Context 159 - May 2019

C O N T E X T 1 5 9 : M A Y 2 0 1 9 39 SABINE COADY SCHÄBITZ Can the heritage of Europe help to integrate the UK? The UK must again become a leading actor in heritage action on the continent of Europe, despite – or perhaps because of – of its future more distant relationship to the EU. Examining the value of a pan-European heritage and what it can do to foster feelings of integra- tion appears precarious at the beginning of 2019, and not just from a British perspective. At the time of writing there is much confusion and anxiety about the relationship between the UK and the European Union, and this situation is unlikely to be resolved any time soon. Brexit is the kind of political upheaval which touches on questions of heritage as it is so closely connected with national identity. Ferdinand von Quast, the first civil servant instructed with the preservation of built heritage in Prussia at the beginning of the 19th century, conducted his activities very much on the under- standing that it was part of a political process to convey meaning and identity, and to shape behaviour in the pursuit of Prussian identity. This is how the modern heritage understanding evolved in 19th century Europe – it underpinned the striving for national identities. In the context of contemporary heritage debates it may be useful to remember that; as well as the fact that in the history of Europe this is also a relatively recent phenomenon. For over a thousand years, large parts of the territory which now makes up the area of the European Union belonged to the Holy Roman Empire, an empire, which Peter HWilson points out, ‘was never a unitary state with a homog- enous population, but instead a patchwork of lands and peoples’ 1 .The UK was notably absent from this territory, which may explain to a certain extent its reluctant membership of the EU and its recent decision to leave. However, even within the future remaining members there is less and less clarity about the meaning of Europe as represented by the EU. Although currently particularly vehemently challenged in the UK, it is an increasingly contested concept overall.We are going through a phase where national identities are reinforced and, as previously, national heritages can easily be used and misused in that process. This raises the question to what extend there is such a thing as pan-European heritage, how it manifests itself and how it can be used to instil a sense of unity rather than separation; and which role will the UK will play in this. In 1975 the EU came together for the first time in a joint European Architectural Heritage Year. It was specifically designed ‘to make Europeans conscious of their shared treasures… The hope [was] that the people who live in landmark cities and towns will become aware of the dangers which threaten the monuments they often take for granted, and will be ready and willing to take action to preserve them.’ 2 The European Architectural Heritage Year was announced in 1973, the year the UK joined the European Economic Community. The UK played a key role in its implementation in 1975 through chairing the organising commit- tee. The UK also marked its commitment with a series of special stamps, depicting a range of iconic buildings which even included Denys Lasdun’s National Theatre in London, which was due to be completed only in the following year. European Architectural HeritageYear 1975 without doubt became a great catalyst and rang in an era of increased heritage awareness and conservation activity in Europe. This was partially fuelled by a heightened sense of loss following the destruction not only by the second world war, but also by the comprehensive rebuilding programmes in the 1Wilson, Peter H. (2016) The Holy Roman Empire , Penguin Random House, 2016 ² European Architectural Heritage Year, NewYork Times , 2 November 1975 Ferdinand von Quast aimed to shape behaviour in the pursuit of Prussian identity.

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