the house of

giHighlights of sèleMemory Machine and Intellectual Playground 2014-2017 the house of gisèle Contents

About 14 76 Job Cohen honours an unsung It is crucial that our worldview This magazine features high- hero from World War II: ‘I won’t contains multiple perspectives, lights from three years of allow them to be slaughtered showing that not just one history Memory Machine – We Are What like chickens.’ can represent the truth, writes We Remember, a rich programme Vincent van Velsen of exhibitions, lectures and 18 debates organized by Castrum Writing a biography of a good 78 Peregrini in Amsterdam. Memory fairy is more complex than you Zmamonka, a magic word from Machine is about the importance think, says Annet Mooij on her a country that poet and artist of our cultural memory. It shows study on the life of Gisèle . Maria Barnas has never seen. how we can be led and misled by the value system with which we 22 80 were brought up. And how diffi- Seven artists, writers, directors ‘What held us together was a cult it is to appreciate the merits and dancers on what inspired magical ring, no chain, no tie. ’ of other systems. ‘The fear of them most about working with Lars Ebert quotes from the the Other is primarily rooted in Castrum Peregrini. wartime memoirs of a hider at anxieties about the Self’, writes Castrum Peregrini. Kenan Malik in this issue of The 34 House of Gisèle. This magazine Our view of the Europe of the 82 is a tribute to the values of the past is distorted by historical The true platonic meaning original residents of Castrum amnesia, writes the British of friendship: The Castrum Peregrini, first and foremost thinker Kenan Malik. We have to Peregrini Family. 3 Gisèle van Waterschoot van live up to diversity. der Gracht. She is the true and 86 unsung hero and her house on 44 The legacy of Walter Euler and the Herengracht – the House of More people, more opinions, Sabine Euler-Künsemüller. Gisèle – a monument to courage more topics and much more and humanity. hope. Avraham Burg is creating 88 perspective for Europe. ‘What items, thoughts and 4 rooms should be preserved Yourcenar, Beckmann, Appel, 46 from the house at Herengracht Baselitz, Du Perron: all mem- Artist Amie Dicke searches 401?’asks heritage specialist bers of the familia spiritualis. In for the essence of Gisèle van Riemer Knoop. the House of Gisèle, according to Waterschoot van der Gracht by Michael Defuster, time seems to showing the residue of everyday 90 have come to a standstill. life: an essay by Wieteke van Zeil A call to action by Michael Defuster: to artists and intellec- 12 62 tuals must challenge the beast in Gusta Reichwein on the friend- We talk about remembering our Western world. ship between ‘Entartete’ artist important events in our life. But Max Beckmann and Gisèle dur- how about the art of forgetting? For more on Memory Machine: ing the war. asks Aleida Assman. www.castrumperegrini.org

Gisèle d’Ailly van Waterschoot van der Gracht at the age of 100. Photo Koos Breukel, 2012 Contents

Michael Defuster Michael the house of gisèle machine time a is Gisèle of House The 5

Appel, Appel, Bloem, Bloem, familia familia Baselitz, Baselitz, spiritualis Du Perron: Du Perron: Yourcenar, Yourcenar, Beckmann, Beckmann, all members all members of the of - - - in années folles student years during the during the student years she was a young woman. Her own work work Her own woman. young a she was she skilfully arranged. she skilfully escape the looming catastrophe. The escape the looming catastrophe. edge her formative artistic years with years artistic edge her formative A easels. casual manner on painter’s with at you She glances of a cabinet. building, in search of an Amsterdam Amsterdam of an in search building, bust of her by the sculptor Titus Leeser Titus the sculptor bust of her by Nicolas when Joep of light painted by quired from her mentor Joep Nicolas, Nicolas, her mentor Joep from quired is enough to bring to life her fashionable bring to life her fashionable to is enough in pre-war Bergen (Noord-Holland): (Noord-Holland): Bergen in pre-war in a symbiosis with the interiors that interiors in a symbiosis with the German poet Wolfgang Frommel, who Frommel, Wolfgang German poet ment cosily with furniture she ac with furniture ment cosily machine. One glance into her wardrobe wardrobe glance into her One machine. needed a safe house for his Jewish a safe house for his Jewish needed The House of Gisèle is in fact a time of Gisèle is in The House Nicolas in the town of Roermond. Her Roermond. of town in the Nicolas a seemingly in arranged are portraits its position on top from you peers over Paris. Drawings and paintings acknowl and paintings Drawings Paris. Jacques Bloem, Eddy du Perron, Menno du Perron, Eddy Bloem, Jacques Beckmann in the hall, and she greets and she greets in the hall, Beckmann II, Gisèle, accompanied by the poet the by accompanied Gisèle, II, library and archive reveal her exciting exciting her reveal and archive library intellectuals and life among artists various the visitor from herself follows home that she found there on the home that she found there hangs throughout the house, engaged the house, hangs throughout the celebrated stained glass artist Joep Joep stained glass artist the celebrated Gisèle Adriaan Roland Holst. ter Braak, Max by a drawing from tempting eyes third floor. She furnished the apart floor. third A hiding place A vantage points around the house. Self- the house. points around vantage you with amusement as a radiant figure figure as a radiant with amusement you young Gisèle soon welcomed the soon welcomed Gisèle young who had left for the United States to who had left for the United States , just before World War War of 28, At the age just World before the first entered Adriaan Roland Holst, - - -

The protagonist in this microcosm in this microcosm The protagonist significance, lovingly, with respect for with lovingly, significance, sturdy Austrian castle, belonging to castle, Austrian sturdy exactly as she herself lived: intensive, intensive, as she herself lived: exactly life: photos and of her phase every among her childhood from objects by inspiring artists and poets. The and poets. inspiring artists by of her father’s family. family. of her father’s ality, driven by a passion for beauty by driven ality, no com accepting and authenticity, arranged her house in Amsterdam Amsterdam her house in arranged as though the painter Max Beckmann Max Beckmann as though the painter and from the Amsterdam canal house Amsterdam the and from ), a strong person a strong is Gisèle (1912-2013), inventive, creative, with style and with creative, inventive, might drop by for coffee at any moment, moment, at any for coffee by might drop promises from those around her. She her. those around from promises her art collections, as though she’s lived lived as though she’s her art collections, for years. here furniture and other items from the from and other items furniture reveals 401 reveals Herengracht house at to explain why he fled from the Nazis he fled from why to explain the by might be drawn eye your time, tory, time has not stood still here. It feels still here. time has not stood tory, think about such rooms steeped in his steeped rooms such think about her mother’s noble family in Styria, in Styria, family noble her mother’s the stories of things and surrounded the stories of things and surrounded who condemned his art. At the same At who condemned his art. Amie Dicke, artist of contemporary work with who has left her mark on the house American Indians in the Wild West, West, Wild American Indians in the - -

stands a building on Herengracht which which Herengracht a building on stands is a time machine is a time stairways, corridors and and corridors stairways, as well as written, painted and and painted written, as well as rooms at Herengracht 401 in at Herengracht rooms pianola, hideaway renowned a to testaments photographic life full of profoundly human human profoundly full of life s, and in the 1940s, could go into hiding been there: in the centre of Amsterdam Amsterdam of in the centre been there: art and humanitarian values art and humanitarian is teeming with stories from recent recent is teeming with stories from ing dizzy from all the impressions. The all the impressions. ing dizzy from dors and rooms where young Jewish, Jewish, young where dors and rooms German and Dutch poets and artists German and Dutch European history, leaving visitors feel leaving history, European

until the early hours of the morning. hours of the morning. the early until It is difficult to imagine if you’ve never never you’ve It is difficult to imagine if Baselitz. But despite what you would would But despite what you Baselitz. house is a maze of stairways, corri maze of stairways, house is a

Amsterdam. Here you find the find the you Here Amsterdam. to a standstill in a maze of of in a maze a standstill to years by great creators like Margerite like Margerite creators great by years Living testament to a life centred on on centred a life to Living testament By Michael Defuster By where they could discuss art and poetry could discuss art and poetry they where values and artist friendships: friendships: and artist values A place frequented in the post-war in the post-war A place frequented Waterschoot van der Gracht. der van Waterschoot Yourcenar, Karel Appel and Georg Appel and Georg Karel Yourcenar, The House of Gisèle van van Gisèle of House The Time seems to have come come have Time seems to The House of Gisèle Gisèle of House The

Michael Defuster Michael The House of Gisèle is a time machine time a is Gisèle of House The the house of gisèle 4

Michael Defuster Michael the house of gisèle machine time a is Gisèle of House The 7 - - generations. open it up to the public. open it reer as an architect, and landscape archi as an architect, reer born in Kortrijk, Belgium, and lives and and lives Belgium, born in Kortrijk, heritage of Gisèle sustainable for future future for sustainable of Gisèle heritage tect he initiated the process of making the process tect he initiated the works in Amsterdam. After a previous ca After a previous Amsterdam. in works Michaël Defuster is director of the the of Defuster is director Michaël Castrum Peregrini Foundation. He was He was Foundation. Castrum Peregrini history of this Amsterdam house and house Amsterdam of this history ------, made Gisèle, Het Steentje van series by broad series by Wolf de Het Uur van Her studio space has recently been Her studio space has recently she was a centenarian. she was space into her main residence, giving space into her main residence, could showcase her predilection for for predilection her could showcase core values freedom, friendship and freedom, values core com of the Castrum Peregrini culture beneath the glass roof, where she where the glass roof, beneath es the value of life, and that sensitivity, and that sensitivity, of life, es the value positive openness and humanity are have would of the 1930s and of today Art message. its open and to spread ers and leaves, which she arranged she arranged which ers and leaves, the inspiration illustrated VPRO, caster by Cees van Eden and Maud Keus for Maud Keus Eden and Cees van by allows us to explore the remarkable the remarkable explore us to allows are the most breathtaking. They cap They the most breathtaking. are qualities, despite what the populists despite what the qualities, into compelling still lifes. Her fascina Her still lifes. into compelling applied and discoveries in her nature this artist She turned work. in her own remarkable objects shaped by nature. nature. by objects shaped remarkable munity. The multitude of layers within of layers The multitude munity. made mediums impotent.’ The docu made mediums impotent.’ mentary used as a venue for exhibitions, lec for exhibitions, venue used as a that art enhanc the mind, poverishes unique. It tells us that simplifying im It tells unique. us believe. That is why the residents of the residents That is why us believe. packing it to the rafters, until her ful it to the rafters, packing filled life finally drew to a close when to drew filled life finally life centred on art and humanitarian on art and life centred lected shells, bones, minerals, feath minerals, bones, lected shells, her ample opportunity to experiment, her ample opportunity to experiment, the to a testament living the this house, tion influenced her artistic practice: her artistic practice: tion influenced make man that visual emotions ture the focus on that activities and tures today are working to keep the house to keep working are today -year-old Gisèle found that the then 86-year-old values, make this place so special and values, Amidst her own works of art, she col of art, works Amidst her own ‘It’s the paintings I did not paint that the paintings I did ‘It’s - - - - , which was was which , Peregrini Castrum s the chance arose to expand to expand arose 1970s the chance Very soon the building became too Very set up her studio on the top floor, studio on the top floor, set up her small for all this activity. When in the small for all this activity. set up the foundation and publishing and publishing set up the foundation sacrifice, self-assertion, responsibility, responsibility, self-assertion, sacrifice, she designed tapestries for the ship she designed tapestries for the ship of authors and artists for his search All by Gisèle. supported financially on young people, who began to be who began people, on young Gisèle which left traces, of them have into her collected and incorporated es invisibly through space and whose through es invisibly day. effect is felt to this very commissions. She created a number a number She created commissions. among for, of stained-glass windows and the Chapel the Begijnhof others, s. All to the house in the 1960s. admitted artist, Gisèle worked on a range of range on a Gisèle worked artist, and some of the other hiders a per and some of the around the continent frequently in the continent frequently around into the colossal premises next door, door, next into the colossal premises ing creative momentum were not lost not were momentum ing creative as diary, like entries in a interiors, into a magnet for artists and intel into a magnet SS Rotterdam. Frommel travelled travelled Frommel SS Rotterdam. Gisèle acted without hesitation. She Gisèle acted without hesitation. Gisèle offered Wolfgang Frommel Frommel Wolfgang Gisèle offered messengers who convey their messag messengersconvey who s they 1950s they and in the manent home, magazine magazine Castrum Peregrini Castrum Kurt Joos, Marguerite Yourcenar, Karel Karel Yourcenar, Marguerite Joos, Kurt The effects of the result Kouwenaar. Krijtberg Church in Amsterdam, and Amsterdam, in Church Krijtberg Baselitz, the German choreographer the German choreographer Baselitz, leaves nobody unmoved. nobody leaves late lectuals, among them a young Georg Georg among them a young lectuals, house Castrum Peregrini. A versatile A versatile Peregrini. house Castrum trust, love, belief in truth and justice. It It and justice. belief in truth love, trust, this and more turned Herengracht 401 turned Herengracht this and more Appel, Godfried Bomans and Gerrit Appel, - - - - - After the war, Gisèle was able to ac to able Gisèle was After the war,

small community survived the Nazi survived small community ship and to the arts, which turned out which ship and to the arts, country to earn money illegally for her illegally to earn money country the circles industrialists from of rich Nederlandse company of the energy of the Castrum Peregrini community. community. of the Castrum Peregrini ensuring that the originalensuring interior be allowed to work, she travelled the the she travelled to work, be allowed around her father, who was director director who was her father, around alterations to the interior, thereby thereby to the interior, alterations ating a convincing parallel universe universe parallel ating a convincing by painting portraits portraits painting spiritualis by familia is a magical place that puts you in puts you is a magical place that instinct, survival mistrust, fear, drives: quire the whole building. She moved She moved the whole building. quire she lived where into the upper floors, former in the 1950s with her husband, any made He scarcely in 1986. death regime of terror thanks to their friend thanks to of terror regime Gisèle and Wolfgang succeeded in cre succeeded Wolfgang Gisèle and Gisèle looked after those hiding in her those Gisèle looked after mayor of Amsterdam Arnold d’Ailly. Arnold of Amsterdam mayor d’Ailly. pupils. This marked the start of a life- the start This marked pupils. Her previous apartment on the third the third on apartment Her previous floor she gave to Wolfgang Frommel, Frommel, Wolfgang to floor she gave from the wartime years of hiding years the wartime from long friendship and the establishment establishment and the long friendship vouchers She got hold of food home. have remained intact to this day. It this day. intact to remained have to have life-saving properties helping properties life-saving to have times. oppressive through the group ter with the Kulturkammer, the insti ter with the Kulturkammer, the German occupiers tute set up by through her network of artists and of her network through touch with your deepest feelings and feelings deepest your with touch the horrors of the ‘real’ world at bay. world ‘real’ of the the horrors which all artists had to join in order to to join in order artists had all which writers. Because she refused to regis refused Because she writers. who continued to live there until his there to live who continued with rules of its own, helping to keep helping to keep with rules of its own, With the help of literature and art, and art, the help of literature With Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM). The (NAM). Maatschappij Aardolie

Michael Defuster Michael The House of Gisèle is a time machine time a is Gisèle of House The the house of gisèle 6 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

8 9 Photo: Simon Bosch

Atelier Gisèle Atelier Gisèle the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Photos: Simon Bosch

Atelier Gisèle Atelier Gisèle

Gusta Reichwein Gusta the house of gisèle Gisèle and Beckmann Max 13 - - -

years in - 100 years Amsterdam Made in collection two works were on show: a watercolour show: a watercolour on were two works collection of Gisèle (1948). self-portrait exhibition ing book. From the Castrum Peregrini archive and archive Peregrini the Castrum From ing book. reality mingle, as in a dream – allegories of the allegories – as in a dream mingle, reality of his possessions. Helmuth Lütjens shared shared Lütjens Helmuth of his possessions. America in 1947; he died left for eventually and in the years that followed his work drew lit drew his work that followed and in the years Reichwein was the curator of the big summer the curator was Reichwein by Beckmann entitled ‘Two Dancers’ (1947) and a Dancers’ ‘Two entitled Beckmann by and symbolize distinct buildings to represent scene: the Stedelijk Museum art the city’s aspects of modern world. He had an exhibition at the Van Van the at He had an exhibition modern world. dred paintings and innumerable drawings, on drawings, paintings and innumerable dred and two watercolours, including watercolours, made in 1945 and two . The reviews were not good not were reviews The in 1938. Lier gallery Lütjens. There he produced almost three hun almost three produced he There Lütjens. painting portraits, city scenes and landscapes scenes and landscapes city painting portraits, Friedrich Vordemberge-Gildewart, Wolfgang Wolfgang Vordemberge-Gildewart, Friedrich He gave Waterschoot. Gisèle van and Frommel latter as place of refuge for artists and writers. artists for latter as place of refuge understood and supported him. They included They understood and supported him. Beckmann, as he first had to obtain official to obtain as he first had Beckmann, he frequently painted images where myth and and myth where painted images he frequently Gisèle three drawings: a portrait of her that he of her a portrait drawings: three Gisèle tle admiration in Amsterdam. Only his friends Only Amsterdam. in tle admiration account His bank the country. he could leave his salary with Beckmann and his wife. They They and his wife. with Beckmann his salary in 1950. there is an art historian and Head of Gusta Reichwein In 2016 Museum. Amsterdam at the Collection which he made notes in his journal. Besides his journal. he made notes in which was frozen and he was not permitted to sell any sell any not permitted to and he was frozen was . Dancers Two The liberation did not improve matters for matters did not improve The liberation Amsterdam, the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Arti et Academie, the Gerrit Rietveld Amsterdam, the and Castrum Peregrini, Appel De Amicitiae, works of art and the author of the accompany 100 works ‘non-enemy’ status from the Dutch state before state before the Dutch status from ‘non-enemy’ ‘Made in Amsterdam’ chose five Amsterdam Amsterdam five chose Amsterdam’ ‘Made in - - . His wife – 1947. 17 July and went to teach at the academy the academy at to teach 1918 and went Rokin with the help of art dealer Helmuth 85 Rokin with the help of art dealer Helmuth by Beckmann were shown at the ‘Entartete at the shown were Beckmann by in Frankfurt. But fate would strike again. Hitler strike again. But fate would in Frankfurt. and then travelled around around in 1937 and then travelled in Munich according to the Nazi regime. During During regime. Nazi the to according a closed friendship and maintained came to power and the Nazis targeted the art the and the Nazis targeted came to power works Twenty of the German avant-garde. outbreak of war prevented them from leaving. them from prevented of war outbreak at aged to obtain travel documents that would would documents that obtain travel aged to and his wife fled to Amsterdam. He never actu never He Amsterdam. and his wife fled to ally intended to stay in the Netherlands, but the in the Netherlands, to stay intended ally a mental breakdown. He returned to painting He returned a mental breakdown. after Netherlands. He managed to rent an apartment and studio an He managed to rent First World War he worked as a volunteer in a in volunteer as a he worked War World First Kunst’ (degenerate art) exhibition that opened art) exhibition (degenerate Kunst’ Beckmann trained in Weimar and Berlin and Weimar in trained Beckmann for America. By then Beckmann had spent By then Beckmann America. for Germany. It became impossible for Beckmann for Beckmann It became impossible Germany. ten years in Amsterdam and could not wait and could not wait Amsterdam in ten years as he called the board’, ‘ironing the to leave in Amsterdam known as Quappi – and their friend Gisèle van as Quappi – and their friend Gisèle van known here shrieking for joy, really sweet. So, it really really it So, sweet. really shrieking for joy, here the early years of the twentieth century. In the century. of the twentieth years the early to live and work in his native country and he country native in his and work to live the war he found refuge in Amsterdam Amsterdam in refuge he found war the finally allow Beckmann and his wife to leave and his wife to leave Beckmann allow finally Max Beckmann 1884-1950 Max Beckmann 1947 Dancers (Girls with Blue Dwarf), Two field hospital at the German front until he had German front field hospital at the with Gisèle. was already enjoying success as an artist in enjoying already was will be America it seems’, Max Beckmann Max Beckmann America it seems’, will be in his journal on wrote Friendship in wartime Friendship By Gusta Reichwein Gusta By How Gisèle supported Max Beckmann Beckmann Max supported Gisèle How Waterschoot van der Gracht had just man had just der Gracht van Waterschoot The art of Max Beckmann was ‘Entartet’, ‘Entartet’, was Beckmann Max of art The ‘Quappi and Giselle in Hague and made it to in Hague and Giselle ‘Quappi “Ordre de Mission” (for voyage) and showed up and showed (for voyage) de Mission” “Ordre

Job Cohen Job the house of gisèle hero unsung an Gisèle:

