Leuphana musicologist investigates the role of music and sound in remembrance culture
2022-10-26 Funding success in the Pro*Niedersachsen programme
Lüneburg. The era of contemporary witnesses who can report on the National Socialist era from their own experience is coming to an end. The culture of remembrance in Germany is therefore facing major changes. Musicologist Prof. Dr. Monika Schoop from Leuphana University Lüneburg wants to explore which new paths can be taken in this context. With her current research project, "Musical and Sound Memory Spaces in the Post-Witness Era", she is exploring the question of how memory spaces can be created with the help of music and sound.
The researcher is interested in taking a new approach and capturing both the social and the sonic and musical dimensions of memory spaces. At the same time, the project aims to create a new platform in Lower Saxony to network important actors in the culture of remembrance and to initiate a dialogue between science and practice. Workshops for sustainable remembrance work will be developed and organised together with the Bergen-Belsen, Ahlem and Moringen memorials. They serve to address the challenges of contemporary remembrance culture, to reflect on the potential of music and sound for future remembrance work and to develop strategies for action.
The potential of music and sound for remembrance work is also to be tested and used in the development of special audio guides in cooperation with the Ahlem Memorial. This initiative aims both to remember the past critically and to make remembrance culture accessible to new generations and thus fit for the future. The results of the project will be published and presented at national and international conferences.
The project began in October and is funded for a period of three years by the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture from the Pro*Niedersachsen programme with almost 350,000 euros. A total of 55 applications were submitted for the last round of funding and reviewed by experts. 25 projects were selected for funding.