Historian Sophie De Schaepdrijver on the remembrance of war in the public space.
Societies’ remembrance of war – be it as horror, triumph, “test” for the nation, holy crusade, or in any other manner – reveals much about them. We learn a great deal, for instance, by observing how war is remembered in public space: the choices made, and, importantly, those not made regarding themes, loci, form.
These dynamics are particularly salient when it comes to the memory of the First World War in the post-Armistice decade. This memory, for the first time in European war remembrance, placed the death of millions front and centre. A hecatomb interpreted in terms of “sacrifice” for the common good. But even this dominant discourse left questions unanswered: whose sacrifice? What common good? Where to draw the line between sacrifice and victimization? What shape to give memorials? Where to place them in public space?
In her lecture Sophie De Schaepdrijver (Penn State / VUB) addresses these questions from the perspective of the Belgian war experience, which was particularly complex because it encompassed not only the front but also military occupation: not just “fallen” soldiers, but also executed resisters. How was this complex experience memorialized in public space – in inscriptions, monuments, street-names? And how did subsequent generations view these memorials? Specific examples from the greater Brussels area will demonstrate how this line of questioning makes for a better understanding of modern societies and war.
This event is fully booked. Places remain for the guided tour, organized after the lecture. More info here.
Redelijk Eigenzinnig / Reason and Engage (VUB) is an interdisciplinary course for students and a series of lectures and activities open to all.
The fourth edition of Redelijk Eigenzinnig/Reason and Engage focuses on war and peace, conflict and resistance.