15 Photos: Maarten Nauw Maarten Photos: - 2016 for small unveiled a 2016 unveiled . In 2010 to 2012. . called him a ‘Hero of Europe’. of Europe’. ‘Hero called him a Magazine Time Cohen joined the Board of Recommendation 2015 Cohen joined the Board The historical interiors of the House of The historical interiors of Today it is a vibrant house that continues that continues house is a vibrant it Today of Castrum Peregrini and in May and in May of Castrum Peregrini see www.castrumperegrini.org plaque in memory of Gisèle memory plaque in building: the House of Gisèle, which she has she which of Gisèle, the House building: of Gisèle, Castrum Peregrini focuses on an Peregrini Castrum of Gisèle, the socially the academics, leaders, opinion the promise carry those who in short, engaged, think In the international of a better world. For information about visiting the House of Gisèle information For In Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) from (PvdA) from Labour Party Dutch audience of experts: the creative makers, the makers, creative the audience of experts: with its sinister the human condition, about of both genocide and capable sides, and pure by provoked questions to the many answers But the coming years. in access will be tackled appointment. by be savoured already Job Cohen is a Dutch jurist. He was mayor of mayor He was jurist. is a Dutch Cohen Job Gisèle were officially opened in officially Gisèle were left to us like a jewellery box well stocked with with stocked well box jewellery us like a left to pub debates, organizes Peregrini Castrum lications and exhibitions. Profundity is the is Profundity and exhibitions. lications in the spirit Wholly all it does. in keyword the foundation Intellectual Playground, tank ambiguity of humanity. the moral can the uniqueness and educational potential thrilling and true stories. and true stories. thrilling Machine, Memory the name Under her work. gathers and shares with them knowledge them knowledge with gathers and shares and broader Preservation of visitors. groups flourishing communities. With them it seeks communities. flourishing 2005 Amsterdam from 2001 to 2010 and leader of the from Amsterdam - - - May 2 May on Software and hardware come together come in and hardware Software The unveiling of a plaque on the facade of a plaque The unveiling As that first generation declines in numbers, numbers, declines in As that first generation a reality bubble that withstood withstood bubble that a reality raids of all threats to a wide audience. mémoire but what they have left to us can. And Gisèle And left to us can. have but what they she helped hide remains visible and palpable and palpable visible she helped hide remains something together. She could enjoy the beau enjoy She could something together. somebody, always through art, through doing, doing, through art, through always somebody, in this remarkable place makes for a unique place makes for a unique remarkable in this its interiors, and thereby open up this lieu de open and thereby its interiors, immediately when she passed on the street. when she passed on the street. immediately confined to books with no value to the present. value to the present. with no to books confined connecting future. a collectively can feed is authentic. The hardware combination. eration, to facilitate access to this vulnerable to this vulnerable to facilitate access eration, of her building at Herengracht 401 of her building at Herengracht or a mayor. She could share some moment with some moment She could share or a mayor. looking at often involving she met, everybody experiencing or creating something together. something together. or creating experiencing responsibility to keep the memory of World World of memory the to keep responsibility and a story line that extends right up to the extends line that story and a aged her to leave everything to a foundation, so to a foundation, everything to leave aged her as intensely as a Picasso in a museum. What in a museum. as a Picasso as intensely She had an empathically easy way of engaging easy way She had an empathically mattered was that she shared that moment that she shared was mattered present day. present is and everything is reconstructed Nothing pearl: to preserve and restore the building and and restore preserve pearl: to used as a safe house, an accompanying archive, archive, an accompanying safe house, used as a up until her death. Everybody recognized her recognized Everybody up until her death. Instead, the collectively connecting trauma trauma connecting collectively the Instead, for the long nights in hiding behind darkened for the long nights in hiding behind darkened has left us something unique, original interiors something unique, has left us Gisèle was a striking figure in Amsterdam right Amsterdam in a striking figure Gisèle was the people themselves can no longer speak, longer can no speak, themselves the people of Gisèle and those the story That this house. material lined with reading the bookshelves that it would benefit all of society. all of society. benefit that it would ty of a feather on the street before your feet just your before ty of a feather on the street Empathetic genuine, from the pianola in which Buri hid to pianola in which the from genuine, Gisèle’s apartment became became apartment Gisèle’s windows. Now it is up to us, the present genpresent the is up to us, it Now windows. with everybody, whether they were a mechanic a mechanic were whether they with everybody, with you, that she could build up a bond with build up a that she could with you, that encour this humane approach It was war. That attitude helped her and others during the her and others That attitude helped War II alive. It should not turn into a history into a history not turn It should II alive. War symbolizes the start of a new life for the life for a new 2016 symbolizes the start of ------Despite all traumas of the wartime years, years, wartime of the all traumas Despite but changing. The disappearance of eye wit of eye The disappearance but changing. she continued to draw on the connective and the connective on to draw she continued came together, united by their fate and the art united by came together, of its founder in their midst. of its founder in their conditions possible back then? And what do then? back conditions possible of difficult conditions. Her third-floor apart third-floor Her of difficult conditions. ceeded in harnessing the unifying power of art. ceeded in harnessing the unifying power to after the war, art and, of power creative to ex Her house continued once hidden here. an atmosphere that fostered beauty and trust. beauty and trust. that fostered an atmosphere . Peregrini all threats of raids, where despite the cold and despite the where of raids, all threats She did that together with her friend Wolfgang Wolfgang She did that together with her friend draws on the history of this house to question of this on the history draws nesses is turning memory into history. Owing history. into nesses is turning memory modation for her and her husband, the former her husband, for her and modation and for those who once d’Ailly, Arnold mayor mane world, no matter how small, in the face the in small, how no matter mane world, withstood that bubble ment became a reality make this venue available to those who had to available make this venue Frommel and with many people in her net people with many and Frommel programmes, with the story and the individual the individual and with the story programmes, For Gisèle, it was important to create a hu important to create was it Gisèle, For pand around the original rooms used as hiding the original used as hiding pand around rooms She turned floor after places during the war. up by Gisèle explores such themes in cultural themes in cultural such Gisèle explores up by Beckmann. More than anyone else, Gisèle suc else, than anyone More Beckmann. human in such conditions? The foundation set The conditions? human in such hunger a group of youths and their helpers and their helpers hunger of youths a group could create Gisèle them. that preoccupied had already set up a cultural programme that programme a cultural set up had already dehumanizing What made such the present. to its great significance, it is our collective it is our collective significance, great to its hid here and later returned for shorter or lon for shorter or and later returned hid here tuals thus emerged, all of whom left traces left traces all of whom tuals thus emerged, When Gisèle died in day. to this visible that are Reality bubble Reality Illustrious network Illustrious ger periods to work on the periodical Castrum ger periods to work floor into studio spaces, or into living accom into living or floor into studio spaces, we need to remain resilient and courageously and courageously resilient need to remain we work, among them Eep Roland Holst and Max Roland among them Eep work, The Netherlands. This interest is not declining, not declining, is This interest The Netherlands. World War II is still a subject of great interest in interest of great II is still a subject War World , the younger generation generation the younger 2013 at the age of 100, An illustrious network of artists and intellec An illustrious network - - - in Amsterdam into a safe Amsterdam 401 in Whatever the case, Gisèle didn’t think it Gisèle didn’t the case, Whatever

Kenan – Kenan is ours. choice The one. exhilarating ethical concrete, can protect us from the dangers the dangers us from can protect ethical concrete, are that we tightrope off the moral of falling a It can be beings. as human condemned to walk slaughtered like chicken.’ Was this naive this naive Was like chicken.’ slaughtered she herself thought was ‘normal’. Today, Today, ‘normal’. thought was she herself she chose to stay. She didn’t want to leave to leave want She didn’t stay. to she chose sung hero. During World War II she selflessly selflessly II she War World During sung hero. material for the long nights in hiding. in hiding. the long nights for material is authentic, nothing is reconstructed. is reconstructed. nothing is authentic, escaping from forced labour under German labour forced escaping from unique fusion of history and space. and space. history unique fusion of example for people who are searching for an searching are for people who example to adapt their or for ways ethical framework, present that realities lifestyle to the new own offered arose because she kept faith in what faith in because she kept arose offered No God, no scientific law, nor yet any amount of any yet nor no scientific law, No God, cumstances or conviction? Nature or nurture? Nature cumstances or conviction? easily have emigrated to the United States, to the United States, emigrated have easily Malik in ‘The Quest For A Moral Compass’ Moral A ‘The Quest For Malik in rule. When asked about her motivation, she motivation, her When asked about rule. returning to haunt us again, her integrity her integrity again, to haunt us returning always replied: ‘I won’t allow them to be them allow ‘I won’t replied: always and courage are, more than ever before, an before, than ever more are, and courage as the old ghosts of the 1930s seem to be atmosphere she took two Jewish people into Jewish she took two atmosphere and belief in humanity. Although she could and belief in humanity. ner? Intuition or rationality? Driven by cir by Driven ner? Intuition or rationality? Herengracht Herengracht highly disconcerting prospect. Or it can be a highly Or it can be a disconcerting prospect. highly family and friends behind. In this vulnerable In this vulnerable and friends behind. family Castrum Peregrini honours Gisèle as an un honours Gisèle Peregrini Castrum thinking or did she act in a considered man thinking or did she act in a considered hiding, and later numerous youths who were who were youths and later numerous hiding, house. Gisèle’s motivation was her conviction her conviction was motivation Gisèle’s house. themselves. themselves. turned her apartment on the third floor at on the third her apartment turned Everything about the House of Gisèle Gisèle of about the House Everything people hid, which in the pianola From to the bookshelves lined with reading with reading lined bookshelves the to was anything special. The ‘resistance’ she ‘resistance’ The special. anything was By Job Cohen Job By A house on Herengracht as a monument a monument as on Herengracht house A Gisèle: an unsung hero unsung an Gisèle: to courage and humanity and courage to is a 401 is a on Herengracht house The

Job Cohen Job Gisèle: an unsung hero unsung an Gisèle: the house of gisèle 14

Annet Mooij Mooij Annet the house of gisèle Night the through Walk A 17 ------she has been an editor of De Gids, the oldest De Gids, been an editor of 2002 she has So yes: a foghorn sounds loudly here and there and there here sounds loudly foghorn a So yes: Despite the profusion of material, in reconstruct material, of Despite the profusion This sizeable archive is the result of years of of years is the result archive This sizeable sense. Masquerades, metamorphoses and my metamorphoses and Masquerades, sense. struggle against growing forgetfulness and threat forgetfulness growing struggle against publication in the autumn of 2017. publication editor in chief. Mooij is currently working on a biography on a biography working Mooij is currently editor in chief. for scheduled der Gracht, van Waterschoot of Gisèle van mainly publishes on historical and sociological matters. mainly publishes on historical and sociological matters. birthday letters and holiday postcards, one occasion postcards, holiday letters and birthday can interpret that literally: she enjoyed fancy dress dress fancy she enjoyed that literally: can interpret of darkness’, consciously created or otherwise. ‘Seit or otherwise. created consciously of darkness’, ened oblivion, an utmost attempt at control. But at control. an utmost attempt ened oblivion, commit strongly Gisèle was self-image. of her own ally comes across small gems, such as the short letter as the such gems, small comes across ally nating and exciting as possible. as and exciting nating der Kindheit – immer – hat mich die Maskerade die Maskerade der Kindheit – immer – hat mich in the obscurity of our nocturnal promenade. That nocturnal promenade. in the obscurity of our for the Night Mayor poses an additional challenge ments de notre sejour en Hollande.’ sejour en ments de notre Since parties. But it is also true in the more existential existential But it is also true in the more parties. ing this life you also regularly encounter ‘patches ‘patches encounter also regularly ing this life you it is also a self-made monument to someone who, to someone who, a self-made monument it is also for Castrum Peregrini, which is why the residents the residents is why which for Castrum Peregrini, she was its she was 2012 to 2015 and from review, literary Dutch from Yourcenar to Chèr Monsieur le Bourgmestre to Monsieur le Bourgmestre to Chèr Yourcenar from her life. Prudence should therefore be exercised. be exercised. Prudence should therefore her life. like a Cerberus, carefully watched over the creation the creation over watched carefully Cerberus, like a themselves sometimes compared it to the Villa of Villa the it to sometimes compared themselves The foundations here the Mysteries in Pompeii. ted to circulating a specific, fairy-tale like version of like fairy-tale a specific, circulating ted to The same goes part of her being. formed thology thank him for the visit: ‘La promenade nocturne à nocturne ‘La promenade him for the visit: thank l’un des plus beaux mo a été Amsterdam travers gelockt,’ Gisèle once remarked in an interview. You You in an interview. Gisèle once remarked gelockt,’ whose task it is to make the trip as pleasant, illumi whose task it is to make the trip as pleasant, were also shrouded in mystery. also shrouded were Annet Mooij is a Dutch researcher and author who and author who researcher Mooij is a Dutch Annet ------Those notes contain more that is of value, varying varying that is of value, Those notes contain more Whatever the case, situations often remain shad situations often remain the case, Whatever because of what I do not tell’ what I do not of because I tell here gives a distorted impression impression a distorted gives here I tell sion because of what I do not tell’) to useful advice to to useful advice I do not tell’) sion because of what ed, their illumination artificial. That does not mean That does not artificial. their illumination ed, criticism, exaggeration and omissions, and tells omissions, and exaggeration criticism, that curves but consists of three the grave, to cradle other: that which a person thinks he was, that which that which a person thinks he was, other: that which others will always remain dimly lit. Some issues are issues are Some lit. dimly remain always others will plentiful, because the light is clear simply crystal correspondents have all been preserved. Amidst all been preserved. all have correspondents , for , Appears the 1940s into the 21st century. ed from appearances here are deceiving, but the whole scene deceiving, are here appearances She points out the danger of idealization and forced dangerShe points out the forced of idealization and Some stretches are clearly illuminated, while illuminated, clearly are Some stretches documented life than that of Gisèle d’Ailly – they – they life than that of Gisèle d’Ailly documented inet of natural wonders, a treasure trove filled with trove treasure a wonders, inet of natural hundred than five more Letters from objects. precious perhaps best be compared to a walk in the dark. the dark. in to a walk best be compared perhaps Herengracht is like entering a time capsule. The floor time capsule. is like entering a Herengracht It is difficult to imagine a better preserved and It is difficult to imagine a better preserved from exhortations to herself (‘Always bear in mind to herself (‘Always exhortations from house full of documents and bequeathed work, a cab work, house full of documents and bequeathed more or less.’ err more people than with all others: human life. That graph is not a straight line from the line from a straight is not That graph human life. he aspired to be, and that which he actually was.’ he actually and that which to be, he aspired looks as though it was left intact. Her legacy is a store Her legacy left intact. as though it was looks that historical truth is always elusive in every sense, sense, in every elusive is always that historical truth no different with this truth ‘It is d’Hadrien. Mémoires those who dare to set off along the biographical path. path. to set off along the biographical those who dare of a graph of the to lose sight never the biographer this senseless excess, this ocean of Christmas cards, Christmas cards, this ocean of excess, this senseless torch has to be directed more precisely. Sometimes precisely. more has to be directed torch that everything I tell here gives a distorted impres a distorted gives I tell here that everything used as a hiding place appears to have been catapult appears to have a hiding place used as you need to work with the help of a candle. with the need to work you would eventually marry. Visiting the building on the building Visiting marry. eventually would while in other places the spotlight or biographical or biographical spotlight the while in other places Yourcenar writes in her notes at the end of her at the end of her notes writes in Yourcenar ‘constantly veer towards and veer away from one an one from away and veer towards veer ‘constantly ‘Always bear in mind that everything that everything in mind bear ‘Always - - - - - , must must d’Hadrien, Mémoires Some time later Yourcenar did indeed heed the call did indeed heed Yourcenar Some time later ‘There is so much we don’t know, and to write and to know, don’t we is so much ‘There steps of the German poet Stefan George, a compara Stefan George, of the German poet steps story of Castrum Peregrini had intrigued her so much her so much intrigued had of Castrum Peregrini story biography has been entrusted to me. Family histo Family me. has been entrusted to biography ble cult of friendship had thrived. cult of friendship had thrived. ble beauty Antinous, who had died young and who who had died young Antinous, beauty of Gisèle d’Ailly-van Waterschoot van der Gracht der Gracht van Waterschoot d’Ailly-van of Gisèle The task of writing her right to the end. occupants complex. Entire bookshelves have been written have bookshelves Entire complex. another a crisis, event, an figure’s, or a celebrated with those patches is to engage repeatedly culture those places history, those nights of of darkness, Solnit in her Men writes Rebecca of unknowing,’ circle of friends around the periodical and the periodical and the of friends around circle ries and biographies are a popular way of approach of a popular way are ries and biographies reality and biography, history and memory is often is and memory history and biography, reality accessible, imbuing them with life and giving them imbuing them with life accessible, the genre’s and to that, could object Nobody a face. about the traps and pitfalls of biographical research. research. and pitfalls of biographical the traps about a great interest in the classics and a humanistic in the classics and a humanistic interest a great Peregrini, and watched over the house and its over and watched Peregrini, ing the past. They make the far corners of history make the far corners of history They ing the past. that does not Yet merited. than popularity is more played a central role in role a central played publishing house of the same name. Both shared Both shared name. house of the same publishing -year life life 100-year less encounters that took place in the ). Each narrated life can narrated Each to Me (2014). Things Explain lessen the fact that the relation between historical between relation lessen the fact that the have echoed on Herengracht where, in the foot in the where, on Herengracht echoed have October, when she happened to be in the Netherlands. Netherlands. to be in the when she happened October, to contribute to the periodical, but before that, the that, but before to contribute to the periodical, as that as early that she announced herself there truthfully about a life, your own or your mother’s, mother’s, or your own your a life, about truthfully then celebrated Yourcenar and the Amsterdam Amsterdam and the Yourcenar then celebrated ), the good fairy who created Castrum who created the good fairy (1912-2013), worldview. Moreover, Hadrian’s love of the Greek of the Greek love Hadrian’s Moreover, worldview. This is but a miniscule fragment, one of the count This is but a miniscule fragment, - - - . Gisèle knew and Gisèle knew 1951. , soon d’Hadrien, Mémoires Inspired by the encounter with Kayaloff, Gisèle, Gisèle, with Kayaloff, the encounter by Inspired That was not such a strange request, as there as there request, a strange not such That was A few months earlier in Rome, after a visit to Villa Villa after a visit to earlier in Rome, months A few

because of this married man’s not-so-secretive af not-so-secretive because of this married man’s and documented life than that of Gisèle van van Gisèle that of than life and documented of friends with whom she had shared her house on of friends with whom she had shared ographical novel appeared in appeared novel ographical expectedly came across her old notes on the Roman her old notes on the came across expectedly revived that instantly a discovery Hadrian, emperor biography of this woman is not without risk. is not woman this of biography returned to Yourcenar a suitcase of letters and old Yourcenar to returned enjoyed a nocturnal stroll through Amsterdam. Amsterdam. through stroll a nocturnal enjoyed admired the book, entitled the book, admired during the war. Among the contents, Yourcenar un Yourcenar Among the contents, during the war. papers that she had left behind in Switzerland that she had left behind in Switzerland papers Herengracht since the war years. Gisèle enquired Gisèle enquired years. since the war Herengracht consider contributing to the would Yourcenar if periodical. published in a Dutch translation entitled Hadrianus’ translation Dutch in a published personally was the then city mayor, Arnold d’Ailly. Arnold d’Ailly. the then city mayor, was personally longer. position for much not hold his would D’Ailly the Belgian-French writer In October 1956 the Belgian-French in part down, he had stepped By the end of that year fair with the artist Gisèle van Waterschoot van der van Waterschoot fair with the artist Gisèle van Marguerite Yourcenar and her friend Grace Frick Frick friend Grace and her Yourcenar Marguerite , the literary periodical made by the circle the circle made by periodical the literary , Peregrini her abandoned plans to write his memoires. Her bi to write his memoires. plans her abandoned Gracht. She was also there that night. there also She was Gracht. . Gedenkschriften upon her return to Amsterdam, wrote a letter to wrote Amsterdam, to upon her return It’s difficult to imagine a better preserved preserved better to imagine a difficult It’s were quite a few points of similarity between the between points of similarity few quite a were A walk through the night the through walk A By Annet Annet By Mooij Waterschoot van der Gracht. Yet writing a writing a Yet Gracht. der van Waterschoot Adriana, Gisèle had met Jacques Kayaloff, who had who Kayaloff, Gisèle had met Jacques Adriana, And they were not alone. Guiding the pair around Guiding the pair around not alone. were And they fairy takes you down a path littered with pitfalls a path littered down you takes fairy Yourcenar, enclosing with it some issues of Castrum enclosing with it some Yourcenar, Writing a biography about a good Amsterdam Amsterdam about a good a biography Writing

Annet Mooij Mooij Annet A Walk through the Night the through Walk A the house of gisèle 16 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Wolfgang Frommel, Gisèle in the hiding floor, One of the hiders, One of the hiders, Top: hiding floor 1945 1945 Buri (A.F. Wongtschowski), Claus Victor Bock, 1940 Bottom: Wartime friends with flower garlands around Percy in the hiding floor Gothein and Wolfgang Frommel at an Easter poetry reading

Archive Gisèle Archive Gisèle the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Self-portrait Gisèle van Waterschoot Gisèle in her studio on the top floor Wolfgang Frommel and Gisèle, Gisèle in her studio on the top floor van der Gracht, 1978 1966

Archive Gisèle Archive Gisèle

in the House of Gisèle of House the in the house of gisèle working on artists Seven

23 Betsy Torenbos and Louis Andriessen at the hiding pianola hiding the at Andriessen Louis and Torenbos Betsy . It is a filmed a homage. Gisèle, she wanted to go, she said’ go, to wanted she portrait of her mother and mother her of portrait where was That father. her served as hiding place during World World place during as hiding served I filmed her next to the next I filmed her of Gisèle? : Project and her art. The piano music of Louis of Louis music The piano and her art. How did you end up in the House did you How is the pianola, the converted piano that the converted is the pianola, internationally: internationally: Theatre National der Gracht, a trip through her studio a trip through der Gracht, it very exciting, I did not want to miss I did not want exciting, it very LA: ‘What fascinates me extraordinarily me extraordinarily ‘What fascinates LA: Doesburg and with Artists in Residence with and Doesburg (Japan). DanceBox full of memories of her loved ones full of memories of her loved tribute to Gisèle van Waterschoot van van Waterschoot tribute to Gisèle van (The Netherlands) with director Johan Johan with director (The Netherlands) War II. Betsy took me there and I found and me there Betsy took II. War Andriessen is an integral part of the film. is an integral Andriessen ‘She was not afraid to die. to afraid not was ‘She -

Gisèle van Waterschoot Gisèle Waterschoot van : Louis Andriessen (1939) is an in : Louis start a project, I write down my vision on my I write down project, start a composer dancer, director dancer, of different stories to it and triggered triggered stories to it and of different escape you.’ a piece of paper. And return to it again to it again And return a piece of paper. loose sight of So that I never and again. afterwards. That is always how I how always That is afterwards. Peregrini? it, no matter how long the project takes.’ long the project no matter how it, documentary maker and artist whose maker and artist documentary describes trying to catch a butterfly in a to catch describes trying shortly escape only to it manages it, You can In flight. to be. imagined Gisèle ry. She worked both nationally and both nationally She worked ry. Greece. When she finally does capture does capture When she finally Greece. modern music. He has performed with He modern music. me to investigate and find them.’ and find me to investigate Hartley and the Quay Brothers and his Brothers Quay and the Hartley ‘I never met Gisèle. I once read a I once read met Gisèle. ‘I never ): is a dancer, is a dancer, (1969): Betsy Torenbos Robert Wilson, Peter Greenaway, Hal Greenaway, Peter Wilson, Robert to you? mean der Gracht van letter written by her in which she her in which by letter written ternationally renowned composer of renowned ternationally the world. the world. try to capture her but she will always she will always but her to capture try Louis Andriessen, Andriessen, Louis Torenbos, Betsy you gained from working at Castrum at working gained from you work is largely based on oral histo- based on oral is largely work works have been performed all over all over been performed have works What does What What is the most important insight What Who ‘When working as a creative, before I before as a creative, ‘When working

physical impression. I impression. physical could feel, hear, see, touch see, touch hear, feel, could and smell it all at once’ of the house? could be the bones of a story. A friend A the bones of a story. could be first me my Lars Ebert gave ordinator and smell it all at once. It had the sense the sense It had all at once. and smell it impression. I could feel, hear, see, touch touch see, hear, feel, I could impression. How the walls of a house, for instance, for instance, a house, of the walls How told me about Castrum Peregrini and I and Castrum Peregrini told me about is (film) history.’ rest And the tour. went to have a look. Programme co- Programme a look. to have went What was the most striking aspect was What ‘The house left a strong physical physical a strong ‘The house left ‘The house left a strong a strong house left ‘The -

