Which Past for Whom? Local Memory in a German Community during the Era of Nation Building

Abstract

It has become common to distinguish between forms of collective memory that promote nation building and those that resist it. Closer examination of supposedly homogenizing discourse, however, may reveal variations that accommodate different perspectives and interests. An illustration is provided in this article with reference to case study materials from a town on the Middle Rhine. In the 19th century, different forms of collective memory developed against the backdrop of conflicts between Protestants and liberal Roman Catholics on the one hand, and conservative Roman Catholics on the other. These same forms were later adapted to changing local conditions in the 20th century. Attempts to mediate contradictions among different forms of local memory have remained partial, as actors choosefrom a range of variants depending on the demands of particular situations.

Embedding the apology in the nation’s identity

“…In settler nations, the construction of national narratives rests on a series of competing frames of reference that disrupt beliefs about uniformly harmonious race relations. The existence of these conflicting historical memories underscores tensions in the present, particularly when marginalised groups generate a high degree of visibility around their experiences in ways that expose contradictions and inconsistencies in canonical national histories (see, for example, Eidson 2000, Moreno Luzón 2007. When these countermemories are publicly articulated, the orthodoxies of power and collective identity that lie at the heart of postcolonial democracies are unsettled and the notion of a common historical enterprise is directly challenged.…”

History Education and the Construction of National Identity in Iran

“…Giordano himself has studied the reinterpretation of history in the context of post socialist societies (Giordano & Kostova, 2002). John Edison (2000) examines the issue in his study of collective memory in Germany where he explores how past events are reinvented in the collective memory of the society in a way that "is systematic enough to serve as a common past but flexible enough to accommodate varying interests" (p.580). Shapiroh (1997) investigates the role of history in creating a unified national identity in France and specifically discusses the role of history textbooks in achieving this goal by providing proud and positive images of the country's past and present.…”