The aim of the research article is to present opinions of mayors and mayoress from Euroregions Neisse/Nisa/Nysa and Šumava/Bayerischer Wald-Unterer Inn/Mühlviertel, who are important local agents of cross-border cooperation. We want to determine whether and to what extent a positive perception of borders and crossborder cooperation, as well as a positive experience with cross-border activities, contribute to the process of horizontal (active border) Europeanization and development of complementary and inclusive collective identities. We collected responses to our questionnaire from 79 mayors. Collected data were described statistically, but also analyzed with the use of crosstabulation and cluster analysis. Four specific clusters of mayors were identified in relation to the transformation of their identity and their attachment to the EU. Such transformation represents an idiosyncratic reflexive outcome of their experience with and their perception of cross-border cooperation.

The research article aims to contribute to the discussion on the process of Europeanization of collective memory. We examine the relationship between non/reflexive memory approaches and cross-border cooperation (CBC) in the triangle Euroregions Nisa and Šumava. We assume that key local agents of CBC defend dialogic remembering approach, therefore contribute to the process of horizontal Europeanization. To test this assumption, we conducted a questionnaire survey with 79 mayors and 52 semi-structured interviews with various agents in CBC in all sides of both Euroregions. Collected statistic data were analysed through the use of crosstabulation. In the interviews were identified multiple discourses on the historical conflicts and CBC. We interpreted both quantitative and qualitative data using the concept of the active border [Müller 2014, 2018] and four models of dealing with the traumatic past [Assman 2010]. We found evidence that traumatic past ceases to be perceived as a barrier and becomes to be seen as a catalyst for CBC. In this process, the following factors were identified as most crucial: structural perception of memory, cross-border socialisation, attachment towards EU project and, above all, generational gap. We prove that the leading supporters of dialogic remembering are representatives of the middle-aged generation of mayors, for whom the re/construction of cross-border relationships have become a lifelong challenge.