- ), who lived ), who lived , a film. 401, 2013 Herengracht Herengracht - Pigahtdirec (1982) is a : Janina I became fascinated with the with 2013 I became fascinated years. Seven artists, directors, directors, artists, Seven years.

in the House of Gisèle of House in the special bond with the house on with the house on special bond and curators. They all have a a all have They and curators. than more for there worked and the house and on how reflect ists ant: Gisèle van Waterschoot van van Waterschoot ant: Gisèle van (1912- Gracht der held in high regard. And of course course And of held in high regard. composers, students and art students composers, Project: Project: idea of telling the biography of a place. of a place. the biography idea of telling How did you find your way to the way your find did you How House of Gisèle? issues in her films by looking at them by looking issues in her films poetry and subtleties contained within. within. subtleties contained and poetry Castrum Peregrini has hosted Peregrini Castrum artists, projects, of hundreds Gisèle inspires their work. their Gisèle inspires from a personal perspective. This al- perspective. a personal from lows her to invariably find the hidden hidden find the invariably her to lows tor who has a way of tackling societal of tackling a way tor who has Seven artists on working working on artists Seven the Herengracht in Amsterdam, Amsterdam, in the Herengracht click this extraordinary have they writers, film directors, students students film directors, writers, that are values and history with its inhabit important with the most Janina Pigaht, director Pigaht, Janina 70 Who ‘In

in the House of Gisèle of House the in Seven artists on working working on artists Seven the house of gisèle 22

in the House of Gisèle of House the in the house of gisèle working on artists Seven 25 of Memory Weft and Warp The revealed about Gisèle as about Gisèle revealed she lived’ which in histories collection, something is something collection, an individual, but also the an individual, and what is the most interesting thing and what the house? about Project: Project: ating online narrative archives. archives. narrative ating online her life, it reflects in which and the ways all the while talking about Gisèle as an Gisèle talking about all the while At the time of character. almost magical her work. organizing and archiving and curiosities work Most of her away. is a project exploring the wardrobe of the wardrobe exploring is a project Peregrini find Castrum did you How ing entailed, and how it was a process process a it was and how ing entailed, she was.’ to who integral Gisèle van Waterschoot van der Gracht, Gracht, der van Waterschoot Gisèle van room, there was also a rack of clothing, of clothing, a rack also was there room, - and cre for co-learning spaces making ment people from Castrum Peregrini Castrum Peregrini from ment people but I didn’t still alive, was she visit, my her studio in She was day. meet her that guided me through the hiding place, place, the hiding guided me through I better project, my on working Now - ritual of archiv what that understand her projects involve public discussions, discussions, public involve her projects - till the mo 401, of Herengracht history textiles and clothing. clothing. and textiles work, and various histories through through histories and various work, were left in place. At the corner of the At the corner of left in place. were what do quite sure weren’t they which with.’ ‘To be honest, I knew nothing about the nothing about I knew be honest, ‘To ‘My next visit came after Gisèle passed came after visit ‘My next ‘With each artifact in her her in ‘With each artifact

: Renée Turner is an American- an is Turner : Renée should remain open for younger gen for younger open - should remain artist/writer collaborative and interdisciplinary. and interdisciplinary. collaborative born artist and writer whose work is work and writer whose born artist erations. It makes me realize that if that me realize It makes erations. accelerator for transition.’ accelerator and beauty. It is very impressive and impressive is very It and beauty. are the ones I loved most. And that goes And that most. I loved the ones are importance of the role of an artist as an of an of the role importance resents human dignity, shows courage courage shows human dignity, resents Gisèle has left behind, you can see the see the can you behind, Gisèle has left Every ten years she was doing some- doing she was ten years Every It may sound overstated but in what but overstated sound It may - rep Peregrini ‘The house Castrum BT: for all you can do in your life, I guess.’ life, your can do in for all you thing different. Those kinds of artists kinds of Those thing different. Renée Turner, Turner, Renée you follow your intuition as an artist artist intuition as an your follow you future. new of the a creator can be your Through visual and discursive research, research, and discursive visual Through Who scure little room. Like Stravinsky Gisèle Like Stravinsky little room. scure should sound, I have no idea. I have sound, should of her mother and her father. That was was That and her father. of her mother original condition. That’s very rare. And And rare. very That’s originalcondition. in this ob- pianola this by captivated completely different things. How it How things. different completely Peregrini? art and culture literally are bearers of bearers are literally culture art and and hope are part of the response response of the part are and hope art. It has been preserved. But some of But some been preserved. It has art. deny her own opinion. She was an au- She was opinion. her own deny is obvious, but you shouldn’t bother bother shouldn’t you but is obvious, Gisèle and her paintings. They are two two are They paintings. her Gisèle and made are gone now. It is conserved in It is conserved now. gone made are non-professionals with it. This film is film This with it. non-professionals use? There is no prescription available.’ is no prescription There use? aspects essential two are ‘There LA: going to be about the love of Betsy for of the love about going to be BT: ‘For me Gisèle is an example. an example. is me Gisèle ‘For BT: Betsy is right to say that resignation resignation that to say Betsy is right you notes should Which Resignation? for me. First, the canal house in the canal First, for me. look at the house you understand that understand the house you look at the society. Gisèle was a lovely civilized civilized a lovely was Gisèle the society. - inspira as with nature thentic person, afraid not She was as a force. tion and portrait to the her next I filmed to die. the result was that my interest was was interest that my was the result the ephemeral and fragile things she things fragile and the ephemeral way the the paintings I filmed the film. If you she died. before placed were they you gained from working at Castrum at working gained from you journey through the studio, life, her life, the studio, through journey you thinking, he offers solace. But he offers solace. thinking, you woman with humour, but she didn’t but she didn’t humour, with woman ‘ she said. to go, she wanted where wielded many different techniques. techniques. different wielded many when someone dies. Bach I can hear Bach when someone dies. Is it hope? us? show he what does Thanks to her I could make a great a great her I could make Thanks to is the most important insight What Amsterdam that was preserved in its preserved was that Amsterdam - - - Gisèle van Waterschoot van van Waterschoot Gisèle van

stage, I will discuss if the works are used are I will discuss if the works stage, you? mean to der Gracht carry it with me. I am grateful that I got that I am grateful with me. it carry composed on the spot. Like they were were Like they on the spot. composed ed them at a professional recording stu recording ed them at a professional become one. As a human being and as a being and As a human become one. worlds times and other ences to other of Gisèle. Berlin is musically complete- is musically Berlin of Gisèle. in the film the way they were meant.’ meant.’ were they way film the in the intense, like two melting candles that like two intense, in touch with Gisèle.’ with in touch I played the in 2013 I played Gisèle died After it. dio. As for now, I’m quite satisfied with quite satisfied with I’m now, As for dio. in her paintings. Let’s talk about 1920. talk about Let’s in her paintings. me after this project. So that’s how I got I got how So that’s project. me after this personality, Gisèle is unforgettable. Her Gisèle is unforgettable. personality, piano for the first time.’ piano for LA: ‘Making music for the hiding place. for the hiding place. ‘Making music LA: LA: In my music there are always refer always are there music LA: In my Gisèle also did what That’s present. Ebert from Castrum Peregrini came to Castrum Peregrini from Ebert Francis Poulenc, for me the difference me the difference for Poulenc, Francis Betsy asked me to compose a score for for Betsy asked me to compose a score make I’d and thought the piano I sat at short piano pieces, pieces, five genre BT: ‘For me the most striking aspect is striking aspect me the most ‘For BT: BT: ‘I made documentary theatre that that theatre ‘I made documentary BT: from various European origins. Lars origins. European various from kind of born out of the piano. We record We of born out of the piano. kind humour, her precision, her warmth; I her warmth; her precision, humour, the complete film. How do you do that? do How the complete film. the personal contact with Gisèle. It was was It Gisèle. contact with the personal or Weil Kurt France. from different ly to know her. her. to know the result. It is a free form. Betsy can use form. is a free It the result. working in the House? working whatever she wants. Maybe at a later Maybe she wants. whatever was staged with nine very old women women old nine very staged with was That is an important period in the life important period That is an What does What What was the most striking aspect of the was What

in the House of Gisèle of House the in Seven artists on working working on artists Seven the house of gisèle 24

in the House of Gisèle of House the in the house of gisèle working on artists Seven 27 in Amsterdam as an as Amsterdam 401 in : Artist in residence at Castrum Artist in residence : ). (1981 Pothoven Pieter Paul Artist. : between people, that I between understand this bond?’ understand ask myself: will I be able to will I be able to myself: ask of the Memory Machine programme. programme. Machine of the Memory artist of the Dutch Mondriaan Fund. In Fund. Mondriaan of the Dutch artist in residence. Before this started, this started, Before residence. artist in How did you get involved with the get involved did you How House of Gisèle? Peregrini. I will live at 2017 I will live March and February Herengracht I followed out of interest certain parts of interest out I followed Pieter Paul Pothoven, Pothoven, Paul Pieter Who What ‘Through a residency programme programme a residency ‘Through ‘It was such a strong bond such a strong was ‘It - Gisèle van Waterschoot van van Waterschoot Gisèle van

sight you’ve gained from working at at working gained from sight you’ve she has left behind is a testament to behind is a testament she has left something far removed from daily life daily from removed something far ? mean to you der Gracht on sending messages in code through in code through on sending messages of mortal danger is really strongly em strongly of mortal danger is really bedded in the building. You can feel it You bedded in the building. cruel, treacherous and inhumane.’ and treacherous cruel, creation of art. In the house art wasn’t wasn’t the house art In of art. creation block away from the house on the from away block but a means of resistance, survival and survival of resistance, but a means Struck by the preserved sta- the preserved by Struck Project: and hope at a time when those were those were at a time when and hope

a marker of continued living.’ of continued a marker How did you end up in the did you How House of Gisèle? the house? Castrum Peregrini? poetry with the audience. with poetry Night they asked me to conceive a asked me to conceive Night they performance.’ Herengracht. That’s where Castrum where That’s Herengracht. Museum the For me. saw Peregrini fundamental in the Netherlands. What in the Netherlands. fundamental him. His second performance centred performance centred His second him. tus of the rooms, he invited audiences he invited rooms, tus of the time with in back step to figuratively that has inspired me in my work as well.’ work my me in that has inspired when you enter and that is something when you what is possible in a world that can be that in a world what is possible was an actual refuge for the continued refuge for the continued an actual was What was the most striking aspect of was What What does What is the most important in- What Amsterdam Book Night in 2012 a Night Book Amsterdam ‘I was performing during the performing ‘I was ‘She was a beacon of integrity, strength strength beacon of integrity, a ‘She was ‘What struck me was that the house house that the me was struck ‘What The notion of perseverance in the face ‘The notion of perseverance Photo: Roger Cremers Roger Photo: is a testament to what is to is a testament possible in a world that world possible in a can be cruel, treacherous be cruel, treacherous can and inhumane’ performance artist performance of weaving, an attempt to bring objects, objects, bring to an attempt of weaving, My together. travels and experiences, like someone written for they or were - a multidisci itics of belonging through Peregrini. of Castrum Tank Think in the question at this moment is, were these were is, this moment at question them later?’ interpret researches narratives of decolonization, of decolonization, narratives researches Caribbean performance artist who performance artist Caribbean notes to herself, just simple reminders, reminders, just simple herself, notes to decipher or who might an outsider me, plinary art practice. He is also engaged is also practice. He art plinary the aesthetics of resistance and the pol- and of resistance the aesthetics Quinsy Gario, Gario, Quinsy ) is a Dutch a Dutch Gario (1984) is Quinsy Who: ‘What she has left behind behind ‘What she has left - Gisèle van Waterschoot van van Waterschoot Gisèle van . To come back to come back To . hypergraphia

something is revealed about Gisèle as Gisèle about something is revealed studio, the repetitive lines in her paint- lines the repetitive studio, speculations and narratives.’ speculations – this writing feels like a kind – this writing feels of Memory mean to you? der Gracht ers and wardrobes. So, that’s how my my how that’s So, ers and wardrobes. clothing, and how they ranged in origin ranged they how and clothing, closet in Greece, plus detailed descrip detailed plus closet in Greece, and each artifact in her collection, collection, in her artifact and each histories in also the but an individual, aesthetic impulse. I kept thinking about about thinking I kept impulse. aesthetic - draw being housed in memories about a form of also leave gaps for projecting my own own my gapsfor projecting also leave Peregrini? into each period. With each moment, moment, each With period. into each ings and the patterns on the garments. the garments. patterns on ings and the in her closet, with each shelf carefully shelf carefully with each in her closet, She even kept a written catalogue of her of catalogue a written kept She even Gaston Bachelard, and how he wrote he wrote and how Bachelard, Gaston many lives, and because she was a because she was and lives, many prolific if not obsessive archivist, col- archivist, not obsessive if prolific numbered with corresponding contents. contents. with corresponding numbered project began…’ began…’ project lector and maker, we are given insight given are we maker, lector and from China to Greece to Morocco. But to Morocco. to Greece China from her work– Gisèle also did this for items her work– happening between the textiles in her the textiles between happening The Warp and Weft and Weft Warp The work, the title of my tions of items she packed for particular items she packed tions of had have if Gisèle may I wonder trips. tive because they provide clues, but clues, provide because they tive there was also a certain mirroring mirroring a certain also was there you gained from working at Castrum at working gained from you which she lived. Her traces are seduc- are traces Her she lived. which There was an internal logic, a clear logic, an internal was There What is the most important insight What What does What ‘This passion for archiving, not only not only ‘This passion for archiving, ‘Gisèle was a centenarian who lived lived centenarian who a ‘Gisèle was ‘I couldn’t stop thinking about the thinking about stop ‘I couldn’t

in the House of Gisèle of House the in Seven artists on working working on artists Seven the house of gisèle 26

in the House of Gisèle of House the in the house of gisèle working on artists Seven 29 insight that the importance of history is of history importance the that insight - under atten brought effectively more great élan. Castrum Peregrini today today Peregrini Castrum élan. great has acquired a much higher profile in higher profile a much has acquired the cultural life. That has given me the has given That life. the cultural links to establish manages as one tion, with the present and the future.’ with the present - same time so appealingly young, ener young, same time so appealingly of the House? insight you gained from working working gained from insight you edited, a somewhat old fashioned and old fashioned a somewhat edited, - genera a younger Now closed institute. every word. It was clear that this film that this clear It was word. every ‘lust for it comes to When company. example.’ Castrum Peregrini? at confronted with the exuberant mani- with the exuberant confronted the at but wrinkles, with older woman and Lars Ebert) has taken over with over Ebert) has taken and Lars ing house and the magazine that they that they the magazine ing house and - the mo From portrait’. TV a deserved rience in almost a physical way the way almost a physical rience in - the publish with Castrum Peregrini, , is like the since 1940, Gisèle occupied ment Gisèle began to talk about her life, her life, about to talk ment Gisèle began ‘Frankly, I found the old foundation I found ‘Frankly, producer Maud Keus and I hung on her I hung and Keus Maud producer filmed When we met Gisèle personally. intelligent and sensitive. curious, getic, ‘The house on Herengracht, which which Herengracht, on ‘The house II. War World from of hiding presence - expe you room In her living Paros. It was a privilege to spend time in her spend time to a privilege It was find yourself on the Greek island of island of on the Greek yourself find mean to you? der Gracht van had to be made.’ had to be and inspiring a great I see her as life’, festations of her art. festations years of age. She was an She was of age. 84 years she was her, tion (Michael Defuster, Frans Damman Frans Defuster, tion (Michael treasure of her life. In her studio you In her studio you life. of her treasure van der Gracht ‘more than anyone than anyone ‘more der Gracht van What was the most striking aspect the was What is the most important What What does Gisèle van Waterschoot Waterschoot does Gisèle van What And everywhere, everywhere you are are you everywhere And everywhere, ‘I consider it a great privilege to have have to privilege a great ‘I consider it 1997. ), director and director (1947), Ede : Cees van so appeallingly young, young, so appeallingly intelligent and sensitive’ intelligent but at the same time energetic, curious, energetic, significance. of Gisèle? - broadcast public the Dutch editor for : Documentary about Gisèle van van Gisèle about : Documentary Project How did you end up in the House did you How ing service NPS. He has a fascination NPS. ing service cultural of national events important March March for outstanding personalities and personalities for outstanding the idea that Gisèle van Waterschoot Waterschoot Gisèle van the idea that television programme Het Uur van de Het Uur van programme television (Gisèle’s Treasure), broadcast on 24 broadcast Treasure), (Gisèle’s Cees van Ede, director Ede, van Cees Who Waterschoot van der Gracht for Dutch Dutch for der Gracht van Waterschoot Gisèle Het Steentje van entitled Wolf, ‘An acquaintance, Tineke Sexton, had Sexton, Tineke acquaintance, ‘An ‘She was an older woman woman an was ‘She older - -

. of Forgetting 7 Forms Gisèle van Waterschoot Gisèle Waterschoot van

standing. It was such a strong bond be a strong such It was standing. spirit of solidarity and friendship that solidarity and spirit of of the house? on those few square metres. They were were They metres. square on those few bent bookshelf full of Goethe. ble. Another special feature is that the is that feature Another special ble. arose during World War II still exists in II still exists War World during arose Peregrini? able to understand this bond? Besides bond? Besides to understand this able immerse myself in her more. But what more. in her immerse myself Gisèle. myself as an artist: what role does the does what role artist: as an myself gramme fits in with the questions I ask the questions with fits in gramme can and how in the present past play under great stress, but managed to keep but managed to keep stress, under great ‘I must confess that I would still have to have still I would confess that ‘I must For instance, I attended the lecture by by the lecture I attended instance, For mean to you? der Gracht van I know about Gisèle is that she stood Gisèle is that about I know I’m curious myself!’ on. February from for solidarity with others in difficult with others for solidarity tour of the old apartment of Gisèle, is tour of the old apartment of Gisèle, lived of people in the war that a group the way people are using the House of using the House are people the way this past be shaped?’ be this past tween people that I ask myself: will I be people that I ask myself: tween ob full of old place, it is a historic that, - admira very course, of is, Which times. you gained from working at Castrum at working gained from you jects and art, including some beautiful some beautiful including jects and art, - the pro of content, In terms Velsen. van watercolours by Max Beckmann and a Max Beckmann by watercolours What is the most important insight What What does What What was the most striking aspect the was What Aleida Assmann Aleida Assmann on exclud/include, exclud/include, And the exhibition Vincent by curated , Alternate histories ‘What appealed to me during the first appealed to me during ‘What ‘Don’t know yet. I will be living there there I will be living yet. know ‘Don’t

in the House of Gisèle of House the in Seven artists on working working on artists Seven the house of gisèle 28 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Janina Pigaht Janina Pigaht

