The focus of this thesis is on the instrumentalization of Erinnerungskultur by the state and civil society in the German domestic context following the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict since October 7th, 2023. I analyze Erinnerungskultur’s contemporary implications in the censorship of pro-Palestinian and Israel-critical speech, as well as in the dissemination of pro- Israel narratives by the German state and civil society, answering the question: How is Erinnerungskultur, as a representation of German national memory formation that has become a cornerstone of German state ideology, instrumentalized in the a) censorship of discourse that is critical of the Israeli state or expresses identity with the Palestinian cause, and b) in the dissemination of pro-Israeli narratives?

I use an Althusserian theoretical framework that conceptualizes the (re-)production ofideology by the state through various Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs), appropriating this framework to view memory as acting as and partly composing ideology. I use the concepts of ideology, hegemony, interpellation, ISA and RSA as tools that aid in a qualitative documentary and content analysis. The material analyzed includes various ISAs, such as the political, cultural, and educational ISAs, and their related actions and discourse that would lead to the reproduction of the current variation of Erinnerungskultur or to the restriction of narratives that would oppose this. The material has been chosen as a result of its relevance to German domestic events that showcase the liminality of the current memory paradigm, given increased visibility and discourse surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict post-October 7th.

The conclusion reached is that the ongoing debate over Israel-Palestine is reflected within ISAs, with justifications of the currently dominant pro-Israel position often making use of memories of the Holocaust, actively marginalizing pro-Palestinian speech from a diverse array of social groups. The current memory paradigm is therefore useful in the justification of the continuance of German state interests, such as Germany’s unconditional support for Israel, and is used and disseminated by ISAs in ways akin to ideology.