Mellem historiebrug og kulturarvspædagogik. Om en debat om Wilhelm Peterson-Bergers minde i Jämtland

Abstract

Between the Use of History and Heritage Learning. On a Debate about the Memory of Wilhelm Peterson-Berger in Jämtland

Just after New Year 2006 a regional newspaper in Jämtland had an article written by the journalist responsible for cultural affairs in which the journalist made serious and provocative accusations about the possible anti-Semitism of the national romantic composer, music critic and author Wilhelm Peterson- Berger (1867–1942). The composer was well known in Sweden and also abroad during his lifetime and even in modern times but has declined dramatically in popularity during recent years. He is however still an icon used in the regional branding and marketing of Jämtland and his home is preserved as a museum. His dramatization of a regional legend from Viking age history has been performed by an amateur theatre group every year for more than 60 years now in the national romantic settings with grand views of the beautiful landscape on Frösön.

The article started an extraordinary harsh debate between the journalist and his followers and the amateur theatre group and their followers. This debate is used as the empiric material for a study and comparison of two analytical approaches: That of use of history and that of heritage learning. The material from the debate is analyzed through a search for answers to the main questions raised by the two approaches.

The analysis of the use of history raises questions about how the user of history is using the material and immaterial traces of the past and about what the user of history want to achieve by the specific use? The analysis of the heritage learning raises its questions about who is supposed to learn from the heritage and what is to be learned by the use of heritage and how is this learning process supposed to work?

The comparison demonstrates that the answers of the two approaches do indeed look alike but even though the questions are different and refer to two different perspectives. In short the analysis of the use of history mirrors the perspective of the producer with an emphasis on the sources while the analysis of the heritage learning mirrors the perspective of the learner and emphasizes the effectiveness of the process.