Kenan Malik Kenan the house of gisèle diversity to up Living 33 Aliens Act, designed 1905 Aliens Act, so much so that they became they so that so much converting to Catholicism, and Catholicism, to converting the twentieth into well existed not just in Europe. and century, a mortal threat to European iden- to European a mortal threat Such vicious anti-Catholicism vicious Such constituted Jews people, many Protestants were banned from from banned were Protestants Protestants. is civilization Western of dation From the creation of the first of the first the creation From into to stem the flow principally Britain’s first immigration law, law, immigration first Britain’s fulminations against Jewry, to Jewry, against fulminations Catholics banned from marrying marrying banned from Catholics Castrum Peregrini is testament is Castrum Peregrini 500 exactly Venice, in Ghetto, Christian tradition as the foun- as the tradition Christian lengeof anti-Semi- the menace tity, values and ways of being, of being, ways and values tity, - civiliza as a Jews of to that view menace. tional to in France, affair the Dreyfus the taken as received wisdom. But wisdom. taken as received Christian ‘Judeo of a the concept of the is an invention tradition’ - chal to front broad a to create is testament Its invention tism. of in the eyes that, to the fact genocide. The very existence of existence The very genocide. victims of the world’s greatest greatest world’s victims of the Luther’s to Martin ago, years Today the idea of the Judeo- the Today s, arising out of the attempt arising out 1930s, The Quest for a Moral The Quest for a Moral Kenan Malik is an Indian-born British Malik is an Indian-born Kenan His and broadcaster. lecturer writer, latest book is the internationally acclaimed of Ethics. A Global History Compass: ‘Living in the lecture He delivered of the launch on the occasion Diversity’ of the House of Gisèle at Castrum is also Kenan 2016. 2 May Peregrini, of Castrum Tank Think in the involved Intellectual Playground. Peregrini, security. Until the nineteenth Until security. by law excluded from most pub- from excluded law by class, gender, faith, politics, and and politics, faith, gender, class, - of modern diversi consequences expression and worship. But he and worship. expression century Catholics in Britain were were Catholics in Britain century relatively recently seen by many many seen by recently relatively tolerance such to extend refused are cut through by differences, differences, by cut through are Consider, as homogenous Europe. with those of the as incompatible a threat to English identity and English identity to a threat not only of ethnicity, but also of but of ethnicity, not only else. much now but Catholics were until Catholics were but now now. are as Muslims much dations of liberalism. His Letter of liberalism. dations - seen as pro generally is Locke of modern in the development for instance, the debate about about debate the for instance, Many of the fears we have of the of have fears we of the Many from serving in the armed forces. the armed forces. in serving from the clash between Islam and the Islam and the clash between ty are in fact echoes of fears that fact echoes in ty are of freedom about ideas liberal lic offices, and denied the vote; denied the and lic offices, is a key text text is a key Concerning Toleration posed because they to Catholics - universi from barred were they and professions, many from ties, viding the philosophical foun- the philosophical viding were central to what we now see see now what we to central were The English philosopher John John The English philosopher West, and fear of Islamic values values of Islamic and fear West, to imagine be hard It may West. - see is that of societies that in the of societies that in see is that of the Europe of the present is of the present of the Europe ethnically, or perhaps culturally, perhaps culturally, or ethnically, enous in the past? And in what past? enous in the explore two fundamental ques fundamental two explore as homogenous. Our view of the Our view as homogenous. a Spaniard in the nineteenth or in the nineteenth a Spaniard notion of diversity. When we When we diversity. notion of and morality. What we mean by a by mean What we and morality. distorted by a highly restricted restricted a highly by distorted now become plural because of because become plural now diverse in many ways. Societies ways. in many diverse diverse society? And why should And why society? diverse Europe of the past is distorted by past is distorted by of the Europe past were homogenous, but have have but homogenous, past were in what way But immigration. Englishman or or an Frenchman past and Europe’s present. To To present. past and Europe’s frame any discussion on inclusion any frame historical amnesia; and our view view amnesia; and our historical what homogenous, historically talk of European societies as societies European talk of is the world But homogenous. have described their societies described their have Certainly, if you had asked a asked had if you Certainly, the fifteenth or the twelfth cen- or the twelfth the fifteenth not certainly would they turies, today in Europe, the picture we we the picture in Europe, today tions, the answers to which must must to which answers the tions, understand why, I want first to I want why, understand

we value it, or indeed, fear it? or indeed, it, value we we mean is that they used to be they mean is that we - societies homog European were today? diverse they are ways When we think about diversity diversity about think When we - - -

by the decline of Christianity by of Eurabia – the belief that Europe – the belief that Europe of Eurabia claimed Hungarian prime minis- resistance’ to radical Islam. Islam. radical to resistance’ a different religion and represent religion and represent a different culture. different a completely against and intellectual bulwark is alarmed and yet atheist’ able about who the migrants are, and are, the migrants who about of anxieties underlying about migration laws, ‘that the people ‘that laws, migration religious and non-Christian, this fear of echo non-religious, and moral cultural mining the nation, community, identity and community, nation, duced draconian new anti-im- new duced draconian is being Islamicised - described is being Islamicised Christianity only insisting that with a cultural Europe provided ‘an incur calls himself Ferguson Italian writer who perhaps more more who perhaps Italian writer historian Niall The British Islam. - civiliza Western of foundation Most are not Christian, but Christian, not Most are Muslim.’ Christian and thinkers, Many under Muslim immigration herself as a ‘Christian atheist’, atheist’, ‘Christian a herself as fashion is, I want to suggest, a mis to suggest, I want is, fashion tion. The late Oriana Fallaci, the Fallaci, The late Oriana tion. the notion promoted than most ter Viktor Orbán, as Hungary put as Hungary Orbán, Viktor ter - and intro fences, border up new understanding of both Europe’s understanding of both Europe’s values. ‘We should not forget’, not forget’, should ‘We values. who are coming here grew up in grew here coming who are which undermines ‘any religious ‘any undermines which To look upon migration in this look upon migration To 20 1.3 million million Syrian refugees. refugees. 3 million Syrian some burden when it comes to helping when burden borders. Some of the poorest the poorest Some of borders. countries in the world, in other in the world, countries refugees. refugees. constitute less than 0.2 per cent constitute less Turkey, population. of the EU’s to host is already but of the EU, other, will shape the character of the character will shape other, contemporary European political political European contemporary as such. They are much more more much are They as such. are being deported under the being deported are that one seventh a population and the problem of terrorism. of terrorism. and the problem the one to the relate we and how new deal signed with the EU, has EU, with the deal signed new Debates about immigration are, are, immigration about Debates Syrian refugees in Lebanon – refugees in Lebanon Syrian discourse - the migration crisis migration discourse - the per cent of the population. That the population. per cent of of Europe is the equivalent host to 100m refugees. playing over have each and Iran Pakistan is worth putting these numbers numbers these putting is worth million migrants One in context. How we discuss these issues, issues, discuss these we How the net societies over European period. however, rarely about numbers numbers about rarely however, have been exacerbated by the the by been exacerbated have to Europe are indeed large. But it indeed large. are to Europe migrants to which the country two issues that now dominate now issues that two words, already bear the greatest the greatest bear already words, There are already already are There The numbers of migrants coming migrants of The numbers The conundrums about diversity diversity about The conundrums million refugees within their 1 million refugees -

societies? Should immigrants be societies? Should immigrants societies should respond to the societies should respond sity in the past, is the mes- in the past, sity at he gave a lecture sage of beliefs. What should be the What should beliefs. such in of tolerance boundaries cians and policy-makers for the for policy-makers cians and customs and norms or is inte- customs and creasing urgency in recent years years recent in urgency creasing published published in Europe, the Revolution rewrite our image of diver image of our rewrite a few years ago. It is a question It ago. years a few of immigration, as the question im- particular of Islamic and in made to assimilate to Western Western to made to assimilate questions have bedeviled politi- bedeviled questions have migration, has taken centre stage. stage. has taken centre migration, past half-century. They have also have They past half-century. influx of peoples with different with different influx of peoples different people in it?’ So asked people in it?’ So different in anxieties about the Self about the in anxieties tied liberals in knots. tied liberals the dilemma of how Western Western of how the dilemma and backgrounds traditions, Caldwell in his book, Reflections on in his book, Caldwell in- been asked with that has the American writer Christopher writer American the gration a two-way street? Such Such street? a two-way gration Our view of the Europe of of the Europe of view Our

Castrum Peregrini: Living in Living in Peregrini: Castrum British thinker and scientist scientist and thinker British to have We Malik. Kenan Diversity. the past is distorted by his- by is distorted the past the writes amnesia, torical Living up to diversity to up Living By Kenan Malik Kenan By At the heart of this question lies of this question At the heart ‘Can Europe be the same with ‘Can Europe The fear of the Other is rooted primarily primarily is rooted the Other of The fear

Kenan Malik Kenan Living up to diversity to up Living the house of gisèle 32

Kenan Malik Kenan the house of gisèle diversity to up Living 35 - 4 in 10 thought - inev They 1500 years. out ten thought that the 9 out ten thought that per cent of the general 73 per cent of the general set of European values that values set of European - tran that single Islamic tradition - Norms and prac scends history. servatism within British Muslim servatism stood the values of many of their of of many values stood the be educated separately to boys. to boys. separately be educated of the Prophet. the unacknowledged opens up to the within nation of a creation once stretched from the Bay of the Bay from once stretched per cent of 18 Just communities. or Ibn Rushd, values that many many that values or Ibn Rushd, certainly would have under have would certainly nation, with its own geography, geography, its own with nation, - poll re The debate. a national Some people wrote that this wrote Some people mutated in a faith that has lasted a faith that in mutated do so even more in a community in a community more do so even Africa. to South Scotland itably diverged in an empire that in an empire diverged itably from America, to in the world) population), population), Europe. Bengal to the Bay of Biscay, and of Biscay, Bengalthe Bay to for almost Islamic contemporaries, such as such Islamic contemporaries, - Muslims thought that homosex not permit mockery should law Muslim attitudes that generated Muslim attitudes that generated husband. A third wanted girls to wanted third A husband. that is now spread out across the out across spread that is now population Muslim the largest poll of British recent Consider a transcends history in opposition in opposition history transcends a there Nor is to Islamic values. over varied inevitably tices have inevitably They time and space. to the great philosophers Ibn Sina philosophers the great of being to the very tial threats globe from Indonesia (which has (which Indonesia globe from uality should be legal (compared (compared should be legal uality

vealed a deep well of social con- of well a deep vealed wives should always obey her obey should always wives - as existen consider now would There is, in other words, no single in other words, is, There Almost s by the American politi- the 1990s by civilizations. And the between civilizations. self-enclosed entities. They are are They self-enclosed entities. between the Christian West and West the Christian between be oping along a linear line from a linear line from oping along the to Christianity of crucible and Dante Aquinas other hand, regimes’. regimes’. or what we stand for. stand or what we Huntington. Samuel cal scientist as ‘European’ values would have have would values ‘European’ as are open to diversity. open to are of a view is There al values. religion between Protestants and Protestants religion between - civ Western within ‘conflicts all dered - Aquinas and Dante, for and Dante, Aquinas - dered most deep-set of these would be these would of most deep-set war struggle than any damental’ apprehension about who we are are who we about apprehension - as devel civilization European and modernity. Enlightenment so more even and instance, political ideologiespolitical political and ilization’. The ‘battle lines of the lines of ‘battle The ilization’. ilizations’ thesis, popularized in popularized thesis, ilizations’ past centuries, the over Europe in a famous wrote Huntington future’, on the other hand, would would other hand, on the future’, left most of the major figures in of the major figures left most Civilizations, however, are not are however, Civilizations, fundamental threat to Western Western to threat fundamental - civilization transcendent - bewil tradition that European they are porous, fluid, open to open to fluid, porous, are they the Islamic East, a ‘far more fun- ‘far more a the Islamic East, Catholics to the Cold War, were were War, to the Cold Catholics the unleashed by ‘differences among ‘differences by unleashed - ‘clash of civ on the draws values wider influences. Because they they Because wider influences. There are no historically no historically are There The claim that Islam poses a Islam poses The claim that convulsed have The conflicts that Ancient Greece through the through Ancient Greece On the Plato. and Augustine Yet, what many today describe today what many Yet, essay, from the wars of wars the from 1993 essay, ‘civilizations’ precisely because precisely ‘civilizations’ - - becomes a problem – indeed the becomes a problem by default.’ by are on what values but disagree liberals, For being threatened. conservative Islamic doctrines doctrines Islamic conservative corrosive critique in the name corrosive then there rights, of individual for future any be can scarcely the of to the values run counter egos. ‘The most striking fact striking ‘The most egos. rosive impact of Enlightenment impact rosive as a threat to European values, values, to European as a threat all social forms are vulnerable to vulnerable forms are all social about the present moment’, moment’, present the about of enfeeblement and spiritual a threat to Enlightenment liber to Enlightenment a threat it is the cor Manent for alism, ieties about the Self. The Other Self. the ieties about nothing but a ‘dust’ of isolated ‘dust’ but a nothing no choice but to surrender to to surrender but no choice - conserva For Enlightenment. Enlightenment of liberal impact desiccated democracies have have democracies desiccated social bonds leaving dissolved Europe other than Islamization other Europe influence … in a region where where region in a influence … ing rights rather than duties, our than duties, ing rights rather Islam, Manent argues, because because Manent argues, Islam, Many liberals have echoed Lévy’s Lévy’s echoed have liberals Many Islam view Both fears. Manent’s Manent writes, ‘is the political ‘is writes, Manent Other is rooted primarily in anx- in primarily rooted Other is to be con- only Other needs tives, it is precisely the corrosive the corrosive it is precisely tives, triumph. of the And fear ty of standpoints. liberalism that has allowed Islam that has allowed liberalism - … If Islam is ex the nation. its and consolidating tending they have become decadent and become have they to be a threat. The French have have The French threat. to be a jured up – when there is social there up – when jured values that have allowed Islam to allowed have that values warnings, many conservatives conservatives many warnings, - a diversi from is itself felt words, The fear of diversity, in other in diversity, The fear of Where, for Lévy, Islam represents represents Islam for Lévy, Where, - By emphasiz of freedom’. ‘tired , during the debate about about debate during the 2010, banned, Lévy came out ‘in favor ‘in favor came out Lévy banned, of a law that clearly and plainly plainly and that clearly of a law ends of the political spectrum, political spectrum, ends of the constitutes diversity allows us allows diversity constitutes societies have European existed. but for very a threat, resents and the conservative thinker and the conservative always had, or were perceived perceived or were had, always a burqa wearing that declares about It’s the burqa. not about no less sacred than that of the than that of no less sacred - is anti-repub area in the public question: why should we value value we should why question: fear it? or indeed, diversity, the liberal reasons: different Enlightenment of yesterday and of yesterday Enlightenment French thinkers from opposite thinkers from French Lévy Bernard-Henry philosopher Manent. Pierre In - of whom Islam rep for both fears and the conflicts - that then the conflicts - that fears and ‘This is insisted he But, lican’. Consider two contemporary contemporary Consider two today, and the heritage of both, both, the heritage of and today, monotheisms.’ three to ignore the diversity – and the – and diversity the to ignore peoples’ ‘different had, to have And this brings us to the second us to the brings And this whether the burqa should be burqa should whether the within their borders. within their Voltaire. What is at stake is the What is Voltaire. shake off our historical amnesia. our historical amnesia. shake off stituted ‘a race of whom we know know we whom of race ‘a stituted seen by many as racial distinct. distinct. as racial many seen by of English classes’, the article classes’, of English endure, always ‘which concluded, rewrite the past, and because a the past, rewrite class area of east London, that east London, of class area class and the rural poor were were poor rural class and the and separations, like those and separations, attitudes. ‘The Bethnal Green Green ‘The Bethnal attitudes. edition of in an 1864 edition appeared nothing, whose lives are of quite are whose lives nothing, different complexion from ours, ours, from complexion different Europe made diverse by modern by diverse made Europe when crumbles immigration because we diverse particularly persons with whom we have no have whom we persons with ‘Distinctions of contact.’ point poor’, the article explained, con- explained, the article poor’, in Bethnal Green, a working a working Green, in Bethnal into the twentieth, the working the working into the twentieth, from the whites.’ from liberal magazine of the era, was was of the era, magazine liberal to the separation of the slaves slaves of the to the separation typical of Victorian middle-class Victorian of typical the nineteenth century and well well and the nineteenth century grave… offer a very fair parallel fair parallel very offer a grave… very peculiar definition of what definition of peculiar very which last from the cradle to the the cradle last from which , a well-read a well-read , Review Saturday The The concept of a homogenousof The concept We only imagine our societies as imagine only We A vignette of working-class life working-class A vignette of -

because we have a restricted a restricted have because we chists and liberals became the liberals and chists communists and conservatives, and conservatives, communists conflicts as expressions of a expressions conflicts as conflict, too. From the English English the From too. conflict, civil the Spanish to war civil rebellion to the Paris commune, commune, the Paris to rebellion ness was the portrayal of Jews as of Jews portrayal the ness was notion of diversity, our historical our diversity, notion of upon back look We mistaken. is But that homogenous. nically time of the Europeans not how diverse society. Why not? Only not? Only Why society. diverse European historical conscious- European - reli not just by rent was Europe - deep nations were European picture of European societies is European of picture and imagine societies European But even within that restricted that restricted within But even hallmark of European societies. societies. of European hallmark liberals and socialists, monar socialists, and liberals Jews, a central strand in strand a central Jews, between Conflicts divided. ly looked upon their societies. In their societies. looked upon Of course we don’t think of these don’t Of course we the country of East European of East European the country the elemental ‘Other’. the ‘Other’. elemental that they were racially and eth- and racially were that they gious and cultural but by political but by giouscultural and

view of what diversity entails. diversity of what view war, from the German Peasants’ Peasants’ the German from war, immigration crumbles when shake when shake crumbles immigration off our historical amnesia’ historical our off Europe made diverse by modern by made diverse Europe

‘The concept of a homogenous a homogenous of concept ‘The

Kenan Malik Kenan Living up to diversity to up Living the house of gisèle 34

Kenan Malik Kenan the house of gisèle diversity to up Living 37 - - - - second issue that, together with that, second issue brought the two issues together the two brought of militancy, either political… or either political… of militancy, contemporary jihadis that ‘Very ‘Very jihadis that contemporary counter-intuitively, that individ counter-intuitively, religious’. religious’. regularly’. The French sociologist The French regularly’. civilization, that lies at the root the the root that lies at civilization, stop the influx of off the borders, a large number of those involved of those involved number a large and extremism in the UK’, leaked in the UK’, and extremism are not migrants, but second or not migrants, are and with a hatred of European of European and with a hatred attacks in Paris and Brussels have and Brussels have in Paris attacks majority of European jihadis of European majority much of contemporary European European of contemporary much ment goes, is a problem of migra problem is a ment goes, in terrorism do not practice do not practice in terrorism per cent in – up to 30 proportion to Islam. converts – are France European jihadist problem. Close jihadist problem. European Europe of those with fundamen Europe political discourse: the growth of the growth political discourse: minds. people’s in many It is an argument that flies in argument It is an few of them had a previous story story of them had a previous few far from straightforward. A high straightforward. far from Many studies show, perhaps studies show, Many Muslims, and Europe will begin will begin and Europe Muslims, ‘Briefing Note’ entitled MI5 Olivier Roy similarly observes of observes similarly Roy Olivier Consider, for instance, the instance, for Consider, The recent jihadists. homegrown observed that in 2008 observed to the press to be able to deal with the issue of to be able tion, because it is the arrival into into the arrival because it is tion, and beliefs, values different tally third generation Europeans, and Europeans, generation third with Islam is their relationship the face of the facts. The vast The vast the facts. the face of the migration crisis, dominates crisis, the migration groups by religious faith. A British religious faith. by groups uals are not usually led to jihadist not usually uals are jihadism within. jihadism within. The problem of jihadism, the argu the of jihadism, The problem ‘far from being religious zealots, being religious zealots, ‘far from ‘Understanding radicalisation ‘Understanding radicalisation - - - - stripped of individuality, even, even, of individuality, stripped servative voices get celebrated as get celebrated voices servative communities have become seen have communities community leaders, the authen leaders, community ed to manage diversity by putting by ed to manage diversity - defining individ boxes, cultural people into which of the boxes origin that creates the idea of the of the idea origincreates that official insistence on putting peo official chial, more tribal sense of identity, tribal sense of identity, more chial, consequences. grave can have often getbeing silenced as not report on multiculturalism put on multiculturalism report as homogenous groups, denied as homogenous groups, authentic Muslim, and indeed of and indeed Muslim, authentic and the creation of a more paro of a more and the creation authentic, while the most con authentic, not, as in France, seek to define seek France, as in not, the identity against national Parekh influential as the nities’, defined primarily by culture, by culture, defined primarily ironically, of diversity. Minority diversity. of ironically, it. The authorities have attempt- have authorities it. The ethnic and into particular people ple into cultural or ethnic boxes, boxes, or ethnic cultural ple into British multicultural policies do multicultural British faith, and place of origin. and faith, Much the same is true of Britain. true of Britain. the same is Much living in a diverse society and the in a diverse living Other, but rather portray the na- the portray but rather Other, One consequence of this perverse One consequence of this perverse the possibility of transformation, of transformation, the possibility tionally look upon diversity, then, then, diversity, look upon tionally into the Other, turn migrants tic voices of minority groups. tic voices the Muslim community itself. itself. community the Muslim - of commu ‘a community tion as policy. public to shape that the most progressive voices voices that the most progressive or truly that community of truly ual needs and rights by virtue rights by ual needs and way of thinking about diversity is diversity of thinking about way within minority communities were put, and using those boxes using those boxes and put, were The clash between the reality of the reality The clash between - conven we which in The ways per cent think of them- 40 per cent think , Jean Paul Sartre had sug- Sartre Paul Jean , selves as observant Muslims, and Muslims, as observant selves brings us togetherfact if not the cians, policy makers, intellectu- makers, policy cians, employee from Mantes-la-Jolie, Mantes-la-Jolie, from employee African origin, of North citizens Friday four attend one in only ety treats those of North African of North those ety treats of a common French identity. But identity. French of a common of France’s ‘five million Muslims’. Muslims’. million ‘five of France’s is part It originnot accidental. is the state whereby of the process as the Other citizens casts such als and journalists as ‘Muslims’. ‘Muslims’. journalists as als and are looked upon by French politi- French upon by looked are about the authentic Muslim: that Muslim: authentic the about and values that characterize characterize that and values attempted to reassert the notion to reassert attempted a distrustful and disengageda distrustful nation. Faced, as are politicians are as Faced, nation. parents’ home in Oujda? What in Oujda? What home parents’ all Miské observes, Yet, prayers. it is the way that the outside soci- that the outside way it is the primarily by turning Islam into by primarily is defined. identity public, French politicians have have politicians French public, French citizens of North African North citizens of French with nations, European in many essay Anti-Semite and In his 1945 essay Miské makes the same point Miské makes - foot in his grand set has never French million or so Of the five Government ministers often talk ministers Government that I am, the Fulani Sufi bank the Fulani that I am, Burgundy from worker the social who male nurse the agnostic a society within live that we the nation, they have done so done have they the nation, French which ‘Other’ against the Jew gested that the authentic Jew gestedJew the authentic that unable to define clearly the ideas the clearly to define unable just who has converted to Islam, and to Islam, who has converted of us as Muslims?’ thinks which was created by the anti-Semite. the anti-Semite. by created was The use of ‘Muslim’ as a label for as a label ‘Muslim’ The use of – as not really part of the French French part of the – as not really - - - - - say that Christians have become become have Christians that say sity of Christian views on this sity of Christian views opposites. Yet, from very differ very from Yet, opposites. kinds of both points, ent starting homogenous a distinct, was each view by a singular defined each and faith. of culture rower visions of social identity, social identity, visions of rower atheist the worker, retired riage over the past thirty years is years the past thirty riage over and Britain. As forms of public As forms of public and Britain. multiculturalism and British as polar regarded generally are to ignore tended have and both voice, with a single all speaking as diverse often fail to see the often as diverse a large proportion have become have proportion a large nities, treating them instead as if treating nities, Karim filmmaker and novelist more liberal on issues of gay mar of gay on issues liberal more more conservative, while small conservative, more than liberal minority is far more at large. population of the much not to deny that there is a diver that there not to deny diversity. Many who view society who view Many diversity. - minority communi of diversity assimilationism French policy, come to foster nar have policy director French-Mauritanian issue. The same is true of Muslims. The same is true of Muslims. issue. issues – that polarized on social Miské, ‘unites the Miské, Algerianpious Muslims in many European coun European Muslims in many Muslims have become more become more Muslims have Consider social policy in France in France Consider social policy - of minority commu the diversity liberal than Muslims in Britain. Britain. in than Muslims liberal the ironies in the way we think of think we the way in the ironies of those who This is as true ties. tries, and in the USA, are more more are and in the USA, tries, whole, each composed of people composed each whole, welcome diversity as of those as of those diversity welcome it. reject who fear or There is polling evidence, too, that too, is polling evidence, There There is evidence that British is evidence There And this leads us to another of us to another And this leads ‘What, in today’s France’, asks the France’, in today’s ‘What, - changed. But many have have many But changed. backgrounds’. backgrounds’. so- becoming more by changed The question conservative. cially can be sketched out in France, in out in France, can be sketched - rela of the view conventional perspective a broader ourselves one What on social problems. cultures and of communities right answers. rarely discussed. rarely to give back a step take rarely community is homogenous. To To is homogenous. community communities have become have communities on reactionary, even conservative, ask the right questions, it is little right questions, ask the and integration. According to According and integration. also the generation that is most is most that generation also the might call the ‘snapshot’ view view ‘snapshot’ the might call question: Why hasn’t any change change any hasn’t Why question: icymakers and ask the opposite and icymakers integrated and ‘Westernised’ integrated and ‘Westernised’ ‘dif- maintaining its insistent on the that questions is a paradox is one that is it Yet integration. have nificant sections of British Muslim social and religious issues, many does not mean that all have. No does not mean that all have. But blinded by a snapshot view of view a snapshot by But blinded ference’. Much the same process process the same Much ference’. Muslim communities, most pol- most Muslim communities, hold views from their ancestral ancestral their from hold views Germany, in the Netherlands. It Netherlands. in the Germany, of to much central has become One reason for that is that we we that is that for One reason taken place? If we cannot even even cannot If we taken place? the discussion about diversity diversity about the discussion that British Muslims the claim than the first generation, is first than the generation, and diversity between tionship very opposite. British Muslims opposite. very wonder that we fail to find the fail to find we that wonder we need to address, therefore, is therefore, to address, need we place? taken this change has why The real problem is, in fact, the fact, in is, problem The real At the same time, the fact that sig At the same time, ‘don’t want to change’ and ‘still ‘still and to change’ want ‘don’t years 30 years s that the question of 1980s that the

secular. Religious organizations Religiousorganizations secular. social conservatism of British social conservatism sion. But any poll provides at best poll provides But any sion. - A genera be seen as important. burqa or niqab. Islam was not, in not, Islam was or niqab. burqa cultural differences has come to differences cultural communities (and we thought of (and we communities not ‘black’, or ‘Asian’ as ourselves often political. results. For the contemporary the contemporary For results. er, exist as a snapshot. snapshot. as a exist er, ago, when I was growing up, you you up, growing when I was ago, not a sacrosanct public identity. public not a sacrosanct a snapshot of the views of people of of the views a snapshot - howev do not, and communities philosophy. Their faith expressed faith expressed Their philosophy. present. The first generation of The first generation present. Seen by itself, the poll might itself, Seen by Had you taken this poll this taken Had you in one place, at one time. People, People, one time. at in one place, probably be the hardest task the hardest be probably a conclu- one to such indeed lead It is only with the generation generation with the It is only its own values and its own its own and values its own to refused Muslims Europe’s for them a relationship with God, God, with relationship for them a Muslims has not always been always Muslims has not - reli were Muslims to Britain Few alcohol. drank men Many late tion that, ironically, is far more is far more ironically, tion that, that has come of age since the that has tions that bound together Asian bound togethertions that their eyes, an all-encompassing an all-encompassing their eyes, the integration of Muslims will the integration generation – was primarily primarily – was generation gious, but wore their faith lightly. their faith lightly. wore but gious, very separate future. Because future. separate very with a Muslim background – my my – background with a Muslim - organiza The visible. barely were women wore a hijab, let alone a a hijab, wore women would have found very different different very found have would we’ve ever faced’. ever we’ve The second generation of Britons generation The second ‘Muslim’) were primarily secular, secular, primarily ‘Muslim’) were ‘abandon their ancestral ways: ways: their ancestral ‘abandon

