18. Sites of Memory, Sites of Mourning (Guest Lecture by Jay Winters)

European Civilization, 1648-1945 (HIST 202)

As a result of World War I, Europe had a different understanding of war in the twentieth century than the United States. One of the most important ways in which the First World War was experienced on the continent and in Britain was through commemoration. By means of both mass-media technologies and older memorial forms, sites of memory offered opportunities for personal as well as political reconciliation with the unprecedented consequences of the war. The influence of these sites is still felt today, in a united Europe, as the importance of armies has diminished in favor of social welfare programs.

00:00 - Chapter 1. The Myths of War: Films and Legends
11:09 - Chapter 2. Cultural Remembrance: Memorializing the First World War
18:50 - Chapter 3. Religion and Commemoration: The Spiritualism Movement
22:24 - Chapter 4. The Construction of War Memorials
39:00 - Chapter 5. The Creation of Commemorative Ceremonies: "Never Again"

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Fall 2008.