In view of recent transformations in European commemorative practices, the CLEO (Cultural Memory in Europe: Commemoration, memory making, and identity in the 21st century) project investigates practices of memory-making and identity in European spaces. Historiography has used the term “post-heroic” to describe the changes in memory-making and commemoration that took place in Europe after WWII, which is manifested in the fact that public recognition is no longer to heroic deed, but to the victims of conflicts and wars. The project provides a historical perspective on different forms of commemoration in various parts of Europe over the past century. The project explore the ways through which certain figures or events have become major participants in cultural memory, and how it contributes to national and European identity projects. Using various sources, we discuss the changing perception of the national heroes in Europe by examining representations, practices and discourses on heroism and victimhood.