Kenan Malik Kenan Living up to diversity to up Living the house of gisèle 36

Kenan Malik Kenan the house of gisèle diversity to up Living 39 ------such a debate will be difficult, will be difficult, a debate such society in which different val different society in which spectives view migrants as the migrants view spectives . Engagement re engagement. beliefs and practices that are are that beliefs and practices open public debate about the about debate open public exploiting the issue, but also but also the issue, exploiting cover up the incident, but also at incident, up the cover out, public fury was directed directed was fury public out, clashed, and it was better quiet better and it was clashed, otherness. Fear and indifference, and indifference, Fear otherness. recognize that respect requires requires that respect recognize and often confrontational, but and often confrontational, difficult confron also that such a reason for opposing all migra a reason any society that seeks to be open society that seeks to any and liberal. and practices of others in the and practices migrants as a whole, becoming becoming a whole, as migrants not just at the men responsible at the men responsible not just name of ‘respect’, but rather to but rather ‘respect’, name of debate about the issue. And the issue. about debate different from Us, though they though they Us, from different to deal with the differ in how quires us neither to shun certain us neither to shun quires indifference and fear, twisted and fear, indifference into a tight knot. people as the Other with values, values, as the Other with people and fundamentally inevitably nor to be indif inimical to ours, It requires us to have an robust, an robust, us to have It requires from a sense that such events events such a sense that from for the sexual attacks, nor just nor attacks, for the sexual ferent to the values and beliefs to the values ferent ly to let ‘Arabs be Arabs’ than to Arabs’ be ‘Arabs to let ly and difficult public a robust have Other, as people fundamentally as people fundamentally Other, the values and beliefs of others. others. and beliefs of the values the authorities who tried to tational debate is a necessity in tational debate tion to Germany. Both per tion to Germany. to address is the question of is the question to address us to challenge, even confront, confront, even us to challenge, ues and beliefs and practices practices ues and beliefs and values, beliefs and practices to beliefs and practices values, which we aspire, accepting that that accepting aspire, we which were inevitable in a diverse in a diverse inevitable were when the truth began to filter to when the truth began What neither approach begins begins neither approach What ------stemmed not just from a fear stemmed not just from sense of national identity, turning sense of national identity, society must respect and live with. live and respect must society brings in its wake. ble about diversity – the cultural – the cultural diversity about ble what – is precisely brings about belief immigration is undermin immigration belief of the reaction and of racists and of racists of the reaction other approach views the other the views other approach our cities into little Lahores or Lahores our cities into little criticize or challenge their values their values or challenge criticize but instead to police or practices, origin. At first the authorities tried origin. robbed and sexually assaulted by assaulted by and sexually robbed approach views migrants as the migrants views approach and ideologicalthat it clashes mini-Kingstons. mini-Kingstons. minimize the clashes and con minimize ness of migrants as an issue that as an issue ness of migrants allegedly were of women numbers whom of many men that evening, many fear. That fear can take two take two That fear can fear. many ing that nothing had happened. ing that nothing had happened. ing social cohesion, eroding our our eroding ing social cohesion, Few events better express both better express events Few Large in Cologne. Eve Year’s New is the nativist sentiment: the sentiment: is the nativist But the very thing that is valua thing that But the very for others requires us to accept accept us to for others requires forms. On the one hand there one hand there On the forms. Other, whose otherness poses a Other, the other indifference. The one the other indifference. The societies. to European threat there was inevitably outrage. inevitably was there their ways of being, and not and of being, ways their to groups the boundaries between ticultural argument, that respect that respect argument, ticultural the fear and the indifference than the fear and the indifference of the events the fallout from pretend up the events, to cover flicts and frictions that diversity flicts and frictions that diversity were described as being of Arab Arab described as being of were The one approach encourages fear, fear, encourages The one approach The authorities’ initial response The authorities’ initial response When details eventually emerged emerged When details eventually And on the other there is the mul the other there And on - - - stand (don’ts and do’s)’ and be- and do’s)’ and (don’ts stand stitutions. Disengaged from both Disengaged from stitutions. cause it is ‘the negation of… the negation ‘the cause it is but or religious institutions communities, some reach out to some reach communities, mosques through It is not roots.’ of Islam, and cut themselves off off themselves and cut of Islam, cultural engagement. cultural and lifestyles, beliefs ent values, and their virtual community. virtual community. and their are, in many ways, as estranged as estranged ways, in many are, allows us to engage us to in political allows and of itself, but because it al- but because it itself, and of and conflicts. That is all for the That is all for and conflicts. Salafi version of Islam, because version of Islam, Salafi under is both simple to Salafism make judgments upon them, and make judgments upon them, dialogue and debate that can, can, that debate and dialogue decide which may be better and be better may decide which diversity? I have questioned the questioned the I have diversity? more a help create paradoxically, is a messy place, full of clashes is a messy place, How, then, should we look upon should we then, How, Islam of their parents and of their Islam of their parents Islamism. Many would-be jihadis, jihadis, would-be Many Islamism. from traditional community in- community traditional from from Muslim communities as as Muslim communities from fear of diversity. But why, and and But why, fear of diversity. Olivier Roy observes, ‘adopt the observes, Roy Olivier most the Internet that through little time for mainstream forms forms for mainstream little time how, should we value it? value should we how, they are from Western socie- Western from are they and the mores detest Most ties. have of their parents, traditions lows us to expand our horizons, our horizons, us to expand lows tant, in other words, because it words, in other tant, to compare and contrast differ and contrast to compare good, for such clashes and con- for such good, universal language of citizenship. language of citizenship. universal Diversity is important, not in not important, is Diversity Diversity flicts are the stuff of political and of political stuff the flicts are jihadis discover both their faith both their discover jihadis which may be worse. It is impor worse. be may which what we mean is that the world that the world is mean what we Western societies and Muslim and Muslim societies Western When we talk about diversity, diversity, about talk When we Today, such campaigns and campaigns such Today, At the same time social policy time social policy At the same selves in increasingly narrow narrow in increasingly selves is a growing there But still do. of richness for whom the sense, of identity. Identity politics has, has, Identity politics of identity. en- decades, three the past over people to define them- couraged terms. ethnic or cultural help- these trends, exacerbated probably Muslims would calized’ of self-identi- tapestry complex faith. cloak of chrome change, from far-left groups to groups far-left from change, give helped both organizations often seem as organizations mainstream as out of touch as Muslims in an almost tribal as Muslims in number that see themselves themselves see that number mainstream may have led people have may mainstream as it may politics, not progressive ing create a more fragmented, fragmented, more a ing create itself expressed have ism would idealism and social grievance a social grievance idealism and and a mechanism form, political shape gives What institutions. In the past, disaffection with the disaffection with In the past, in a one strand simply faith as for turning disaffection into the disaffection into for turning change. fuel of social Most homegrown wannabe wannabe Most homegrown have in the past, but the politics but the past, in the have observed, already as I have has, secular in more been far have liar relationship with Islam. They They with Islam. liar relationship labour movement organizations organizations movement labour tribalized society. tribalized - and their radical their outlook, political organizations. through Muslims most, perhaps ty. Many, way of self has given the tapestry to an all-encompassing mono- to join movements for political for political movements to join Such campaigns. to anti-racist is disaffection to contemporary jihadis possess, however, a pecu- however, possess, jihadis They would have regarded their regarded their have would They - ‘radi today’s ago, A generation ------searcher Tufyal Choudhury Tufyal searcher social institutions and in which in which social institutions and something a lot less definable: something a lot less definable: essarily what draws individuals individuals what draws essarily as the British re calization’, explanations and belief systems explanations experience.’ of their journey - enraged about about - enraged journey of their a search for identity at a mo a search are found to be inadequate are and identities distorted. and identities distorted. ment of crisis… when previous ment of crisis… when previous meaning. What is different today today What is different meaning. people feel peculiarly many lines often seem blurred moral militants. Radical Islam, and a Radical Islam, militants. moral vision - and often assume vision - and often assume moral define and justify that jihadism. define and justify that jihadism. or politics, religion if not So, disengaged from mainstream mainstream disengaged from report on put it in his 2007 report into jihadism. It is what comes to into jihadism. in explaining an individual’s an individual’s in explaining identity, meaning, respect. There There respect. meaning, identity, in the nothing new of course, is, in which is the social context society than atomized in a more age in which past; in an in the European jihadism the wrong wrong jihadism the European Few jihadists start off as reli jihadists Few Radicalization’ ‘often involves Radicalization’ ‘often involves hatred of the West, is not nec West, of the hatred Jihadists, in other words, be in other words, Jihadists, this search takes place. We live live We place. takes this search the West, with a black and white with a black West, the that these are the reasons that the reasons that these are are. to be as they come have they gin their journey searching for searching gin their journey gious fanatics or as political jihadists as they are at the end are jihadists as they youthful search for identity and search youthful view of Islam, and a distorted and a distorted of Islam, view what is it? ‘The path to radi what is it? way round. We begin with begin We round. way That is rarely the case. That is rarely We often look at the issue of look at the often We ‘The Role of Muslim Identity in

mean is that mean is place, full of full of place, clashes and conflicts’ diversity, diversity, is a messy is a messy talk about about talk the world the world what we what we ‘When we ‘When we

Kenan Malik Kenan Living up to diversity to up Living the house of gisèle 38

Kenan Malik Kenan the house of gisèle diversity to up Living 41 revive what I call a progressive what I call a progressive revive society. of civil renewal much new state policies, as a policies, state new much disengagement has done, and to and disengagement has done, too. To repair the damage that the repair To too. universalism, we need, not so need, we universalism, ------ships have frayed, and not just and not frayed, ships have social interests. It is the erosion It is the erosion social interests. simply of immigrant commu of immigrant simply specific to immigrants and mi and specific to immigrants best understood in the context context best understood in the of the wider debate about the about of the wider debate organizations they establish to establish they organizations bonds and institutions of such relationship between individ between relationship and that explains why social social why and that explains actions of the state. Indeed , the Indeed , of the state. actions to manage the state by attempts must be managed through state be managed through must marily by civil society, by the in by society, civil by marily nities but of the wider society, nority communities, but they are are but they communities, nority mented because these relation many of the problems. many Societies have become frag have Societies dividual bonds that people form dividual disengagement is a feature not disengagement is a feature diversity has been at the heart of has been at diversity Finally, a guiding assumption a guiding Finally, integration and immigration real Yet policies and institutions. of immi whether integration, is rarely brought about by the by about brought is rarely Real integration is shaped pri Real integration for minority communities. further their shared political and their shared further throughout Europe has been that Europe throughout that has proved so problematic so problematic that has proved grants or of indigenous groups, of indigenous or groups, grants uals, communities and society. and society. communities uals,

with one another, and by the and by with one another, - - - - material of social engagement of material of free speech is that it is the very very is the is that it speech free of society do I want to live?’ has live?’ to do I want society social engagement. by a host of social and political by become shaped less by the kinds the become shaped less by changes, that have left many, left many, that have changes, or of minority communities. One or of minority communities. of contemporary of the features ethnicity or culture. The answer The answer ethnicity or culture. want we or institutions of values imagine we or tribe to which combination of the two has combination of the two that social solidarity ensured rather than the raw material for material the raw than rather mainstream society. society. mainstream not simply an issue of migration an issue of migration not simply with mainstream have many particularly from traditional traditional from particularly not in political terms – as collec not in political terms ing politically abandoned and abandoned ing politically Europe is the disaffection that Europe institu and mainstream politics political ideals – but in terms of political ideals – but has become increasingly defined has become increasingly the issue of social fracturing is the issue of social fracturing for one of the reasons It is tions. the rise of populist and far right tive action in pursuit of certain action in pursuit tive kind of ‘In what to the question the group than by to establish, becomes a prison diversity tive, groups, a disaffection fuelled groups, voiceless, and detached from from and detached voiceless, working class backgrounds, feel class backgrounds, working we belong. From this perspec this From belong. we There are certainly issues certainly are There Third, we need to recognize that need to recognize we Third, The fundamental importance importance fundamental The - - - - social engagement. But social social engagement. sensitivities, too, should be open should be open too, sensitivities, rife. are standards social conflict more intractable. social conflict more accentuat social policies have expression what we are really really are we what expression engagementtwo- has to be a concept of diversity is at the very the very is at of diversity concept offended. Liberal or European or European Liberal offended. Double norms. liberal offend restraining is the capacity for is the capacity restraining ed that pernicious impact. The ed that pernicious impact. often negotiable. If we see them see them If we often negotiable. made has therefore of diversity engagement. all. Double standards under standards Double all. are not. Our peculiar perception Our peculiar perception not. are material of social engagement. of social engagement. material mine the very possibility of real of real possibility mine the very we of diversity a view narrow Second, we need to combat the need to combat we Second, So, finally, let me return to the return to the me let finally, So, that is the title of this question society? diverse ities that should be able to be to be should be able ities that to offend papers or novelists political or moral terms, they are are they terms, political or moral or religious in ethnic or cultural pernicious impact of identity that and of the way politics, First, we need to recognize how how to recognize need we First, It is not, however, simply simply however, It is not, free speech is that it is the very very the that it is is speech free Muslims, often are less robust less robust are often Muslims, Muslim, or minority, sensibil or minority, Muslim, have today. And that our narrow And that our narrow today. have If problems. of our heart of many to affront. Yet, too often those too often those Yet, to affront. terms, almost by definition they they definition almost by terms, talk: how should we live in a in a live should we talk: how

way street, or it is nothing at it is nothing or street, way who demand the right of news of who demand the right that may when it comes to views we look upon our differences in look upon our differences we The fundamental importance of When we restrain freedom of freedom restrain When we - - - - - social change or social progress or social progress social change beyond the possibility of being the possibility of beyond ble. Almost by definition such definition such Almost by ble. of the principle of free speech speech of the principle of free as a and hence acts contention, offend in the name of ‘tolerance’ ‘tolerance’ in the name of offend our constrain we ‘respect’, or clashes express what it is to what it is clashes express be said is things cannot certain er, and therefore to challenge to challenge and therefore er, of others. Inevitable, because Inevitable, of others. of offence is not just inevitable, is not just inevitable, of offence another way: ‘You can’t say that!’ say can’t ‘You another way: ability to confront those in pow those to confront ability a plural society that we need we society that a plural questioned. The questioned. importance means offending some deeply means offending some deeply important or valuable to certain important or valuable be put should that they people or even or caricatured insulted, a that it provides is precisely idea to the challenge permanent to author challenge permanent is all too often the response of is all too often the response that accept To challenged. power cannot be challenged. power ity. Once we give up the right to give Once we ity. injustice. precisely because we do live in do live because we precisely important that and inevitable sensibilities people offend the it is also important. Any kind of kind Any it is also important. I take the opposite view. It is opposite view. I take the But more than this: the giving than this: the But more free speech, because it is both because it is both speech, free ly held, clashes are unavoida clashes are held, ly live in a diverse society. And so society. diverse in a live put it Or to held sensibilities. that some questions are beyond beyond that some questions are they should be openly resolved resolved openly should be they name of in the than suppressed those in power to having their having to those in power forms of that certain to accept the fullest extension possible of possible the fullest extension gests that certain beliefs are so gestsare that certain beliefs where different beliefs are deep beliefs are different where The notion of giving offence sug ‘respect’ ‘respect’ or ‘tolerance’. - - - - -

society, it would seem, is that seem, it would society, speech, and the question of and the question speech, beliefs to criticism.’ One of criticism.’ beliefs to be, acceptable in a plural society in a plural acceptable be, extent to which they subject they to which extent fundamental others’ each of the most explosive issues explosive of the most free times - that of of recent embedded and which helps and which embedded offence to those of different offence to those of different For or faiths or beliefs. cultures conundrums of our age. of our age. conundrums , the , offices of Charlie Hebdo offence. From the global contro From offence. requires us to leave less room less room leave us to requires runs, we need to show respect respect need to show we runs, ries, especially in the giving of in the giving especially ries, and being. This requires that we that we This requires and being. and to pro groups antagonistic and to be fair, so the argument so the argument and to be fair, ance in many European nations nations European ance in many not just for individuals but also for individuals not just diverse societies to function diverse discourse about police public question of what is, and should and of what is, question people are to occupy the same the to occupy are people conflict, political space without perhaps best expressed in one in best expressed perhaps for a diversity of views. of views. for a diversity for the cultures and beliefs in for the cultures Modood has put it, that ‘If that Modood has put it, those cultures and beliefs, both and beliefs, those cultures to minimize friction between has become one of the defining the ironies of living in a plural plural in a of living the ironies of diversity the preservation they mutually have to limit the to limit have mutually they that it is morally wrong to give to give wrong that it is morally tect the dignity of those individ to the brutal slaughter at the at the to the brutal slaughter give them a sense of identity them a give uals embedded in them. uals embedded in them. versy over the Danish cartoons the over versy where one draws the bounda one draws where which those individuals are are individuals those which The retreat from engagement is from The retreat There has come to be an accept has come There As the British sociologist Tariq Tariq As the British sociologist

Kenan Malik Kenan Living up to diversity to up Living the house of gisèle 40 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

