In 1931 in Aedalen, Sweden, five civilians were shot dead by a military squad during a demonstration. Even today, almost a century later, these events influence the defence- and security policy regarding how to handle terrorist attacks, riot control and gang criminality where citizens could risk being hurt by the military. In this article, based on the work on collective memories in times of societal crisis, a framework for analysing “the politics of memories” is suggested. Departing from the tragedy, it shows how Aedalen 1931 became a political symbol, how the memory was maintained in political life, and finally how attempts to change or forget has been made over time. A text analysis of government legislation and allocation of tasks and resources between the military and the police is conducted, with a special focus on change after crisis, such as the murder of prime minister Palme 1986, the 9/11 attacks 2001, and the riots in Gothenburg 2001. The results shows that the politics om memories has become depoliticised over time and are now trying to implement measures to handle criminality with the support of the military which suggests forgetting Aedalen 1931. This has implications for the democratic state, such as the priority of political stability over internal threats.
Analys & perspektiv