Ulf Zander | Lund University (original) (raw)

Papers by Ulf Zander

The nation is born out of the resistance, ideally without external aid, of its nascent citizens a... more The nation is born out of the resistance, ideally without external aid, of its nascent citizens against oppression […] An effective founding struggle should contain memorable massacres, atrocities, assassinations and the like, which serve to unite and strengthen resistance and render the resulting victory the more justified and the more fulfilling. They also can provide a focus for a "remember the x atrocity" historical narrative. 1 That a "foundation struggle mythology" can form a compelling element of national identity is eminently illustrated by the case of Estonia. Its path to independence in 1918 followed by German and Soviet occupation in the Second World War and subsequent incorporation into the Soviet Union is officially presented as a period of continuous struggle, culminating in the resumption of autonomy in 1991. A key institution for narrating Estonia"s particular "foundation struggle mythology" is the Museum of Occupationsthe subject of our articlewhich opened in Tallinn in 2003. It conforms to an observation made by Rhiannon Mason concerning the nature of national museums. These entities, she argues, play an important role in articulating, challenging and responding to public perceptions of a nation"s histories, identities, cultures and politics. At the same time, national museums are themselves shaped by the nations within which they are located. 2 The privileged role of the museum plus the potency of a "foundation struggle mythology" accounts for the rise of museums of occupation in Estonia and other Eastern European states since 1989. Their existenceallied with a plethora of analogous monuments and memorial sitestestify to a pervasive preoccupation with the pastor, more accurately, pasts.

The burdens ofHolocaust history are immense because the Holocaust itself was immense. 1 This volu... more The burdens ofHolocaust history are immense because the Holocaust itself was immense. 1 This volume is produced within the scope of the research project 7he Holocaust and European Historical Culture, financed by the Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation since the autumn of 2001. The Foundation was also the main financial supporter of an international project conference called Echoes oj the Holocaust, which took place at Lund University in May 2003. Most of the chapters included in this book are revised editions of papers presented at this conference. The organisers set the contributors the task of commenting upon articles written by schalars working within the research project and recendy published in the book Echoes oj the Holocaust. Historical Cultures in Contemporary Europe. 2 Furthermore, the contributors to the conference were simultaneously asked to present an original piece of theoretical reflection and/or empirical research on the project topic, that is, on the position and the function of the Holocaust within various national historical cultures in Europe, including Israel. The conference participants originate from and are specialists on the national historical cultures of the countries they have written about, which, in addition to Israel, comprise Austria, Germany, Poland, the Scandinavian countries and Slovakia. Only one of the contributors, the Danish historian Claus Bryld, did not take part in the conference. lnstead, he has submitted a revised version of a lecture that he delivered to the project members in the spring of 2003.

The Holocaust has more often than not been analysed as an example of nationalisation, Europeanisa... more The Holocaust has more often than not been analysed as an example of nationalisation, Europeanisation, Americanisation or globalisation. In contrast, there has been a lack of local or regional perspectives of the genocide of the European Jews or attempts to come to grips with the catastrophe and its significant implications for post-war societies. The author focuses on the arrival of Jewish refugees in the south of Sweden in October 1943 and during the spring of 1945 and shows how the Holocaust was discussed, analysed and processed in local newspapers and by regional authorities in the Swedish-Danish borderlands. In this context, the Ramlosa spa and hospital, where many refugees lived for a short period, became a significant symbol of humanity and peace.

General rights Unless other specific re-use rights are stated the following general rights apply:... more General rights Unless other specific re-use rights are stated the following general rights apply: Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. Preface T his is the sixth volume of the research project 1he Holocaust and European Historical Culture. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the economic support of the Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation for the realisation of the entire project work. Mark Davies has checked the language and, in one case, translated the chapters of the book with great skills.

Historisk Tidsskrift, 2017

Recension baserad pa min opposition av Adam Hjorthens doktorsavhandling i historia, Border-Crossi... more Recension baserad pa min opposition av Adam Hjorthens doktorsavhandling i historia, Border-Crossing Commemorations. Entangled Histories of Swedish Settling in America (Stockholm, 2015).

Scandia, 1996

Recension av Anders Linde-Laursen, Det nationales natur. Studier i dansk-svenske relationer.

Recension av Martin Kylhammar, Ett hemligt liv. Verner von Heidenstam och Kate Bang

The article deals with Jan Karski and Raoul Wallenberg and the different ways that they have been... more The article deals with Jan Karski and Raoul Wallenberg and the different ways that they have been remembered in Poland and Sweden.

Sweden succeeded in remaining a non-combatant through the First World War. However, the conflict ... more Sweden succeeded in remaining a non-combatant through the First World War. However, the conflict affected the nation in many ways, for example in terms of film production and film consumption. The Swedish film industry was growing rapidly already before the outbreak of the First World War. The number of cinemas increased every year. It is estimated that there were 700 cinemas in Sweden in 1919, twice the amount compared to 1914. Probably because Sweden did not take an active part in the war, it was, with a few noteworthy exceptions, rare that films produced in Sweden commented on the ongoing conflict.

Recension av Lars Gyllenhaal, Svenskar i strid mot Hitler – i amerikansk krigstjanst 1941–45