ABSTRACT
Based on an analysis of the discussion around rebuilding of the Garrison Church in Potsdam, this chapter traces ways in which the concept and practice of reconciliation is instrumentalized in contemporary Germany. It is argued that sometimes reconciliation as a concept is attributed functions that are rather different from being a tool for bringing together former enemies, and building a ground for communication and future peaceful coexistence between them. Reconciliation has become a tool for pursuing challenging projects without necessarily solving issues related to past conflicts or working through violence between victims and perpetrators. It can be also used to come to terms with one´s own challenges, including those posed by national history. In this dynamic, reconciliation shifts from a secular temporality in which nations strive for mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence, to a more religious sense of coming to terms with one's self.
