Politički simboli u svakidašnjici. Polisistemski pristup istraživanju

The article is based on the first chapter of the author’s book Von Wilhelmplatz zu The Imannplatz. Politische Symbole im öffentlichen Leben der DDR. The author considers terminological-theoretical framework of the research of political symbols and their dynamics in the everyday life. In doing so he expands the classic concept of political symbols such as flags or anthems (not denying their importance), and adds to them monuments, street and square names together with tablets that mark them, stamps and banknotes. He treats them as symbol carriers in the everyday life and thinks that they are appropriate instruments by means of which political center publicly represents ruling political and ideological topics. All these symbols represent ideological orientation of the political center. Between political motives thus represented in public and clearly defined political and ideological orientations there is a relationship which allows the first to be interpreted as political symbols. The text deals with the following issues: differentiation between represented and the instrument o f representation; characteristics of the symbol construction in public life; political meaning of the representation of sybmols in public; impact of political processes and ideological changes on the represented symbolic complex. In the interpretation of political symbols the author relies on poli-systemic theory of I. EvenZohar.