered. Thus, both the Germanic and Celtic myths were not static and changed over time, adapting to new social conditions and political contexts. The article demonstrates how both myths, while substantiating national identity, at the same time generate internal contradictions related to ethnic and cultural issues. In the Celtic myth, the contradictions were based on the difference between ethnic nationalism and the universal values proclaimed by the French state. The content of the German myth was also ambiguous, especially during the Third Reich, when the NSDAP, on the one hand, tried to use the unifying pathos of the myth to consolidate German society, and on the other hand, often hushed it up in favor of foreign policy demands. However, in general, the German myth was largely discredited by Nazism, while the Celtic myth retained its relevance and even acquired new meaning. In conclusion, the author emphasizes the importance of myth-making in the formation and consolidation of national identity in the modern context.