Historical Myths about Hispanic America

There are numerous popular myths concerning Hispanic America in German and Austrian textbooks from the first decade of the 21st century. The Myth of the Flat Earth, which states that Columbus overcame a medieval conception of the world as flat that had allegedly been argued by the Catholic Church, can be found in the majority of the books. However, in medieval times the conception of the world as spherical was dominant, and there is hardly any evidence that anyone believed in a flat earth. The discourses that are reproduced in textbooks can be ascribed to 19th century authors such as Washington Irving, John William Draper and Andrew Dickson White. An analysis of German and Austrian textbooks from 1723 to 1995 shows that the Myth of the Flat Earth came into the textbooks in the 20th century. With respect to the Conquista, the question of how a few Spaniards were able to conquer an empire is answered with myths. The belief that Cortés was the Indian god Quetzalcatl and the superior abilities of the Europeans were, according to textbooks, responsible for the Spanish victory (Myth of the Spanish Gods, Myth of the Spanish Heros). However, the significance of the factors that modern studies hold to be decisive for the Conquista the Indian allies of the Spaniards and the illnesses brought by the Spaniards, from which millions of Indians died is not conveyed adequately. That is why the Conquista is depicted in textbooks as the victory of a few superior Europeans against anxious Indians who were unable to defend themselves. Textbooks reproduce a version of conquest history that was initiated by Hernn Cortés and Francisco de Sahagn in the 16th century. With respect to colonization, there are two relevant myths, the Myth of the Passive Indians and the Black Legend. The importance of the Indian peoples for the developing colonial society is not considered in the Eurocentric viewpoint found in textbooks. Instead, the destruction of the Indians and the cruelties of the Spaniards are given much attention. Massive use of quotations from Bartolomé de las Casas` Brevsima Relacin introduces images into the textbooks which were used from early modern times onward as anti-Spanish propaganda to justify war by the military enemies of Spain. The myths relating to Hispanic America and the images and assumptions they conveyed were important to many different groups throughout history. Even though ideologies changed, the myths and the assumptions on which they were based stayed the same. On this basis, fictional narratives of Hispanic America were constructed and exploited for different political purposes. The historical myths in question became incorporated into collective memory and were uncritically incorporated into German and Austrian textbooks.