War Monuments Research Articles

Bunker Museology

After the Cold War ended in 1991, many former nuclear bunkers were discarded by the British state and left as field monuments. This article examines the two-stage evolution of bunker museology in Scotland, wherein these archaeological remains have been converted into museums, initially by private collector-enthusiasts and latterly by community groups. My case study of the Gairloch Museum in the Wester Ross documents the reincarnation of a Cold War monument as a community museum, illustrating the positive potential of transforming unofficial into official heritage with the participation of local people. The Gairloch Museum is considered alongside two other local bunker restoration projects in Edinburgh and Dundee, advocating the need for public bodies to give greater priority to the preservation of Cold War heritage in Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole.

МЕЖДУНАРОДНОЕ ВОЕННО-МЕМОРИАЛЬНОЕ СОТРУДНИЧЕСТВО В КОНТЕКСТЕ СОВРЕМЕННЫХ РЕАЛИЙ

The article deals with one of the main directions in the modern Belarusian historical and memory policy – military-memorial cooperation, the central object of which is, firstly, the burials of Soviet soldiers, officers and civilians of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War, and secondly, the monuments immortalizing the feat of arms of the Soviet people in 1941–1945 both in the territory of the Union State of Russia and Belarus and in the countries of Western, Central and Eastern Europe. The author states that those objects are of high importance in the context of modern historical policy of Belarus, Russia and European countries, but the meaning and tasks of historical-memorial activity are directly opposite: if for Belarus and Russia the main goal of memory policy is the preservation of monuments of the Great Patriotic War, then in the countries of Western, Central and Eastern Europe, on the contrary, the dominant tendency becomes their destruction, i.e. the destruction of the memory of the Soviet Union’s participation in the Second World War and of the Second World War in particular. The author emphasizes that therewith international treaties concluded by European countries and Russia in the 1990s – 2000s are violated.

Woodlawn Cemetery

This paper begins with a vignette to situate the reader in the landscape of the Woodlawn Cemetery and gain a better context for the analysis that follows. Through primary and secondary research, the Woodlawn Cemetery reveals the ways that temporality, power, and culture are reflected in this deathscape. Historical records of the Woodlawn Cemetery support the argument that temporality is being realised in the landscape in a linear way, here, time is an important part in shaping the landscape. The concept of memoryscapes, which involves spaces of memory, show that the connection of nonlinear time also exists within deathscapes, specifically within the Woodlawn Cemetery. Power is imbued in the landscape of the Woodlawn Cemetery through burials. Burials in this deathscape serve as powerful symbols of control when considering concepts such as necro-colonialism and the establishment of war monuments. Through methods such as walking the land there are other overt displays of power at the Woodlawn Cemetery that reflect the ownership of the land and governance of access imposed by the City of Saskatoon. This paper focuses on how aesthetics are used to manipulate emotions and ease the discomfort of confronting death and create a sense of familiarity for Euro-Canadians. An analysis of the surrounding landscape and changing attitudes toward death through time support the idea that death is not something to be looked upon by everybody as it has been deemed a private affair.

Regional features of building museum exhibits on history of the modern Russo-Ukrainian War

Various aspects of constructing stationary and mobile museum expositions of Ukraine in different regions of the country are analyzed, with the purpose of creating permanent exhibitions on the history of the modern Russo-Ukrainian War. The positive experience in organizing the preservation and popularization of the Russo-Ukrainian War monuments in the capital and regional museums of Ukraine is summarized, as well as the processes of their exposition and exhibition activity transformation at the current stage are studied. It is noted that the significance of constructing expositions on the modern history of Ukraine and the exhibition activities of national museums increased in connection with the Russia-Ukraine war of 2014 - 2023, when exposition materials became not only a means of forming historical memory, but also a source of patriotism and loyalty to national priorities, an important factor in formation of the Ukrainian nation. Individual exhibitions are studied in the “National Museum on the History of Ukraine in the Second World War”, “Memorial Complex”, "National Museum of the History of Ukraine", "National Military Historical Museum", regional local history museums, museums of higher military educational institutions, garrison museums. The study emphasizes the relevance of creating virtual means of presenting the historical past and present. The opening of virtual exhibitions and expositions in Ukraine is promising, as it connects a large audience both in our country and abroad with the exhibition ma-terial and unique funds. Foreign presentations have become an important field in modern expositions presentations. This applies both to the work of individual museums and individual foundations, European and global press centers, individual foundations, etc. A conclusion is made about the accumulated rich experience of the museums of Ukraine in all spheres of activity and, primarily, the active use of museum collections in the national and patriotic education of our country’s youth.

Воодушевление российского воинства на завершающем этапе Первой мировой войны 1914-1918 гг. на примере создания памятника «Героям II Отечественной войны» в г. Вязьме в 1916 г.

