‘Cultural cleansing’ an age-old tactic to break defenders’ spirits

In times of war, protecting culture is not a luxury; it is essential for sustaining a people’s sense of self and hopes for recovery, writes Karel Komárek

The ruins of Mariupol’s Museum of Local Lore, destroyed by Russian shelling in April 2022. Picture: AP

The ravages of war are never confined to the battlefield. The costs are borne by all of society, and when bombs destroy monuments, artworks, and irreplaceable archives, the losses are measured not just in lives and property but in broader historical terms.

Identity, memory, and cultural heritage are what sustain a society through its darkest hours, and their destruction erodes civilization itself. By the same token, the desecration or loss of items that a culture holds sacred can fuel new cycles of grievance, despair, and righteous violence.