FORGOTTEN ONCE IT’S OVER??

CHALLENGES OF TRANS-BORDER
MEMORIAL CULTURE
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonja Kmec
University of Luxembourg
Research Unit IPSE (Identités, Politiques,
Sociétés, Espaces)

”Making Europe work“

Civic Academy for young disseminators from
France, Germany and the Western Balkans
11.09. – 16.09.2018

Ill. Monument of Hope by Armand Fernandez (Beirut, 1995)

DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF
HISTORY
« During the discussions so far, the issue was raised that
there are different understandings of history especially in
the countries of the Balkans. Different – even contradictory
– contents are being taught, sometimes even in the same
country, depending on which region one lives. This was
criticized by the participants repeatedly, as this was
considered an obstacle to mutual understanding. At the
same time the participants did not know how to deal with
this issue or how to contribute to a change »
OUTLINE
I. History – a method
- Source criticism
- Source selection
- Reading the archives against the grain
II. Group activity
III. Memory – the past made present
- Painful past
- Competitive victimhood
- Multidirectional memory
I. HISTORY. SOURCE CRITICISM

13th century fresco of Pope Sylvester and Constantine

 "X für U - Bilder, die lügen",
Picture by Ursula Dahmen (Tagesspiegel)
SOURCE SELECTION
 READING THE ARCHIVES AGAINST THE GRAIN

Self-reflexivity
Multiperspectivity
Against the grain (e.g.
https://www.tolerance.org
/classroom-resources/texts)
Contrapuntal reading
(Edward Said)
Fissures and dissonant voices
II. GROUP ACTIVITY
In groups of 2-3 persons:
(1) choose a monument you all know
(2) send a picture to: sonja.kmec@uni.lu
(3) What does it celebrate and/or commemorate?
(4) How does it do that? By which stylistic means?
(5) What is omitted or obscured?
III. MEMORY – THE PAST MADE PRESENT
 PAINFUL PAST
Monument to Leopold II (1835-
1909) in Ostende: "The gratitude
of the Congolese to Leopold II for
having liberated them from slavery
under the Arabs." (1931)
“Vandalism” (2004)
Symbolic chocolate hand (2010) –
commemoration of the murder of
Patrice Lumumba, first
democratically elected PM of
independent Republic of Congo
(1925-1961)
Fort Greene’s Prison Ship Martyrs Monument,
Brooklyn

 Anonym., Prison Ship Martyrs Monument 2.0

(6.4.-6.4.2015)
 The Illuminator Art Collective, The Edward
Snowden Hologram Memorial (7.4.2015)
Source: https://www.popularresistance.org/artists-battle-nypd-
over-edward-snowden-memorial/
 A DEBT TO BE PAID

Monument National De La Solidarité

Photos: Jwh, Wikimedia Commons;

© SIP / Charles Caratini
 1923

MULTIDIRECTIONAL MEMORY
Monument national du Souvenir (Gëlle Fra)
SUR LES CHAMPS DE BATAILLE DE LA MARNE DE L’AISNE ET
DE LA SOMME EN ARTOIE EN CHAMPAGNE COMME À VERDUN –
UNIS AUX ARMES DE L’ENTENTE DANS LA GRANDE DE GUERRE DE
1914-1918 PARTAGEANT LES FATIGUES LES SOUFFRANCES ET
LA GLOIRE DE LEURS FRÈRES D’ARMES DE LA LÉGION ÉTRANGÈRE
LES LÉGIONNAIRES LUXEMBOURGEOIS HÉROIQUE PHALANGE ONT
COMBATTU PENDANT PLUS DE QUATRE ANS SANS UNE DÉFAILLANCE
DONNANT PARTOUT L’EXEMPLE DE LEUR COURAGE DE LEUR
TENACITÉ DE LEUR DEVOUEMENT
ILS SE SONT ACQUIS AVEC L’IMMORTALITÉ LA RECONNAISSANCE
DE LEUR PATRIE CELLE DE LA FRANCE ET DE TOUS LES PEUPLES
QUI LUTTAIENT POUR LE MÊME IDÉAL DE JUSTICE ET DE LIBERTÉ
GLOIRE A EUX AUX VIVANTS ET AUX MORTS!
HONNEUR AU PAYS QUI LES A ENFANTÉS.
LE MARÉCHAL DE France COMMANDANT EN CHEF LES ARMÉES ALLIÉES
FOCH
  «Aus dem Versteck geschossene Momentaufnahme der Schandtat», in:
1940 Rappel : organe de la L.P.P.D. - Année 40 (1985), n° 4/5 (= Eis Gëlle
Fra), p. 57
 Carte postale aus der Zwëschenkrichszäit, adaptéiert vun der L.P.L.
1946-57: RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PEDESTAL
(1985: OF THE STATUE)
2001
 Lady Rosa of Luxembourg by Sanja Iveković,
2001

PEDESTAL

• KITSCH, WHORE, LA RÉSISTANCE,

• KULTUR, LA JUSTICE, BITCH
• VIRGIN , LA LIBERTÉ, KUNST
• MADONNA, L’INDÉPENDENCE, KAPITAL

Source:
http://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2011/12
/01/sanja-ivekovic-lady-rosa-of-luxembourg/
 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Rout Arméi Monument, Sofia, Bulgarien

Source: http://sofiaspots.blogspot.com/2012/10/sofia-key-spots.html