On our own doorstep - for a shared unity: European “Remembrance Culture” viewed from up close

By Hella Dunger-Löper and Andrea Despot

The European Union as we know it today is the result of a process that primarily involves national governments cooperating in a realm many consider to be far removed from citizens themselves. Indeed, scores of Europeans see the EU as an elitist and bureaucratic construct that in no way reflects their particular interests and concerns.

In contrast to this top-down approach, “Cities for Europe” works from the bottom up, calling on citizens to formulate their own unique perspectives on a united Europe from their own local communities. We then encourage and enable citizens to develop these perspectives further and even bring them to bear on the political process.

This grassroots approach can also provide the basis for a European “Remembrance Culture” (Errinnerungskultur), especially at a time when “History Workshops” are already being organised by groups of active citizens in communities throughout Europe. These workshops are carried out by volunteer historians and history buffs seeking to research their community’s history and make it accessible to all. They follow an idea originally developed in Sweden that encourages “digging where you stand”, that is, researching and learning about one’s own history as a way to gain a deeper understanding of one’s own heritage and its inter-connectedness with others. Although this volunteer-based structure guarantees proximity to active citizens, it also creates a situation in which these groups have limited means to network effectively with others beyond their local regions. This, in turn, means that these groups rarely take on a European perspective that reaches beyond regional borders.

This is where our idea comes in. When Europeans “dig where they stand”, they very quickly encounter a plethora of European connections and associations. This is unavoidable in light of the sheer density of history and heritage found on the European continent. Our idea is to “uncover” these connections, to map out the wide range of local and national perspectives and place them in a European context with the aid of institutional partners. This objective is part of a pilot process we are eager to initiate and provide with organisational support.

At a workshop on 8 November, we will discuss precisely this topic and also exchange ideas and gather suggestions on how to move forward.

Hella Dunger-Löper was born in 1951 in Hildesheim. She studied literature, political science and history at the Technical University of Hanover and the Technical University of Berlin until 1977 and graduated with a Magistra Artium.

Before Andrea Despot became EAB Director in 2017, she had been a lecturer, researcher and study director for more than 15 years — in Germany, Europe and the United States. Despot is accustomed to illuminating controversies surrounding Europe and the EU, while always capturing the perspectives of citizens and civil society.