Würdigende Erinnerung oder bewusstes Vergessen. Die Universität Straßburg und das Gedenken an ihre Schicksalsjahre 1919, 1939, 1943, 1945

Abstract

: French universities have not developed an equally significant anniversary culture as have, for example, the German universities. This is particularly true of the University of Strasbourg, whose history is deeply marked by the con-flicts between France and Germany. For this contribution, publications which appeared on commemorations and anniversaries as well as digitised archive document have been analysed for a reflection on the commemoration of four crucial years in the history of the modern University of Strasbourg, namely 1919, 1939, 1943 and 1945. The analysis shows, in particular, that the historic events between 1939 and 1945 are still highly relevant for today ’ s commemorative events. The fact that the year 1919 (refoundation of the French University) and the year 1945 (return from the exile in Clermont-Ferrand) were apparently never comme-morated could be related to the university ’ s desire for a „ European “ image, in the sense of a performative approach which contains an expectation of the future. This would preclude any resurgence of commemorative nationalism as might be deciphered from an anniversary celebration of the return and reopening of the French university after the German defeat in 1945. In contrast, and at the same time, the university cherishes the memory of the victims of the National Socialist occupation, some of whom were French Resistance fighters. This reveals a dual, sometimes contradictory, strategy which makes it difficult for the University of Strasbourg to build a stable identity. In addition, the existence of the National Socialist „ Reichsuniversität “ has only recently been officially taken into account. Decades of „ staging university history “ seem to have sensibly shaped the imagi-nary order.