The article attemts to reconstruct history and considerations of construction of the only Russian monument to the soldiers of the First World War. By summer 1916, Russia had been fighting on the fronts of the First World War for nearly two years. After rebuilding national economy on a war footing, negative phenomena developed in the socio-political structure of the state, which eventually would result in a nationwide crisis. No less dangerous was the situation in the multi-million Russian army. Having abandoned significant territories, suffering severe military setbacks in 1914–15, the army was losing its morale. There was great war-weariness, prospects for early victory looked vague. N.N. Golovin accurately called it the “broken spirit of the country.” These phenomena in the army found expression in desertion, draft evasion, unwillingness to “fight heroically” and endure hardships. Thus, patriotic initiative of the inhabitants of Vyazma to build a Second Patriotic War monument seems quite remarkable. It is even more peculiar, as monuments were not built until the end of the direct hostilities. Moreover, the public offered to erect the monument at its expense. The construction itself was a grassroots initiative and could have been picked up by other Russian cities, contributing to a revival of public support for the army and raising the troops morale. The project took into account the communal psychology of the Russian peasant, dressed in overcoat and fighting at the front. Names of fellow countrymen recipients of the Order of St George were to be incribed on the monument, providing an incentive for heroism at the front. Also, the heroes’ names of were to be included in special lists in rural schools. Information on the opening of the monument and proposed forms of perpetuating countrymen was sent to the fronts. A three-minute film was made about the monument in Vyazma. However, despite its clearly patriotic orientation and prospects, the Vyazma initiative was not supported nationwide. The analysis of Russian press in summer 1916 has showed that most popular newspapers and magazines did not publish information on this event. The Second Patriotic War monument in Vyazma is the first and only monument dedicated to the First World War in Russia. The methods of perpetuating heroes were, most likely, never implemented, and the empire itself lasted less than a year. In 1918 the monument was destroyed.

Dvě desetiletí na cestě k realizaci pomníku padlých v Jilemnici

The study contemplates the creation of war monuments commemorating the victims of the Great War in Czechoslovakia by analyzing the 20-year preparation and implementation of the monument in Jilemnice in North Bohemia. It also captures the fate of the monument during the Nazi occupation an d in the second half of the 1940s after the liberation of Czechoslovakia. Through a detailed study of archival documents, two periods of efforts to establish the monument are reconstructed. The ideological tone of the monument is also evaluated as well as t he individual contribution of the architect Blahomír Podpěra, the author of the monument.

The new approach to commemorating open-air war sites on the example of the Museum of Westerplatte and the 1939 war in Gdańsk, Poland

This paper focuses on current issues in the development of open-air memorial sites. The concept of open-air museums is evolving in the twenty-first century to encompass sustainable protection of war monuments in their historical context. The cultural landscapes require minimal intervention. However, to ensure the viability of the museums and accessibility to visitors, new additions – in terms of architecture and urban design – are inevitable. The challenge is to guarantee the quality and coherence of any additions and to preserve historic landscapes. It is also crucial to ensure public acceptance of revitalization efforts. Open architectural competition might be a reliable means of delivering viable results, as demonstrated by the recent construction of a new military cemetery and restoration of the battlefield in Westerplatte in Gdańsk, Poland.

‘TO IMPERISHABLE MEMORY’: LANCASTER’S CRIMEAN WAR MONUMENT, c.1855–1862

This article examines the previously neglected history of Lancaster's Crimean War monument, dedicated in November 1860. It connects the monument to two key features of the town's mid-century history: Tory paternalism and a resurgent popular patriotism linked to the contemporary 'Volunteer Movement’. It also establishes the broader significance of the structure, especially in terms of British approaches to war commemoration. In particular, it argues that a key feature of the monument—it carries the names of nineteen of the town's servicemen, all rank and file—complicates the generally accepted chronology of when interest in commemorating the 'common soldier' first emerged in Britain. In this sense, Lancaster's Crimean War monument is one of several mid- and late-Victorian monuments, as the Boer War took place in the later Victorian period, that anticipated the defining quality of war remembrance in the post-1918 period, what Thomas Laqueur has called 'necronominalism' (that is, the naming of the dead, regardless of class or status). The monument is thus indicative of Lancaster's mid-century social politics and it also nuances, usefully, key details regarding the history of British war commemoration.