42 43

??? Things to remember Photo: Maarten Nauw

Memory Machine Memory Machine

Avraham Burg Avraham the house of gisèle stupid! complex, it Keep 45 - - - 2016/17 think tank meetings of Castrum layers of our contributions: of our layers - Listen and talk - Listen and and persuade - Communicate a stand - Understand and take to fight ready be Act and - Always distinct between the various the various distinct between Always (as opposed to KISS: Keep it simple, stupid) it simple, (as opposed to KISS: Keep

financially supported by the Pauwhof Fund Pauwhof by the supported financially open borders and part of a regional union. He union. part of a regional and open borders the in and is involved of Castrum Peregrini blocks. To create a language of change we we of change a language create To blocks. is a member of the Board of Recommendation of the Board is a member some of the most significant stumbling stumbling significant most of the some opinions, more topics and much more hope. more and much topics more opinions, continuous renewal of the common good. renewal continuous ognition that we live in societies of many societies of many in live that we ognition to points of view, of other legitimate covery Playground, on which he reflects in this text. in he reflects on which Playground, are are Playground Intellectual Peregrini and the Foundation Cultural with the European Dialogue Advisory Group. Knesset, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Israel, for Agency of the Jewish chairman Knesset, continuing to follow for He criticizes Israel Israel. all agreed that the need is there as well as as well is there the need that all agreed and the state principals, and discovered and discovered state principals, and the acknowledgment of diverse knowledge and knowledge of diverse acknowledgment a binational Jewish-Arab confederation with confederation a binational Jewish-Arab with partnership in partnership and organized must begin with the decolonization of our decolonization with the begin must rec with the then continue minds and mising the respect and appreciation of other and appreciation mising the respect develop the understanding of processes and of processes the understanding develop deeper. For that we agreed upon two mottos upon two agreed we that For deeper. diverse centres of information. It is key to is key It of information. centres diverse Speaker of the Knesset, and Interim President of and Interim President Speaker of the Knesset, positions. This creates the potential for a the This creates positions. left-wing politician. He was a member of the He was left-wing politician. It was but the first meeting of many. We many. the first meeting of but It was highly motivated and are looking forward forward looking and are motivated highly the potential to make a difference. We are are We difference. to make a the potential more people, More our circle. to expanding histories simultaneously. This requires the This requires simultaneously. histories thought we identified. Now we need to dig we need Now identified. thought we the further dialogue: through to guide us have an education system which is sensitive is sensitive which system education an have to complexities and encourages the dis and encourages to complexities Zionism as a national ideology and supports national ideology as a Zionism

values to choose between without compro between to choose values Think Tank of Castrum Peregrini, Intellectual of Castrum Peregrini, Tank Think The These are first but clear directions of but clear directions first These are 2. Avraham ‘Avrum’ Burg is an Israeli author and is an Israeli Burg ‘Avrum’ Avraham . KICS: Keep it complex, stupid complex, it KICS: Keep 1. - - and we were all stunned by its by all stunned were 2016 and we suspicion, mistrust and fear. We believe that believe We and fear. mistrust suspicion, sarily comfortable but always essential for a but always comfortable sarily society. shared shared language of belonging. It is our goal of belonging. language shared be a space shared by many Europeans; Europeans; many by shared be a space seem quite fluid to some, only those who only to some, seem quite fluid better, we explored togetherand as indi – explored we better, ilar actors is a crucial building block for a for block is a crucial building ilar actors is the forefront of diversity, challenging challenging of diversity, is the forefront and an this language to find project in this intensity and necessity. The confidentiality The intensity and necessity. invitation for human solidarity and we chal and we solidarity human for invitation cate across fault lines in an era of profound of profound era lines in an fault cate across old world orders and urgently requiring a requiring and urgently orders old world of it. expression each and every one of them is unique and is unique of them one and every each of the safe space requires that we wait until wait that we of the safe space requires other each know got to So far we outcomes. ences and expectations. Even those among Even ences and expectations. to the viewpoints for different on to look people to enable how conventions: existing of values. It is not just a terrestrial continent not just a terrestrial is It of values. rich rather a but value system or a defined an ongoing conversation between dissim- between conversation an ongoing recognition, in a multilayered citizenship, in citizenship, a multilayered in recognition, should add society can and Civil regulation? are privileged can travel across them and across can travel privileged are belongings. and complimentary additional autumn - to communi syntax needed the develop ment. These conversations are not neces- are These conversations ment. different, yet equal and the same. Europe Europe the same. equal and yet different, - can there Citizenship cannot. others many moved we so that So much discriminations. magnetic fields that attract and reject. and fields that attract magnetic neighbours. Its multifaceted character is an character Its multifaceted neighbours. us who believe in an open society realized realized in an open society us who believe In long and intense sessions we planned planned we intense sessions In long and fore become a manifestation of various various manifestation of a become fore listening carefully to others to support and support and to others to listening carefully the end of the first year to publish summative summative year to publish of the first the end lenged ourselves to identify and discover its lenged to identify and discover ourselves to focus on expressing our thoughts and our thoughts expressing to focus on - experi different and its Europe tual map of a border. is always there that somewhere of than one dimension more ‘subsist’ in to just a mere expression of administrative of administrative expression just a mere fluid area of identities vis-à-vis European vis-à-vis European of identities fluid area what Europe means for us in terms viduals - what Europe - improve and social advancement wealthier which the identity and belongings not and the identity are which The first meeting of the group took place in took place The first meeting of the group We explored both the human perspectives both the human perspectives explored We - contex the human and draw to began We And even though the official state borders state borders the official though And even - - - - -

characters in a Twitter message Twitter a in 140 characters Our assumption for now is a simple one: is Our assumption for now bitious: Try to comprehend what is ahead what to comprehend Try bitious: board the Pauwhof Fonds as supporter and Fonds the Pauwhof board broad network of people that can make a of people that can make network broad black, brown, white, artist, (ex-)politician, (ex-)politician, artist, white, brown, black, scheme with a fascinating core group of group core fascinating with a scheme selves to come together for three consecu to come together for three selves open and closed societies or something closed societies or open and new? entirely causes of our current conflicts and beyond and beyond conflicts current causes of our the Castrum politics: contests of populist Many or less? integration More of Europe. extinct. Against that hasty public debate debate Againstpublic that hasty extinct. outcomes of our conversation fruitful for a outcomes of our conversation one another. Ram and I would moderate. moderate. Ram and I would one another. Manikkalingam (Director of the Dialogue of the Dialogue Manikkalingam (Director are almost an international policy or at least policy international almost an are Long- discourse. of a public a beginning activist and writer. They committed them They and writer. activist more Brexit’s or not even one? Back to na- one? Back even or not Brexit’s more difference. difference. denominator: the readiness for dialogue for dialogue denominator: the readiness Peregrini Dialogue was initiated as part of initiated as was Dialogue Peregrini partner in this dialogue series, and we hope and we series, partner in this dialogue Each of the participants represents a dif participants represents of the Each Europeans from many different back different many from Europeans ferent cultural, political or spiritual back political or cultural, ferent for many future generations Europe will Europe generations future for many tionalistic politics? New balances between between balances politics? New tionalistic the superficial headlines and shouting headlines and the superficial activities. the Intellectual Playground term conversations are rare and almost and rare are term conversations the European Cultural Foundation as a Foundation Cultural the European as to make the wider so the circle to draw tive meetings of two full days to talk with full days two meetings of tive ground, yet they share one crucial common share they yet ground, grounds: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, atheist, atheist, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, grounds: we decided to create a safe space, in which which in a safe space, create decided to we for and into the reasons go deeper could we with other dialogists. We could bring on We with other dialogists. The mission we took upon ourselves is am- is upon ourselves took The mission we Today Today With Kenan Malik’s questions in mind, Ram in mind, questions Malik’s Kenan With Advisory Group) and I dreamt up a dialogue up a dialogue I dreamt and Group) Advisory - - - -

better and more inclusive future for our for future inclusive more better and societies. If we take cultural diversity as a diversity cultural take If we societies. sion to use the past for thinking about a about the past for thinking sion to use the from But apart same for Israel. the say our compass to inform moral a Is there sity. say ‘now is not the time, let the storm pass’, pass’, let the storm the time, is not ‘now say potential of starting a discussion is is a discussion starting of potential hope. and much more topics more is it that enables us to deal with it or even to with it or even us to deal is it that enables insights that can be fruitful for others? of Europe is not a simple one, but the one, but the a simple is not Europe of ex-Speaker of the Knesset Avraham Avraham the Knesset of ex-Speaker great. More people, more opinions, opinions, people, more More great. exploit it in a positive way? The Canadian way? in a positive it exploit could I wish I of them.’ but because ences, or: ‘now is not the time for talking, let’s let’s talking, the time for is not ‘now or: cially triggered my imagination. His analysis His analysis imagination. triggered my cially act’. And when the storm has passed just a the storm has passed And when act’. it?’ isn’t ‘Its over, it. and understand it about and disturbs the comfort of life, many will many life, the comfort of and disturbs and our societies. But how to best talk about to best talk about But how and our societies. dialogue is always tricky. is always dialogue triggered the question that national models, does not look for easy solutions, but ac solutions, does not look for easy Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: ‘Canada said: Trudeau Prime Minister Justin For a few years now I am engagedin now years a few For actions? policies and poses questions that require dialogue that dialogue poses questions that require Peregrini the one with Kenan Malik espe with Kenan the one Peregrini us was how we as humans deal with diver humans deal with as we how us was In the many conversations I had at Castrum I conversations In the many fact of our global societies today, what then today, our global societies fact of few are left with the energy to revisit it, talk it, to revisit the energy left with are few Castrum Peregrini and support their mis- support their and Castrum Peregrini knowledges the complexity of human nature human nature of the complexity knowledges has been strong not in spite of our differ not in spite has been strong they tell us. The reasoning and timing for and timing reasoning The us. tell they the need for dialogue. When crisis erupts erupts When crisis dialogue. the need for Burg. The question of what lies ahead lies ahead what of question The Burg. that complexity in a way that delivers some that delivers in a way that complexity Keep it complex, stupid! complex, it Keep By Avraham Burg Avraham By Europe as a shared space: space: as a shared Europe As long as everything is calm nobody sees nobody is calm As long as everything this is the right time for dialogue for time the right this is Time to take up the dialogue, writes writes the dialogue, up take Time to

Avraham Burg Avraham Keep it complex, stupid! complex, it Keep the house of gisèle 44 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Important Souvnirs Amie Dicke

46 47

Important Souvnirs · Amie Dicke Important Souvnirs · Amie Dicke the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

48 49

Important Souvnirs · Amie Dicke Important Souvnirs · Amie Dicke the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

50 51

Important Souvnirs · Amie Dicke Important Souvnirs · Amie Dicke

Wieteke van Zeil van Wieteke the house of gisèle Gisèle Finding 53 ‘A painter painter ‘A betrays his his betrays those of Fra Fra those of Filippo Lippi’ The fingers of of fingers The be completely be completely different from from different style in details. in details. style Bellini prove to to Bellini prove DO TOUCH NOT I am sorting important souvnirs sized details. Like a detective, Morelli compared shapes of ears, toes, toes, ears, shapes of compared Morelli Like a detective, sized details. ers would probably disregard — dried out pieces of soap, out pieces of soap, — dried disregard probably ers would - ends — is rem cigarette even powder, chalks, barrels, empty BIC-pen od, now that advanced computer programs can use programs computer advanced that now od, years of this life this of spent 73 years She almost 101 years. that spanned after a life ‘castle of the the Peregrini, she called Castrum that 401, at Herengracht algorithms to compare details in the oeuvre of a mas- of a in the oeuvre details to compare algorithms through creates Dicke details. those very to be found in and essence is being with things out, leaving concentrating, looking, by attentiveness: and geographer Alexander von Humboldt in Berlin, the founder of the founder in Berlin, Humboldt von Alexander and geographer iniscent of the patient eye of Morelli, always convinced that meaning convinced always Morelli, of patient eye iniscent of the in order to reach diagnoses, and also his friendship with the scientist with the his friendship and also diagnoses, reach to in order the the basis and not form analyzing counting and looking, in which work of art opinion; the in Morelli’s significance, great have details that who passed judge - theoretician any on He looked down itself speaks. the ears of Lippi, Filippo of Fra those from different by Mantegna. painted of the figures question-mark-ears Sherlock Holmes, also made references in his books to in made references also Holmes, Sherlock Morelli’s tracing of details also finds a kindred spirit in finds a kindred details also of tracing Morelli’s Morelli and his method). and Morelli May 2013 on 27 May died der Gracht van Waterschoot van Gisèle d’Ailly , has its roots all along his life’s journey. As a doctor in doctor As a journey. his life’s all along its roots has , Method Morellian counts. is material what Only new form and meaning is produced. form and new ment on a work of art without having stood right in front of it himself. of it himself. right in front stood having without of art work ment on a precisely those objects that elude a conscious, posed life. Amie Dicke Dicke Amie life. posed a conscious, objects that elude those precisely geographical measurements and monitoring, contributed to bringing contributed monitoring, and measurements geographical the unemphasised It is precisely not the abstract. impression, general meth- Morelli’s in interest renewed is there Nowadays, Her shape-sensitive way of pinpointing details that oth- details that of pinpointing way Her shape-sensitive Bramantino, long and pointed, do not look like the wide do not look like and pointed, long Bramantino, Project. Research It led to a theory that was way ahead of its time, with as its founda- with as its of its time, ahead way was that a theory It led to has an eye for these ‘unmade’ elements: because she shines light on it, on it, because she shines light ‘unmade’ elements: for these has an eye him on a path towards art that other connoisseurs did not share: one one did not share: other connoisseurs art that path towards him on a hands or even nails (Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the author Conan Doyle, nails (Arthur or even hands ter at the touch of a button, as is the case in the Bosch the Bosch as is the case in of a button, touch ter at the to speak; elements the most unemphasized and allowing the material training, he learned to pay attention to the combinations of symptoms of symptoms combinations attention to the to pay he learned training, - best in the least empha itself artist manifests of the identity tion: the without perhaps even and perfunctorily times painted to be completely The fingers prove of Bellini thinking. Amie Dicke’s associative and precise view of the world. of the world. view and precise associative Amie Dicke’s A painter betrays his style in the details that are some- are the details that in his style A painter betrays

)

2013

to find the essence of a life filled with with filled a life of find the essence 401 to ), about the importance of about (1880), Italian Painters of the Work The Morelli was a doctor and an anatomist, and the first connoisseur to the first connoisseur and an anatomist, doctor and a was Morelli

‘Everything may be turned into ridicule,’ replied the Italian rather Italian rather the replied ridicule,’ be turned into may ‘Everything ‘Observe the hand of the Madonna with the broad metacarpus and broad with the of the Madonna the hand ‘Observe things as nails unsightly such ‘Leave I cried, goodness sake!’, ‘For

systematically focus on something so apparently trivial as, indeed, indeed, as, trivial apparently so focus on something systematically somewhat stiff fingers, the nails extending to the tips only. You will tips only. to the extending the nails fingers, stiff somewhat art and an obsession for collecting. ‘It’s the paintings the paintings ‘It’s collecting. art and an obsession for died, Amie Dicke moved around the house at the house at around moved Amie Dicke died, or what they did? In their house? What, from all that is left, contains left, that is all from What, house? their did? In or what they inevitably critics would and French The German question. out of the and an older Italian art lover about meaning and authenticity in art, and authenticity in art, meaning about lover older Italian art and an connoisseurship. and about and rich artist life artist life and rich in the Marriage of the Madonna in the Brera; the Madonna dei Tempei Tempei dei the Madonna in the Brera; of the Madonna in the Marriage others.’ and Cowper, belongingsmall Madonna the to Lord in Munich; - charac nails where the that even to tell them were if you ridicule you intense residue left by a long a long by left residue intense Giovanni Morelli is speaking, using the pseudonym Ivan Lermolieff in Ivan the pseudonym using is speaking, Morelli Giovanni medical training in Paris in favour of his love of art. Morelli’s unique Morelli’s art. of of his love favour in in Paris medical training perspective on art, which would later develop into the famous into develop later would which art, on perspective

How do you find someone who is no longer there? In what they said, said, In what they longerfind someone who is no there? do you How Raphael’s fingernails or Botticelli’s ears. He grew up in Bergamo and Bergamo up in He grew ears. fingernails or Botticelli’s Raphael’s Herengracht Herengracht Reflecting on these questions made me think of this conversation: me think of this made these questions Reflecting on for instance, works of Raphael, in other authentic type of hand find this I did not paint that are the most breathtaking.’ breathtaking.’ the most that are paint I did not follow? human frame, in the eyes of an anatomist?’ eyes in the human frame, his book testily, ‘especially by people who understand nothing of the subject. of the subject. understand nothing people who by ‘especially testily, teristic of a great master.’ great teristic of a the essence and significance of their character? Which traces do you do traces Which character? their of significance the essence and After Gisèle van Waterschoot van der Gracht (1912- Gracht der van Waterschoot van Gisèle After Finding Gisèle Finding Amie Dicke shows us the us the shows Dicke Amie By Wieteke van Zeil van Wieteke By went to university in Munich and Erlangen, before abandoning his his abandoning before Erlangen, and in Munich university to went what goes unnoticed in art. It is a dialogue between a young Russian a young between It is a dialogue in art. what goes unnoticed And, may I ask, are the nails more unsightly than any other part of the part other than any unsightly the nails more are I ask, may And,

Wieteke van Zeil Zeil van van Wieteke Wieteke

Finding Gisèle Finding the house of gisèle Gisèle Finding

52 52

Wieteke van Zeil van Wieteke the house of gisèle Gisèle Finding 55 - 1960 Everything is there already in art — like a big bowl of soup in art — like already is there Everything already: is in there Everything — like a stew. there already was But it Each new glimpse is determined by many, many, by is determined glimpse new Each like an occurrence — you inspires glimpse which this It’s Many glimpses before. Many It looks like there is barely a second between the two images, but Gisèle images, the two a second between is barely It looks like there That maybe I could start a painting. I maybe That itself art by of at a work of looking no way There’s The aforementioned note, DO note, The aforementioned NOTTOUCH important I am sorting — Sketchbook Americans, Sketchbook from: I: Three fragment de Kooning, Willem And you just stick your hand in, and find something for you for and find something in, hand your stick just And you And I notice those are always my moments of having an idea of having moments my always those are And I notice souvnirs, lay in Gisèle’s studio on a pile of all kinds of things. It was It was kinds of things. on a pile of all studio in Gisèle’s lay souvnirs, sequently from closer up. First with an iPhone, then with the pho- then with the iPhone, with an First closer up. from sequently the faded of one area from shifts of the camera eye the sequent image, everything is important. Potentially. And nothing was to be touched to be touched was And nothing Potentially. is important. everything er: a childhood photo with children and a young Gisèle swinging in the in Gisèle swinging young and a children photo with er: a childhood in this book. The process of looking, first from a distance and sub- a distance first from of looking, The process in this book. difficult to work it out. Here, in this note, a message was contained: was a message note, in this Here, out. work it difficult to ing through the window from behind. Images move towards each oth- each towards Images move behind. from the window ing through did she scratch between her legs, along her thigh? Was it an instrument? Was along her thigh? legs, her between did she scratch dry landscape, a truck, fence and a woman watching in a red skirt. a red in watching a woman fence and a truck, landscape, dry is walking away in one of them and she is not to be found in the other. is not to be found in the other. in one of them and she away is walking margins? And were those details made and kept consciously, or not? consciously, kept made and details those And were margins? mysterious yellowed photo from, I would say, the seventies, shows a shows seventies, the say, I would photo from, yellowed mysterious parently cherished but without an explanation. Did something go wrong, Did something go wrong, but without an explanation. cherished parently How much does what is seen in the house today say about her, and her, about say today in the house is seen what does much How - sub opens in a a cupboard it in detail, of part showing image following over by, close to the small stones the brushes from floor to another, friends, as if you can brush the layer off with your fingers. A completely A completely fingers. off with your layer can brush the you as if friends, how much does it say about the person who is doing the looking? who is doing person the about say it does much how herself with? The things she collected with pride, or the details in the or the details with pride, she collected things The herself with? hanging from the ceiling dangles next to a pair of tights that has been to a pair next the ceiling dangles hanging from the sun is shin- because transparent and both weightless hung out — of the detail and just apart, feet bar stool, wooden The wobbly house. tographer Sander Tiedema. A stairwell with a crack comes closer in a comes closer a crack with A stairwell Tiedema. Sander tographer to a detail of a man with a curved vein on his forehead. A paper snake A paper on his forehead. vein a curved of a man with to a detail of a Greek in front bells hanging the branches and the copper from tree, just off the ground. ankles legs, the man’s the thick layer of dust on a series of books, published by Gisèle and her Gisèle by published of books, series of dust on a layer the thick just for the moment. just for the with scratches and curls in different colours gains new dynamism next next dynamism colours gainsnew and curls in different with scratches The slow dance with the house, the owner and the history is conveyed is conveyed and the history owner the with the house, dance The slow What happened here? A stool covered with scratches in the wood, ap in the wood, with scratches A stool covered happened here? What What made her who she was? Her work? The people she surrounded surrounded she The people work? Her was? who she her made What Amie Dicke’s exploring eye provides new associations: a sheet of paper associations: a sheet new provides eye exploring Amie Dicke’s - Gisèle kept in touch with her own reality and memories with slips and reality her own with in touch Gisèle kept

sometimes no more than a question mark. Words from Gisèle to her Gisèle to from Words mark. than a question sometimes no more self, her later self, when she would come into contact with the things into contact with come when she would self, her later self, shared love of art and poetry. After the war, the house was given a new a new given the house was After the war, poetry. of art and love shared of paper and a marker. Sometimes by simply asking a question, some- a question, asking simply by Sometimes and a marker. of paper life. of a full the memory constitutes either the owner or the place — Dicke had previously spent a period had previously Dicke or the place — either the owner commission and the group kept their spirits up by discussing their their spirits up by kept the group commission and friends. the wartime set up with house was a publishing character; on the Herengracht – in the eighties, she built her studio in Amsterdam, Amsterdam, built her studio in she – in the eighties, on the Herengracht : Did I send Dominique Lepez short dialogues even And sometimes again. — she lives in Echt, Limburg. NO. Limburg. in Echt, — she lives in 2007 a Christmas card ing the first to explore the residue of a long life. Each room in the house Each residue of a long life. the explore to ing the first inconspicuously took over the habitual pottering of the late artist. To To late artist. of the pottering habitual the took over inconspicuously result of decades of painstaking and almost obsessive beachcombing. beachcombing. obsessive and almost of painstaking of decades result Gisèle supported the people in hiding by producing works of art on of art works producing in hiding by the people Gisèle supported extensively. she collected where in Greece, the year Gisèle spent half moving around the house, among her things, back and forth between forth between and back among her things, the house, around moving things. organizing asking questions, and then, now more than two years, weekly, with the exceptional opportunity of be- opportunity with the exceptional weekly, years, than two more pilgrims’, which she had moved into as a pied-à-terre in the summer of of the summer in a pied-à-terre as into had moved she which pilgrims’, modelled on the studio she had in Greece. In later years the people Gisèle the people Gisèle In later years studio she had in Greece. modelled on the Peregrini had to continue without Gisèle. She was not a stranger to a stranger not She was Gisèle. without continue had to Peregrini In addition to paintings, the owner’s archive and own works of art, the of art, works and own archive owner’s the to paintings, In addition IS ME, she wrote in ballpoint on the back of a photo frame. You see her see You of a photo frame. on the back in ballpoint she wrote IS ME, find Gisèle — in essence. Amie Dicke walked around in the house for around walked Amie Dicke — in essence. find Gisèle frequently recurring note, lying on a pile of something or other. THIS or other. pile of something on a lying note, recurring frequently togetherwith the other rooms, that, story created carefully felt like a house is full of extraordinary trinkets. Small stones, minerals, shells, shells, minerals, Small stones, trinkets. of extraordinary house is full — the books photos, paper, art, of small works vases, tiny little dishes, had begun in the fearful days of the Second World War in Amsterdam, Amsterdam, in War World Second of the days in the fearful had begun had met during the war held regular cultural gatheringsthe house. in cultural held regular war had met during the times by stating that something had been completed: DONE is a that something stating times by there as an artist in residence and had exhibited — and in a sense she — and in and had exhibited artist in residence as an there when a friend and his followers found refuge from the Nazis with her. with the Nazis from found refuge followers and his when a friend This love became visible in her collection and in the living environment environment and in the living her collection in became visible This love And notes. Small pieces of white and yellow paper with annotations, with annotations, paper and yellow pieces of white Small And notes. , when Castrum after 2013, this movement continued Amie Dicke . A life as an artist, collector and patroness of a cultural circle, that that circle, cultural of a patroness and collector artist, an A life as 1940.

