What does not move any hearts – why should it be saved? The Denkmalpflegediskussion in Germany.

Cornelius Holtorf

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Abstract

This paper is about the recent discussions (known as Denkmalpflegediskussion) on the principles and practices of state heritage management in Germany. In an expert report commissioned by the prominent German politician Antje Vollmer from Dieter Hoffmann-Axthelm, a number of fundamental criticisms were made. They concern existing practices of state heritage management, some of which are said to alienate and patronize people. One of the main issues discussed is therefore whether the management of the cultural heritage should be further decentralized (’entstaatlicht’) and made the responsibility of individual citizens and other stake-holders. The overriding criterion for scheduling should be a site’s ability to move people aesthetically and emotionally, rather than some complex academic reasoning about historical significance. The significance of beauty and feelings to heritage is illustrated by discussing a citizens’ initiative promoting comprehensive reconstructions in the Dresden Neumarkt area, around the recently restored Frauenkirche. This paper seeks to review some of the key issues of the German debate and begin a discussion of how it might relate to states heritage management in other countries for which Sweden serves as an example. The question asked is to what extent heritage management elsewhere too can, and should, be further democratized.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)33-55
JournalInternational Journal of Cultural Property
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Archaeology

Free keywords

  • Conservation
  • Democracy
  • Heritage management
  • Germany

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