Construction Sites of Memory

A great deal has happened over the past 15 years or so in the culture of remembrance in Tyrol.

In 2010, a wide-ranging debate began on abuse and violence in residential care institutions. In 2011, a discussion flared up regarding the role of so-called ‘folk culture’ during the Nazi era. In 2013, the provincial government established a funding priority for the culture of remembrance, and the Innsbruck Municipal Council took its first steps towards revoking honours. Since then, a wide range of projects have been carried out in response to various initiatives – covering the history of local communities as well as institutions and associations, general issues of cultural policy, or, for example, desertion in the Nazi Gau.

It was not uncommon for these projects to extend beyond the provincial borders, involving Vorarlberg and South Tyrol. The focus has undoubtedly been on National Socialism and its continuities and legacies, but other forgotten stories are increasingly coming to the fore.

It is perhaps still difficult to assess to what extent this will bring about lasting change in Tyrolean remembrance culture. But in any case, it is time for an ‘interim report’. This is how the idea for this exhibition came about; it was developed in collaboration with history students as part of a seminar on regional culture of remembrance in Tyrol (summer term 2024). It can also be used as a kind of guide to completed, ongoing or even as yet undefined projects.