house, among her things, back and and things, back her house, among questions, organizing things’ organizing questions, forth between now and then, asking and then, asking now between forth

‘You see her moving around the the around moving see her ‘You

Wieteke van Zeil van Wieteke Finding Gisèle Finding the house of gisèle 54

Wieteke van Zeil van Wieteke the house of gisèle Gisèle Finding 57 shadows. The images gain new significance: a converging of what is of what is converging a significance: gainThe images new shadows. cate. To which we may add our eye — does this image make us think us make this image — does add our eye may we which To cate. a This is not a smell? place, a A memory, life? in our own of something of Dicke coincide. Moving slowly at a pace that is right because of the because of the right that is pace at a slowly Moving coincide. of Dicke she encounters, in what finds Dicke that poetic similarities continuous capture visual emotions that make manmade mediums impotent’, impotent’, make manmade mediums emotions that visual capture and her life with others, Amie Dicke makes it possible to share these these to share makes it possible Amie Dicke with others, and her life a new dynamism develops. From curled up paper and dried plants, plants, paper and dried curled up From develops. dynamism a new . Amie Follow book Important Souvnirs. Amie Dicke’s on is a reflection text important-souvnirs.com on Dicke Closer than a history of imagined stories could have come. have stories could imagined of a history Closer than no memorable events to recreate the deceased, in the way we are used are we in the way the deceased, to recreate events no memorable notes. Disregarded details in the life of kings and artists, the details of the details artists, life of kings and details in the Disregarded notes. and enough, to be valuable not considered were they not see because - is estab a common ground Cautiously, what is shared. personal and Here is where the traces of Gisèle and the attentive, organizing eye eye organizing the attentive, and Gisèle of traces the is where Here It distances itself from a narrative, but brings you close to the place. close to the place. brings you but a narrative, itself from It distances Bramante, Mantegna, Bellini and Raphael that Giovanni Morelli could Morelli that Giovanni Bellini and Raphael Mantegna, Bramante, through to move allowed were if we look would history how I wonder from pointing fingers — those of Gisèle, those of other people, and their and people, of other those fingers pointing Gisèle, — those of from - and communi together, move as onlookers we which lished across certain- Amie Dicke deliberately. been kept that have objects of history archives, No documents and of the house. per cent eighty skipped ly the house as Gisèle shared way the same In personal. very house are left undone. The snipped tree leaves, modified postcards and the small and postcards modified leaves, tree The snipped left undone. to doing with prominent people. Here, in this book there is everything everything is this book there in Here, people. prominent to doing with of this traces over’ ‘left the even yet and a biography from that escapes with us. traces their lives in this way. in their lives o’clock in the morning. morning. in the at 7 o’clock piece of paper on a in ball pen Gisèle wrote . This This . de Volkskrant writes for art historian who is a Dutch Zeil van Wieteke And I think of all those traces of life that have been erased. The things been erased. have life that of traces of all those And I think ‘It’s the paintings I did not paint that are the most breathtaking. They They the most breathtaking. are that paint I did not the paintings ‘It’s something that that something revealing herself herself revealing accident’ by may be seeing be seeing may suitcase or a matchbox undisturbed. Impressions of time and patience. of time and patience. Impressions undisturbed. matchbox suitcase or a sage clear: what cannot be seen is also worth keeping. Dicke places the Dicke keeping. seen is also worth cannot be sage clear: what scratched face that has become a comic mask. A torn piece of fabric. of fabric. A torn piece mask. a comic that has become face scratched enabled Amie Dicke to make rigorous choices. As always in Dicke’s in Dicke’s always As choices. rigorous to make Dicke Amie enabled and faded, the photos is discoloured, in Much possibilities. open with one it says: EMPTY. Whether or not she intended to, Dicke shows that shows Dicke to, she intended Whether or not EMPTY. one it says: in the life of Gisèle. folder is a promise an archive even be seeing something that was never meant to be focused on — the focused on — the meant to be never that was something be seeing away by looking towards a secret place. This is what the unintentional unintentional This is what the place. secret a looking towards by away and beauty. Corrections in photos — also photos of herself, such as a such of herself, — also photos in photos Corrections and beauty. deceased is revealing herself by accident, like a child that gives itself that gives like a child accident, by herself is revealing deceased her life she kept Dicke: Amie of eyes in the reveal, Gisèle details of made by the sun and by leaving things like books, a photo frame, a photo frame, books, like things leaving sun and by the made by garded — for her, her paintings were real art, her other collections and her other collections art, real her paintings were her, — for garded Each is neatly labelled with the contents of the folder; on the middle the folder; on the the contents of with labelled is neatly Each But it was the opportunity offered by the camera and the context that the context and camera the by offered opportunity the was But it followed by the poetic photo of five ring binders, black and numbered. numbered. and black ring binders, of five poetic photo the by followed her, the essence. Just as with Morelli, you get the feeling that you may may getyou feeling that the you Morelli, with as Just the essence. her, label ‘possible’, written with a blue felt-tip pen, on the following page, page, the following on felt-tip pen, blue with a written ‘possible’, label things she made were just for fun — have an incredible consistency consistency an incredible — have for fun just were things she made

yellowed — these colour transformations produce new compositions, compositions, new produce transformations — these colour yellowed work, she left out more than what remains, in search of what is, for is, of what in search remains, than what more she left out work, The label ‘Nothing to see — here’ on a video makes the implicit mes- the a video makes on to see — here’ ‘Nothing The label - disre apparently that Gisèle things that also the shows Amie Dicke to be focused on on focused be to was never meant meant never was feeling that you that you feeling

‘You get the the get ‘You — the deceased is is — the deceased

Wieteke van Zeil van Wieteke Finding Gisèle Finding the house of gisèle 56 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle Photos: Herman van Bostelen Herman van Photos:

Atelier Gisèle Atelier Gisèle the house of gisèle the house of gisèle Photos: Herman van Bostelen Herman van Photos:

Atelier Gisèle Atelier Gisèle

Aleida Assmann Aleida the house of gisèle forgetting of forms Seven 63 - - ‘how little is it little is ‘how in the frame 2014 in the frame ask the conductor: Waterloo. Verdun. Verdun. slip into forgetting with every with every forgetting slip into suggestssmooth transfor that even more scandalous if it plays if it plays scandalous more even muses narrator mation of history into ‘nature’ ‘nature’ into of history mation in our memory, how much and much how in our memory, into the hands of perpetrators hands of perpetrators into the is unacceptable where human where is unacceptable perspective of the grass: perspective Shovel them under and let me work - me work let them under and Shovel me work. them under and let Shovel Austerlitz Austerlitz novel Sebald’s W.G. In forgetting in the passage of time. the passage of time. in forgetting how many things continuously continuously things many how losses are involved. It becomes involved. losses are Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Austerlitz high at Pile the bodies all. I cover I am the grass; I am the grass. Let me work. Let me I am the grass. there is a passage in which the in which is a passage there fast and hold keep can that we violence, suffering and massive and massive suffering violence, who profit from automatic from who profit Two years, ten years, and passengers and passengers years, ten years, Two The cynical tone of the poem tone The cynical What place is this? we now? are Where And pile them high at Gettysburg Gettysburg And pile them high at and Ypres And pile them high at th century, from the from th century, 19th and 20 - ing contribution to the study ing contribution to the study of memory’ ‘cultural of the nations and other types of This human communities. is the text of her lecture on 1 at Castrum Peregrini October Memory programme of the What We Are Machine – We Remember. History for her groundbreak for History ------

Aleida Assmann is a German Aleida of English and professor studied who Studies, Literary work and whose Egyptology an on cultural has focused and and Cultural thropology The Communicative Memory. Netherlands Academy Royal Arts and Sciences (KNAW) of the 2014 her has awarded Heineken Prize for A.H. Dr. pit which the creation of new thought of new the creation pit which opens for all that is old. The new new The all that is old. opens for of the ruins built out continents are fed out races of an old planet: the new forego decomposition of the of the cations, by gunpowder; roads and roads gunpowder; by cations, steam, by sails, railways; by canals, become obvious as soon as we are are we as soon as become obvious backward and even pathological and even backward back’. The emphatic orientation back’. made useless by hydraulics; fortifi hydraulics; made useless by of forgetting. He testified to an ex He testified to an of forgetting. endless seeker with no past at my clusive orientation towards the fu orientation towards clusive tence, and tumbling into the inevitable into the inevitable and tumbling tence, but are passing under the same sen passing under but are about the great battlefields of the the great about and progress, remembering the remembering and progress, by electricity.’ by ing. New arts destroy the old. See the old. the destroy arts New ing. aqueducts of capital in investment dealing with a traumatic past. In past. dealing with a traumatic deviation from the norm. The lim The norm. the from deviation poet Carl Sandburg wrote a poem wrote poet Carl Sandburg its and problems of this position of this its and problems past must appear as an obstinate, appear as an obstinate, past must is the central resource for hope resource is the central Emerson also became an advocate advocate Emerson also became an from the past. As long as the future As long as the future the past. from tion, progress and modernization, and modernization, progress tion, ‘an as and described himself ture automatically future the towards withdraws value and attention value withdraws As a strong supporter of evolu As a strong , for instance, the American the for instance, 1918, ‘The Greek letters last a little longer, last a little longer, letters Greek ‘The - - - This form of forgetting consists consists This form of forgetting sis on technical and economic and economic sis on technical societies with its strong empha societies with its strong by an irreversible and inexorable inexorable and an irreversible by . The force of gener force The . material waste but consequences of the time but consequences of , Emerson 1841, in published essay described the enthusiastically century, the American philosopher the century, he something new, to create order to dis things have many claimed, ever shorter intervals. shorter intervals. ever regime of modernity in Western Western of modernity in regime ational change and the economic and the economic ational change production of mass acceleration universals, given naturally not are pit which ‘in the inevitable appear as a dynamics of innovation of innovation as a dynamics He identified and obsolescence. and economy. At the dawn of the of the dawn At and economy. modern time regime as driven as driven modern time regime destruction and forgetting as two as two destruction and forgetting domains of science, technology technology of science, domains industrial revolution in the 19th in industrial revolution In progress. factors of powerful innovation. It is the flip side of It is the flip innovation. in be replaced to have products of replacement in the routinized in the evolution part of cultural Ralph Waldo Emerson analyzed Emerson analyzed Waldo Ralph for all that is old’. In an influential In for all that is old’. the creation of new thought opens of new the creation this process of modernization this process this innovation that commercial commercial that this innovation is an which new, the the old by unchallenged and constituent unchallenged ‘fury of disappearance’: of ‘fury - - - -

The other powerful motor of powerful other The Two motors of forgetting are are motors of forgetting Two societies, each new generation is generation new each societies, by a younger generation. In the generation. a younger by of generational change depends depends change of generational and dismissing the on devaluating generation of an older experiences exception from the rule, requir the rule, from exception experienced, communicated and communicated experienced, defining its own eager to create of is disposal forgetting continuous evolving smoothly and automat smoothly evolving ents. Individuals may be strongly strongly be may Individuals ents. recipe, an anecdote – that is, at is, an anecdote – that recipe, alarm. Forgetting happens silently, happens silently, Forgetting alarm. a human life. A photo, a necklace, a necklace, A photo, life. a human a a proverb, a piece of furniture, are perfectly normal and healthy, healthy, normal and perfectly are affected by this ongoing destruc this ongoing by affected modern time regime of Western Western of modern time regime by and projects values memories, usurp it aims to which means of minimal part of what has been minimal part of what retain most – what grandchildren involved in this silent process. in this silent process. involved in the bio-rhythm Social forgetting inconspicuously and ubiquitously, and ubiquitously, inconspicuously produced that actually outlasts that actually produced no attention attracting ically, ing conscious efforts and specific ing conscious efforts and from the lives of their grandpar the lives from frameworks. frameworks. Generally speaking, it is only a it is only speaking, Generally the place of the former. the place of the former. tion of material remains, but from but from material remains, tion of of the society as a the perspective while remembering is the unlikely unlikely is the while remembering whatsoever. whatsoever. whole these everyday occurrences occurrences whole these everyday - - -

-

. Automatic forgetting – – forgetting Automatic . is negation of of is negation power of time’ of power and resistance and resistance against a veto specific socio-historical contexts, specific socio-historical contexts, bering, but forgetting is the default but forgetting bering, to forgetting, forgetting, to the destructive cess of (ex)change is considered is considered cess of (ex)change material, biological, biological, material, of a basic asymmetry: not remem of a basic asymmetry: of time. Just like the cells in an like the cells in Just of time. ideas and objects, the organism, resistance to forgetting, usually usually to forgetting, resistance of remembering and forgetting in and forgetting of remembering against the destructive power power the destructive against analyzing ‘seven types of forget ‘seven analyzing natural and does not raise any any raise and does not natural mode of humans and societies. mode of humans and societies. deeper insight into its modes of insight into its deeper ically replaced. This slow pro This slow replaced. ically Let me start with the observation Let me start with the observation involving a will and effort, a veto a veto effort, a will and involving period of a society are individuals Remembering is negation of and Remembering is negation functioning. functioning. I will focus on some of these frames, analyzing the dynamics the dynamics analyzing frames, ting’, hoping to thereby gain a hoping to thereby ting’, technical – and its limits – and its technical 1 ‘Remembering ‘Remembering - - - -

solely depends on the social and depends solely fight forgetting. (...) But what should (...) But forgetting. fight need to remember and that we must and that we must need to remember needed for coping with life.’ needed for is still unclear. Historian Historian unclear. is still bering is something culturally bering is something culturally by Jan Philipp Reemtsma who Philipp Reemtsma Jan by and what role it plays in our in our it plays what role and of social and cultural memory, we we memory, of social and cultural man history, forgetting was was forgetting man history, ethical imperative of remember ethical imperative cultural frames within which it within which frames cultural remembering should be given should be given remembering changed all this. But how, how, changed all this. But cultural memory. cultural be positive about remembering? about remembering? be positive argues that: argues itive nor negative per se, but are both but are per se, nor negative itive meaning and value of forgetting forgetting of and value meaning ing. This point has been stressed This point has been stressed ing. human capacities that are neither pos capacities that are human is constructed. For this reason, this reason, For is constructed. precedence over forgetting. The forgetting. over precedence Since the beginning of hu- the beginning of Since Remembering and forgetting are are Remembering and forgetting have come to believe that remem that come to believe have Aleida Assman reflects on on Assman reflects Aleida valid and that there is even an is even and that there valid the importance of forget of the importance modern society ting in our the rule and remembering the rule and remembering Internet The the exception. Seven forms of forgetting of forms Seven By Aleida Assmann By There is no intrinsic reason why why is no intrinsic reason There With the recent boom of the study study the of boom the recent With to live a happy life’ a happy live to ‘We live with the consensus that we with live ‘We ‘Without forgetting, people are unable unable people are forgetting, ‘Without

Aleida Assmann Aleida Seven forms of forgetting of forms Seven the house of gisèle 62

Aleida Assmann Aleida the house of gisèle forgetting of forms Seven 65 ------

- - Today’s cognition psycholo cognition Today’s What, then, are the selection are then, What, segment of relevant memories, memories, of relevant segment structure. This accounts for the structure. storage space of computers is space of computers storage by Nietzsche and Bergson for their and Bergson Nietzsche by basis of their biologicalbasis of infra both a practical and moral point moral and both a practical capacity to call up only a small only capacity to call up of view. To start with the practical with the practical start To of view. ‘man of action’ to bring of the criteria of the economy of memo of of the economy criteria and of remembering co-product cesses of remembering include cesses of remembering cognitive capacity of ignoring all cognitive rare resource. While the external external the While resource. rare ry? How is the relevant separated separated relevant is the How ry? from forgetting recommended ated by forgetting are an integral integral an are forgetting ated by and remembering: while storing while and remembering: as neglecting, overlooking, ignor overlooking, as neglecting, memory under the control of his of under the control memory moral dimensions are not always not always dimensions are moral more or less limited and invariant invariant or less limited and more impetus towards an intended impetus towards decision-making and acting. The decision-making and acting. perspective: for him it is the aim perspective: part of remembering, providing providing part of remembering, its contours. ing. In other words: the gaps cre words: In other ing. forget against a device provides included or excluded? Nietzsche Nietzsche or excluded? included irrelevant associations in situa irrelevant following sentence in Nietzsche’s sentence in Nietzsche’s following forgetting. For this reason, all pro this reason, For forgetting. from the irrelevant, what is to be the irrelevant, from function’, emphasizing the function’, huge difference between storing storing between huge difference text shows that the cognitive and that the cognitive shows text tions of processing information, information, processing tions of ting, remembering is always a is always remembering ting, goal. Everything that cannot be Everything goal. growing exponentially, our brains our brains exponentially, growing used to achieve this goal has to be has this goal used to achieve gists speak of the ‘executive ‘executive gists speak of the various shades of forgetting such such shades of forgetting various which can serve as a motivational as a motivational can serve which will. Men of action were admired admired action were Men of will. will have to go on working on the to go on working will have ‘forgotten’, as Nietzsche put it. as Nietzsche ‘forgotten’, ------

- At the other end of the spec . Selective Forgetting – – Forgetting . Selective storehouse for cultural relicts. relicts. for cultural storehouse be charged with new meaning meaning with new be charged a past that to reconstruct be able or determined their meaning. or determined their meaning. of individual remembering are are remembering of individual eminent works of art that future future of art that eminent works of relevant information, to be information, of relevant historians will future on which and thrown away. Instead, they they Instead, away. and thrown historical of a source seen as are memory but also the dynamics but also the dynamics memory mented, memory space remains a space remains memory mented, messages that are addressed to addressed are that messages which those frames, nected from or in a state of latency ments exist decontextualized and discon decontextualized immediate addressees as well as as well immediate addressees therefore information and are As for re-inspection. preserved these docu part of the archive, Not only the dynamics of cultural cultural of the dynamics Not only infinitely extended and supple extended and infinitely includes sacred texts of religion, of religion, texts includes sacred and events important historical posterity and intended for contin and intended posterity and to contexts into new placed had formerly authorized them had formerly hinged of selec on processes these messages have lost their these messages have meaning and function. their direct tion. While storage space can be While storage tion. tion. This active form of memory form of memory This active tion. a is the archive, there trum, transitory forgetfulness, waiting waiting forgetfulness, transitory as fragments to be rediscovered acts of interpretation. through generations – to put it in the generations uous repetition and re-actualiza and uous repetition the power of framing of the power words of John Milton – ‘will not – Milton of John words let die’. willingly was once the present. the present. once was 3 Through this decontextualization, this decontextualization, Through not forgotten however, are, They These relicts have become become have These relicts The archive provides the basis provides The archive

institutions: institutions: memory relies relies memory two between on a dynamic on a dynamic exchange and the canon the archive’ ‘Cultural ‘Cultural ------selection. selection. sense of identity and orientation. sense of identity and orientation. society and culture. Intentionally Intentionally society and culture. scathing polemic, denouncing denouncing polemic, scathing slandered this institution of slandered bering and forgetting. Cultural Cultural bering and forgetting. which institutions, two between be solved by operations of delet operations by be solved between passive forgetting and forgetting passive between criteria of selection that separate separate of selection that criteria be it must products, of cultural in emphasized that individuals or unintentionally, Nietzsche is Nietzsche or unintentionally, cannot production of knowledge osphere’ (or semiotic ecosystem) osphere’ a long-term that over of a culture cultural memory. In this way, the the In this way, memory. cultural relies on a dynamic exchange exchange on a dynamic relies archive. The canon here stands The canon here archive. aged to make their own choices choices make their own aged to criteria for their own and develop ‘semi in the live Humans a void. and highlight a certain canon and highlight a certain a massive framework for remem framework a massive archive creates a space of latency space of latency a creates archive remembering. active memory in Western societies Western in memory data accumulation is addressed is addressed accumulation data dangerous burden for individual, for individual, burden dangerous ing information, but only with but only ing information, invoked whenever the problem of the problem whenever invoked flood of ‘threatening a in terms of the information’ that is uprooting period has gradually established established period has gradually But of course they never do this in never But of course they In modern societies, this overload this overload In modern societies, It is well known that Nietzsche that Nietzsche known It is well I refer to as the canon and the canon and as the to I refer of cultural for a small number the help of individually applied the help of individually the irrelevant. from the relevant tion of historical knowledge as a historical knowledge tion of the mere storage and accumula storage the mere the historical archive with his the historical archive ger told what to remember and gerwhat to remember told what to forget, but are encour but are what to forget, While the media focus attention no lon are democracies Western ------The historical archive must must The historical archive . Preservative forgetting – – forgetting . Preservative stream of time and forgetting. and forgetting. of time stream stronghold of Western democra Western of stronghold but not annihilated: the political but not annihilated: collect them is the foundation of case of something being retained being retained case of something existence. Institutions provid existence. cies and historical thinking. cies and historical thinking. has supplanted it which cessors, rather recently; they were intro were they recently; rather of what was once thought or done once thought of what was and extracted from the ongoing from and extracted and exerting power, historical power, and exerting intended to serve are archives an institution, that an object has that an an institution, archives of the state, the church the church of the state, archives power. and other institutions of as instruments of claiming pres many a library, gallery or muse gallery library, a many markets are agents of delay; they they agents of delay; markets are decay by integrating them into them integrating by decay makes possible its reentry into its reentry makes possible documents and relicts of the past of the and relicts documents not be confused with its prede confused with its not be duced at the time of the French French duced at the time of the protect specific objects from from specific objects protect ing such a social guarantee for a social guarantee ing such include the archive, preservation evolved have Historical archives Revolution and have become a become and have Revolution function in the present. It is this in the present. function of form of maintaining elements forgetting’. Material preservation Material preservation forgetting’. Collectors and visitors of flea Collectors and visitors their collections. The human urge human urge The their collections. and to to objects value to attach the library and the museum. and the museum. the library that have lost their immediate that have immediate cut off from the past, tige, establishing legitimation legitimation establishing tige, preserve They the commonality: tion is given the protective roof of roof the protective tion is given of an extended the solid chance um. But it is only when the collec only But it is um. use, that I refer to as ‘preservative ‘preservative to as that I refer use, the entry into the archive archive the into the entry 2 When we focus on the unlikely focus on the unlikely When we While these archives were used were While these archives ------If we replace natural death natural replace If we

some of the innumerable stories innumerable some of the scandalous. In order to separate to separate In order scandalous. stories connected to very particu stories connected to very stories and memories irrevocably stories and memories irrevocably extinguished life, how does the how life, extinguished that the stories, all shedding out, on the other hand, are able to able are on the other hand, and forgetting between choose histor efforts to rescue cultural context is drastically changed. changed. is drastically context ceased. This, however, is not what is not however, This, ceased. empties itself spontaneously and empties itself spontaneously remembering which can involve can involve which remembering accurate description of inevitable description of inevitable accurate each after automatic forgetting: attached to objects and places attached The these stories. and transmit an ethical decision, mobilizing an ethical decision, able places and objects, which which objects, places and able or recorded no longer heard, are disappear along with the de ical experience from the general the general from ical experience always the past pit into which ing for traces of a lost past and ing for traces acknowledge to recover, in order prison and a Jewish Ghetto. Ghetto. prison and a Jewish in this passage. The narrator, in The narrator, in this passage. In light of the suffering of the In light of the suffering forgetting becomes morally becomes morally forgetting lar traumatic places: the for lar traumatic had been connected to innumer had been himself from complicit forget himself from tends to disappear. trying to recollect and remember and remember to recollect trying tive - it grows anywhere. Humans, Humans, anywhere. - it grows tive ting, Sebald’s narrator returns to returns narrator Sebald’s ting, search these places of trauma, tresses of Breendonk and Terezín, Terezín, and of Breendonk tresses the Sebald narrator has in mind narrator the Sebald the loss of about muses this case, transmitted.’ generation the world, as it were, as it were, the world, generation grass of forgetting is not selec of forgetting grass victims, the automatism of the victims, with torture and murder, the and murder, with torture which the Nazis turned into a Nazis turned the which world as it were empties itself empties were as it world This quotation sounds like an This quotation sounds

