Kulturarv — berättande materialitet

Abstract

The starting point of the article is the development of the European Union, which now is also focusing on creating a common European culture, including a cultural heritage. Using two examples from Berling — Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse and the (former) wall — the article argues that cultural heritage primarily has to do with the ways traces of the past are being used in present day contexts. Most such traces, as for example the Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse, contains a multitude of possible meanings and stories, all equally true/untrue. What is actually being told depends on which stories are picked up in the present day situation. And few places are as suited for telling a story about a new, emerging Europe as Berlin. This is, even more true when it comes to the Berlin wall, which, precisely because it no longer exists physically, serves to highlight the unification of Europe.