Підготова оборони Галичини у другій половині ХІХ – на початку ХХ ст.: фортеця Миколаїв

The article covers the problems of preparation of defense in Galicia in the second half of 19th – at the beginning 20th century by the example of the fortress of Mykolaiv near the Dnister river. The ideas of defensive construction, fundamental changes of fortifications in the specified period (shooting from closed positions and use of high-explosive fires) and location, types and features of strengthening the fortress of Mykolaiv at different stages of construction are revealed in the article. It shows the discussions concerning the principles of defense, the creation of new infrastructure with a network of railways, paved roads, railways and highways, the changes in political conditions (especially in Austro-Russian relations), and Russian intelligence activity. Particular attention is paid to the events around the fortress during the Battle of Galicia in 1914 and the Polish-Ukrainian War of 1918-1919, in particular to the activities of generals Konrad von Getzendorf, Bema-Ermoli, Brusilov, Kornilov, Denikin, Kurmanovich and Grekov. Episodes of the capture of the fortress by Russian army and the battles around it are covered by author. Mykolaiv Fortress is one of the best preserved fortifications monuments of the First World War and the territory of Ukraine. But nowadays, there are attempts to destroy the remains of the fortress and deploy quarries on its territory to extract sand.

War Monuments and the Transformation of Russian Memorial Culture in the Long 20th Century

War Monuments and the Transformation of Russian Memorial Culture in the Long 20th Century

Monumental'naya kommemoraciya Grazhdanskoj vojny na sovetskom Urale

The paper analyzes the monumental embodiment of historical memory about the Civil War in Urals of 1920s - 1980s. The politics of memory of 1920s was aimed at consolidation of supporters of Soviet power through the commemoration of specific victims of white terror. The paper demonstrates that, along with the growth of cities, the monumentalism of memorials increases, the new monuments emerge at the locations of battlefields, and the number of mentioned victims increases. The authors conclude that monuments of Civil War in 1950s - 1980s became the way to emphasize the local identity of Ural cities.

Decentering America: Visual Intertextuality and the Quest for a Transnational American Studies

The planned removal of a Civil War monument in Charlottesville, Virginia, was the pretext for a white supremacist rally there in August 2017. It brought American fascists back into the streets, marching under the banner of a virulent nativism, of a vicious fear of being removed from the pedestal of their proper place in society. It also brought to the minds of people watching these images on TV older visual repertoires dating back to Nazi-Germany, fascist Italy, and similar racist clashes elsewhere. In such a stream of consciousness, such a chain of visual recollections, national settings—American or otherwise—are transcended. The wandering—and wondering—mind of the observer moves in a space naturally trans- national. The following essay considers the implications of such mental processes for the established forms of discourse among historians.

Female Representations and Presences in Romanian First World War Commemorative Art.

Art does not represent reality, but it can be an expression of it. Artists always used real-life experiences, including such events as revolutions, wars, etc. as a source for their works. At the same time, political and religious leaders used artistic, visual language for promoting their military victories or the supremacy of their power or faith. So, artworks, buildings, sculptures, or paintings were valuable tools for propaganda. Art can be used as a manifestation of political power or as a form of protesting against it. Sometimes artists were asked to represent abstract values like liberty, victory, peace, or the nation. In such circumstances, artists used the feminine form and not only because the notions were feminine nouns. Considering these general premises, my study explores the female representations and presences in Romanian First World War commemorative art. The study examines how the feminine form was used in the First World War monuments. The personification of abstract notions was examined, together with the presence of real feminine figures in this type of art, and Romanian women’s involvement in creating and sponsoring these kinds of monuments. In addition, the study intends to assess the impact and the extent to which people in general, and women in particular, resonated with these monumental works of art. The main sources for this approach were the public monuments built during the interwar period as part of the commemoration practices of the war. Given the context, reference is also made to other works of art having female representations, created by the same artists who created the monuments under review.

The social messages of Civil War monuments

AbstractWhat messages did the patrons of Civil War monuments, both Confederate and Union, intend them to send to viewers? While it is commonly thought that Confederate monuments were erected to intimidate Black Southerners and keep them from voting, this article uses a combination of visual analysis and historical research to argue that these monuments were generally erected only after Jim Crow legislation and other means had already rendered Black political participation impossible. Instead, the monuments spoke to white, working‐class Southerners, to persuade them not to cross racial lines, especially during labor disputes. Similarly, Union Civil War monuments also worked to enshrine racial inequality by erasing the memory of African‐American soldiers' participation in the Civil War.

МЕТОДИКА ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ГЕОПРОСТОРОВОЇ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ ВІЙСЬКОВОГО ТУРИЗМУ В УКРАЇНІ

In the context of studying tourist resources and building an attractive tourist image of the country, such a type of tourism as military will play an important role. Military tourism is tourism at the sites of battles and historical battles for all interested parties, as well as for veterans and relatives of fallen soldiers, visits to existing and historical military facilities and training grounds, combat naval ships, submarines on training grounds and shooting ranges, participation in military exercises and maneuvers, staying at training grounds as spectators – a military tour, these can also include tours to visit military concentration camps and prisons. At the same time, military tourism in Ukraine is not sufficiently developed. As one of the belligerent states in the Second World War and the birthplace of Eastern European culture, Ukraine not only has deep historical and cultural traditions, but also has an atmosphere of modernization as well as its own culture. Ukraine has preserved a large number of Soviet military facilities, weapons and equipment, including extremely unique nuclear facilities, military factories, military sites. to serve not only as a thematic subject of tourism development, but also as an appropriate addition to Ukrainian tourism as a whole. The article examines the concept of “military tourism”, defines the factors affecting the development of military tourism, formulates the goals and principles of the development of military tourism, presents the theoretical foundations of the study of the geospatial organization of military tourism in Ukraine, identifies the directions and problems of the development of military tourism, and gives an assessment of the current level the development of military tourism in Ukraine, the assessment of the impact of tourism on the socio-economic development of the country as a whole, the prospective directions of the development of military tourism were determined, the algorithm for the integration of the regional tourist space into various forms of national tourism was analyzed, and the geographical prerequisites for the distribution of tourist resources for the effective organization of military tourism were also identified. The author substantiates the necessity of developing and applying the concept of military tourism in Ukraine in the region. The purpose of the article is to analyze the problems and prospects for the development of military tourism in Ukraine using the example of monuments of the Second World War. The article uses such general scientific methods of research as analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, and the systematic method, which are based on reliable facts, the collection and analysis of which was carried out using methods based on the observation and study of military tourism activities.

Historical Memory, Reconciliation, and the Shaping of the Postbellum Landscape: The Civil War Monuments of Forest Park, St. Louis

Historical Memory, Reconciliation, and the Shaping of the Postbellum Landscape: The Civil War Monuments of Forest Park, St. Louis

The Ethics of War and War-Making: A Philosophical Interrogation of African Involvement in the World Wars and Their Exclusion From War Monuments and Memorials

Wars are cataclysmic events that inflict horrendous damage on people and society. In the case of the two World Wars whose magnitudes were global, and manners of prosecution total, this assertion pales in logic. The dangers that a future global war could pose for humanity given the tremendous leaps forward in the science and technology of warfare and weapons since the last World War are tremendous. This paper aims to use the examination of the ethics of war and warfare as backdrop on the analytical assessment of the implications of the exclusion of Africans from both the memorial and monuments that honor soldiers and their service in the two World Wars, even though their service and sundry contributions are salient and tremendous. The paper calls up the issue of racial identity in both Wars in puzzles: Do African soldiers in the Wars share a common humanity with their White counterparts? If they do, another puzzle is the following: Why then is their service still being commodified, to the extent of exclusion in memorials and monuments to soldiers that served and died in both Wars? The damning extrapolation from these puzzles is that there is still the belief albeit erroneous, in the establishment circles that regardless of the facts of history about the Wars, Africans are still viewed as lacking in contributions to the resolution of the threats that the World Wars represented to global peace. To reposition that under laying mind-set, the paper recommends the inclusion of African values of complementarity and inclusiveness in the quest for lasting global peace and the prevention of future Wars.

Wakefield's Offspring

Wakefield's Offspring

Pseudo-patriotic Undertone of Unity Discourse in Nigeria’s Print Media

The realisation of genuine national unity within its ethnically diverse society has always been the primary challenge facing Nigeria since its Independence in 1960. This study investigated the discursive recontextualisation of national unity through newspaper congratulatory announcements (NCAs) within Nigeria’s ethnically diverse society, focusing on the pseudopatriotic undertones of the privately sponsored NCAs. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) and the agenda-setting theory informed the theoretical underpinning of the study. The data is drawn from four major dailies, covering the period between 2011 and 2016. Multimodal critical discourse analysis (MCDA) and the visual grammar (VG) are used as analytical methods to examine 97 privately sponsored NCAs. Dominant themes in the NCAs are highlighted along with the type of national unity projected in the NCAs. The analysis revealed that, in the name of promoting unity, private individuals and global conglomerates utilize pseudo acts to boost profits, enhance customer index, and construct their corporate image in the eyes of the ruling regimes and the general public in their host communities. It was also found that the envisioned future of the country as a united reality appears to contradict the common perception and lived experiences of the people. This study is meant to highlight the way certain ideologies are promoted and further interests are realised through the print media in the name of pseudo-patriotism. Further research may investigate comparable representations likely found in other newspaper genres as well as additional semiotic resources such as Nigeria’s Civil War artefacts and monuments, statues, and other national symbols. Keywords Pseudo-patriotism; newspaper congratulatory announcements; unity; multimodal critical discourse analysis; Nigeria

Remembering the Fallen: The Creation of Civil War Monuments in Illinois, 1865–1929

Remembering the Fallen: The Creation of Civil War Monuments in Illinois, 1865–1929