Aleida Assmann Aleida Seven forms of forgetting of forms Seven the house of gisèle 64

Aleida Assmann Aleida the house of gisèle forgetting of forms Seven 67 ------The same holds true for re The same holds true for . Defensive and complic . Defensive some voices to be heard while be heard to some voices of an eradica experiences similar story. Education has been theirs in Education has been story. the pen a degree; higher so much silence and restore what has been silence and restore cultural and the of power structure bers of society to claim a ‘voice’. ‘voice’. a bers of society to claim it forgetting (protection of of (protection it forgetting other oppressed social groups. social groups. other oppressed allows that of power frame cultural silenced. notoriously others are of destroying relics and erasing and erasing relics of destroying perpetrators) advantage of us in telling their own their own of us in telling advantage autocratic regimes engage in acts regimes autocratic and who are not equipped with and who are as a manifestation of repressive the both and communication, documents collected in archives collected in archives documents postcolonial discourse; it shows shows postcolonial discourse; it perpetrators of dictatorships and perpetrators Both the African Americans in the Americans African the Both forgetting. In order to break the to break In order forgetting. of language to the realm forgotten to be changed. have frames : ‘Men have every every ‘Men have in 1817: Persuasion ligious or racial minorities and ligiousor racial ‘Can essay Spivak’s Chakravorty some mem difficult it is for how of colonial countries had lations Jane Austen wrote in her novel in her novel wrote Austen Jane has been in their hands.’ Groups that never had a chance a chance had that never Groups perspective. Western in a history’ of the background against Judged 5 the Subaltern Speak?’ is an icon of tecting them is about to collapse, to collapse, tecting them is about tion and denial of their ‘history’. ‘history’. their tion and denial of in writing themselves to express ‘his such standard, this normative recognized silence’ is today torical that the system of power pro that the system of power used to be considered as ‘void of ‘void as used to be considered USA and the indigenous popu As soon as it becomes obvious it becomes obvious As soon as ‘Structural violence’ creates a violence’ creates ‘Structural - - - 1930s with , 1944, Theresienstadt, presenting Though highlighted in a nov Though highlighted in a societies, women had little or no had little or women societies, such repressive forgetting found forgetting repressive such strategies of manipulating and manipulating of strategies lying things up, as hushing such being fictive. A famous historical A famous being fictive. enforced less directly through through less directly enforced of this ghetto. In this deception In this deception of this ghetto. the cynical creating of the ghetto, created as an intentional decep created and libraries. archives clusion from el, these practices are far from far from are these practices el, is dissimulation such for example constant rewriting of documents, of documents, constant rewriting remembers the Armenians?’ Like the remembers repressive and lethal conditions and repressive access to writing and printing, access to writing and printing, a climax already in the a climax already a Nazi ghetto for Jewish victims, victims, a Nazi ghetto for Jewish was This film ideal kibbutz. as an and dissimulation. and dissimulation. meant to be forgotten. meant to be forgotten. demands of the present. Making demands of the present. include the distorting the truth Hitler’ question: ‘Who today still still ‘Who today question: Hitler’ the genocide of War, World First illusion of an idyll. The cynicism of cynicism The of an idyll. illusion in Repressive forgetting can also be can also forgetting Repressive forms of ‘structural violence’ ‘structural forms of Orwell’s text features an archivist an archivist features text Orwell’s the genocide of the Armenians the genocide of the of the under cover that occurred of under cover occurred the Jews and was War World the Second tion to mislead the world about the about tion to mislead the world ‘documentary’ the genre of the the film commissioned by the SS the film commissioned the knowledge of the past to the the knowledge is a however, the past disappear, that go into the enormous efforts The forgetting. this form repressive as of photographs, the retouching (Johan Galtung). In patriarchal In patriarchal Galtung). (Johan very hard job. Orwell focuses on Orwell job. hard very which has led to their effective ex has led to their effective which was chosen to depict the ‘reality’ ‘reality’ the depict to chosen was whose job it is to constantly adapt adapt it is to constantly whose job casual forms of denial, as more well ------. Damnatio memoriae - - memoriae . Damnatio such a case the victims of violence such share the Egyptian conviction that the Egyptian conviction share repressive forms of of forms repressive chives remain sealed, past crimes past crimes sealed, remain chives investigat cannot be historically the genocide for instance, as, ed, state is: fictive el’s chives, on the other hand, housing on the other hand, chives, of posterity, the eradication of a the eradication of posterity, ture: who controls the present, controls controls the present, controls who ture: the past.’ chiselled off from monuments are are monuments off from chiselled are bereft of the right to their bereft are the past are over and total control a blessing to live on in the memory on in the memory to live a blessing and values the alterity of the past the alterity and values name and other traces of an indi other traces name and memory, is inflicted as a symbolic memory, perpetrated on the Armenians. In Armenians. on the perpetrated instrument of power and violence, and violence, instrument of power punishment. In such a culture, a culture, such In punishment. has who destruction on an enemy Those whose names mentioned’. punishment. If a culture values values culture If a punishment. doomed to die a second death. doomed to die a second death. that protects culture democratic in its own right are a recent insti a recent right are in its own Historical archives as part of a as part of Historical archives In the case of damnatio memoriae, fame and notoriety, considering it considering fame and notoriety, forgetting takes on the form of takes on the forgetting fallen from favour. Many cultures cultures Many favour. fallen from history. Such repressive forgetting forgetting repressive Such history. have a much longer contin history a much have tution dating back no later than tution dating back ar Political Revolution. the French the topics of George Orwell’s novel novel Orwell’s the topics of George the secret archive of the state as archive the secret uing into the present. As long as ar As long as uing into the present. forgetting forgetting vidual life are considered a serious a considered life are vidual were erased from the annals or from erased were 4 .The famous motto of the nov 1984.The famous motto of the ‘memocide’, the killing of a person’s the killing of a person’s ‘memocide’, ‘a man lives if his name is being ‘a man lives ‘Who controls the past, controls the fu controls the past, ‘Who controls enter the enter ‘National ‘National historical historical memory is memory organized organized means that means that conscience’ guilt hardly guilt hardly pride, which pride, which by collective collective by memories of of memories ------The problem with national nar The problem sciousness of a society. Next to Next sciousness of a society. suffering but acknowledges and but acknowledges suffering organized by collective pride, pride, collective by organized have of guilt and responsibility of national memory. For a long For of national memory. It on the suffering of Germans. ed memories have a chance of be a chance ed memories have ory’ but extremely selective and and selective but extremely ory’ It was frames. memory exclusive could s that we the 1990 in only moving of national memories, only when one memory frame is frame memory when one only replaced by another, that exclud that another, by replaced relevant or not acceptable from from acceptable or not relevant ratives is not so much ‘false mem is not so much ratives and shameful aspects into the col accountability and regret. Rooted regret. and accountability memory was selectively focused selectively was memory functioned as a frame memory national focus is on victimhood duced world wide a new politics of wide a new duced world ing reappropriated by the group. by ing reappropriated is usually National memory pride, suffering has also gaineda pride, in human rights, it is designed to in human rights, victims into also one’s integrates public apologies, which has intro has which apologies, public from purely self-serving narra self-serving purely from focus not only on a nation’s own own on a nation’s focus not only feature of this shift is the ritual of of this shift is feature historical conscience and con historical lective self-image. An obvious new new obvious An self-image. lective historical crimes. crimes. historical high priority in the construction time, West-German post war post war West-German time, from took four decades to move the the Germans as victims to impossible this makes it virtually for responsibility to also accept tions that also integrate negative negative tions that also integrate tives to more complex configura complex to more tives the national memory. the point of view of the group. It is group. of the of view the point great difficulty entering the difficulty entering great victims of the Germans. One victims of the Germans. witness a shift in the construction a shift in the witness which means that memories means that memories which ‘shield’ eclipsing the other: if the ------and stays adamant. adamant. and stays

self-image. Maurice Halbwachs Maurice Halbwachs self-image. strong male ideal of a person who male strong by individuals themselves but are but are themselves individuals by bering and forgetting. Each social Each bering and forgetting. based on a positive and confident and on a positive based ered to be an anthropological an anthropological to be ered easily separable: ‘Cheerfulness, ‘Cheerfulness, easily separable: responsibility are glossed over by by glossed over are responsibility ria from a socio-psychological to socio-psychological a ria from defined ad hoc fact not in ria are rism, in which Nietzsche shows shows Nietzsche in which rism, accomplice of forgetting. In this accomplice of forgetting. a clear conscience, joyful action, action, joyful a clear conscience, a sociological level. He introduced He introduced a sociological level. norm of face-saving: necessity. He legitimized forget He legitimized necessity. nation, on a line that divides the the divides that on a line nation, memory studies, emphasizing studies, memory depends, in the individual as in a in the individual depends, imposed on them by the groups groups the imposed on them by process, moral issues of guilt and issues moral process, is dark and beyond illumination.’ illumination.’ and beyond is dark Nietzsche worked on an apology on an apology worked Nietzsche In contrast to Freud who de to Freud In contrast for forgetting which he consid which for forgetting frame necessarily excludes a excludes necessarily frame I cannot have done this says my pride pride my done this says I cannot have in.’ gives memory Finally, how memory can become the memory how has to act, wield power and mus wield power has to act, to which they belong. It is thus belong. they to which to belong that regulates the desire remem between the interaction the stronger socio-psychological socio-psychological the stronger ter courage. All of these acts are these acts are All of ter courage. these selection crite transferred ting from the point of view of the the point of view ting from trust in the future – all of that – all of future trust in the in a famous apho to the fore the concept of ‘social frames’ into ‘social frames’ of the concept crite selection that such the fact visible and bright from that which that which and bright from visible veloped a theory of repression, of repression, a theory veloped whole spectrum of memories not either considered are which The moral perspective comes perspective The moral ‘I have done this, says my memory. memory. my says this, done ‘I have

Aleida Assmann Aleida Seven forms of forgetting of forms Seven the house of gisèle 66

Aleida Assmann Aleida the house of gisèle forgetting of forms Seven 69 - - - - . Therapeutic forgetting . Therapeutic forgetting strength to start over. The over. to start strength in 1946: Zurich in speech scale people could have the ex scale people could have past. If Europe is to be saved from from is to be saved If Europe past. oblivion against all the crimes and come the hatreds and revenges, which which and revenges, come the hatreds brance. Forgetting, in this case, in this case, Forgetting, brance. overcome past hatred and to lay and to lay past hatred overcome example named by Meier is Meier by named example constructive forgetting has been forgetting constructive rivaled by a new positive form of positive a new by rivaled past behind behind past follies of the past.’ of the follies the future. We cannot afford to drag to drag cannot afford We the future. to that are years the across forward accurately and persistently. This and persistently. accurately to allies the former by applied and claim attention, recogni and claim attention, memory that gave the Germans gave that memory memory was in fact used to fuel in was memory not simply disappear but return disappear but return not simply infinite misery, and indeed from final and indeed from misery, infinite faith be an act of must there doom, and an act of family in the European Here is Winston Churchill’s plea Churchill’s Winston is Here peutic forgetting’. On a global peutic forgetting’. pasts do perience that traumatic promoted a political and social a political and promoted recent The most integration. horrors of the past. We must look to look must We of the past. horrors the injuries of the from sprung have for forgetting that he made in a that he made for forgetting for the Second World War. After for War. the World Second forgetting, which I call ‘thera I call which forgetting, Germans remembered much too much Germans remembered the the war survived that had also was of forgetting therapy Europe. the foundation for a new the mobilization of Germans the mobilization of Over the last three decades, decades, the last three Over tion, restitution and remem restitution tion, the First World War, which the the which War, World the First was replaced by new efforts of new by replaced was 7 it was the weakness of their weakness the 1945 it was ‘We must all turn our backs upon the turn our backs all must ‘We – leaving the burden of the the of – leaving the burden - - - - In these cases, legislation legislation In these cases, start over and to effectively adapt and to effectively start over bering can perpetuate destructive bering can perpetuate destructive or forgetting, the state can pass or forgetting, energies by maintaining hatred hatred maintaining by energies creation of a new state opens state of a new creation end civil wars; examples for this examples wars; end civil created by the strong desire to desire the strong by created referred to historical cases when to historical cases referred readers of this positive and em this positive of readers rather, this form of forgetting is this form of forgetting rather, appease opposing parties. While opposing parties. appease and revenge, while forgetting can while forgetting and revenge, after civil wars forgetting was was forgetting wars after civil as inherently beneficial. But in beneficial. as inherently aggressions. Such laws of forget laws Such aggressions. a desire to efface traces in order in order to efface traces a desire ment that poses remembering ment that poses remembering mobilizing old resentments and mobilizing old resentments imposing forgetting indeed imposing forgetting it does not possess the power to it does not possess the power remembering individual prescribe put an end to conflict and thus dealing with a different form of with a different dealing of modern technical force driving powering quality of forgetting. He forgetting. quality of powering imposed as a means of ending practice include the Athenian include the practice War, after the Peleponnesian polis of Münster- peace treaty in the Emerson’s phrase quoted above. quoted above. phrase Emerson’s or instigated by 1), (Nr. innovation book on forgetting In a recent In this case, however, we are are we however, In this case, fact the opposite is closer to the fact the opposite is forgetting; it is not caused by the by it is not caused forgetting; laws that punish public discourse that punish public laws Christian Meier reminded his Christian Meier reminded to question a conventional argu to question a conventional ting were frequently passed to passed frequently ting were the edict of Nantes in 1598 and in 1648. Osnabrück truth, Meier argues, as remem Meier argues, truth, to escape accountability (Nr. 5); (Nr. to escape accountability conditions. to new up for all that is old, to pick up to pick that is old, up for all violence. With his book he wanted his book he wanted With violence. wars and overcoming traumatic traumatic overcoming and wars which re-opens old wounds by by old wounds re-opens which humans were were humans forgetting, forgetting, live unable to that without that without the future’ a happy life life a happy face and to convinced convinced ‘Nietzsche was was ‘Nietzsche - - - - -

In contrast to repressive forget to repressive In contrast exchanged, their houses were reno their houses were exchanged, clubs of their youth were closed, some closed, were clubs of their youth burnt the PW was even of them, begin anew and to fight their daily and to fight their daily anew begin condi repressive against battles chapters form their textbooks form their textbooks chapters Simon Jana forgetting. organized their parents’ apartments had been their parents’ convinced that without forgetting, that without forgetting, convinced a ‘Cheerfulness, of the future: recalled such a scene of creating a a scene of creating such recalled rather, in the great pit which the pit which great in the rather, vated, the products of their childhood of their childhood the products vated, retrace their childhood. Most of the their childhood. retrace asked their pupils to tear whole their pupils to asked and constructive type of forgetting forgetting type of and constructive as they are, ever find the courage to courage find the ever are, as they and the changing of street names of street and the changing are Wall after the fall of the Berlin down, the streets had new names, as names, had new the streets down, many things are speedily forgotten. forgotten. speedily things are many After the col notorious examples. depends on the individual as in as in on the individual depends down by experience and suffering and suffering experience by down in a spectacular collective act of in a spectacular collective in-transparent and dark.’ in-transparent How otherwise could humans, bent humans, otherwise could How well as the schools. The furniture in furniture The schools. well as the lapse of the GDR, history teachers teachers history lapse of the GDR, have undergone a political change, a political change, undergone have humans were unable to live a to live unable humans were life and to face the challenge happy tabula rasa in her memory novel: novel: in her memory rasa tabula ting, which supports and main supports and which ting, is also a hopeful there tains power, beginning. for a new the ground tions? Friedrich Nietzsche was also was Nietzsche tions? Friedrich this all of - trust in what is to come the nation on a clear line dividing the and clear from the ordered good conscience, the happy deed, deed, the happy good conscience, It disappeared in memory, or, or, in memory, It disappeared which supports a break and lays and lays a break supports which (...) it was all gone.’ was (...) it The demolition of Lenin Statues We can observe that in states that that in can observe We ‘There is no place where they could they where is no place ‘There - -

. Constructive forgetting forgetting . Constructive part of society. part of the perpetrators part of the the part of the victims and the part of the victims suffering of the victims of such of the victims of such suffering shield for the perpetrators to a for the perpetrators shield for the victims. board sounding created a new sensibility for the sensibility a new created ones ready to break their silence their to break ones ready alone will of society collective ends with the following lines: ends with the following political biographical biographical political beginning of values connected with the connected with of values reinforce each other, crimes can other, each reinforce time. concealed for a long remain response of the population was of the population was response alism and dictatorships. After this alism and dictatorships. and to claim their rights. It is the and to claim their rights. then will Only and turn the tables. . It . of Forgetting a poem In Praise is the source of human strentgh of human is the source media. In a similar way a change a change In a similar way media. Nothing will really change as change will really Nothing introduction of a new political no of a new introduction But forgetting is ambivalent and is ambivalent But forgetting like the Holocaust, slavery, coloni slavery, like the Holocaust, heard and supported by the public public the and supported by heard long as the victims are the only the only are long as the victims German poet Bertolt Brecht wrote wrote German poet Bertolt Brecht tion of human rights in the 1980s histories of violence traumatic the testimony of the witnesses be the testimony 6 transformed from a protection a protection from transformed global change of orientation, the of orientation, change global which can change the situation change can which we must not forget its merits. The its merits. forget not must we (Die Schwäche des Gedächtnisses (Die Schwäche The weakness of memory The When these three forms of silence silence of forms When these three Verleiht den Menschen Stärke. ) Stärke. den Menschen Verleiht - defensive silence on the silence on - defensive - symptomatic silence on - symptomatic - complicit silence on the - complicit silence – tabula rasa for a new a new for rasa – tabula ------material traces of the sites of traces material 1990 the functionaries of the

sure. In addition, complicit forget In addition, sure. shameful problem could be made could be problem shameful of social taboos; it involves three three it involves of social taboos; officials and institutions. Those and institutions. officials pres conformist a strong exerting opting for amnesty and amnesia. amnesia. opting for amnesty and crimes. Towards the end of the the end Towards crimes. concerned the charges of sexual of sexual concerned the charges ous example publicly discussed in publicly ous example reinforce each other: each reinforce responsible reacted invariably by by invariably reacted responsible regime of violence before transi violence before of regime against them at court. them at court. against and abuse brought against the insti the against brought abuse made by the victims before, but the the victims before, made by destroyed all documents of their all documents destroyed South African Apartheid regime material tons of archival destroyed destroyed archival documents of archival destroyed ing potential evidence to be used ing potential evidence The most conspicu perpetrators. preserve a social status quo by a social status quo by preserve information was not passed on but information was in eliminat situation, in the same perpetrators can rely on their laws on their laws can rely perpetrators In Argentina, the military junta the military Argentina, In forms of silence which mutually mutually forms of silence which Complicit silence also protects the Complicit silence also protects Catholic Church. Charges had been Charges Catholic Church. the to protect hushed up in order Germany throughout the year 2010 year the throughout Germany ting is reinforced by the pressure the pressure by ting is reinforced trivializing, postponing or ignoring postponing trivializing, confident were They the charges. this eye, turning a blind that by Taboos disappear. to automatically tution of private schools and the schools tution of private . And . in 1976 to democracy tioning tive application of the new law, law, new application of the tive traces to cover up practices that up practices to cover traces Jews of European the mass murder While still in power, theses crimes. but them impunity; to guarantee retrospec a against protest they will henceforth be classified as be classified will henceforth the Nazi officials hastily war, changes, system when the legal

Aleida Assmann Aleida Seven forms of forgetting of forms Seven the house of gisèle 68

Aleida Assmann Aleida the house of gisèle forgetting of forms Seven 71 -

social frames of selection. As selection. of social frames be retrieved and reinterpreted reinterpreted and be retrieved cultural values inscribed into values cultural remembering can be re-inscribed be re-inscribed can remembering a simple and striking image for striking image a simple and and processed. And one more one more And and processed. or longerafter shorter intervals. It forgetting. by framed always ner, you darken the rest.’ darken you ner, memory that has been reworked has been reworked that memory not necessarily final: much can much final: not necessarily into forgetting, remembering is remembering into forgetting, however, always depends on depends always however, this complex interaction: ‘When interaction: this complex general observation: forgetting is forgetting observation: general you carry the light into one cor one light into the carry you was Francis Bacon who found Bacon Francis was What can be recovered and used, and used, can be recovered What - carry negative connota- negative 5 carry The radical strategy of creating of creating strategy radical The scribed as morally neutral; they they neutral; morally scribed as stage and is thus the result of a is thus the result stage and break in values and introducing a and introducing values in break up in given more and be more of maintaining power and as a of maintaining power distinct- have hand, on the other or bad; their quality depends depends or bad; their quality uses to which on the entirely obvious in my overview, and that overview, in my obvious case, the page is simply turned simply the page is case, the page case, in the second over, represent two forms of marking a of marking forms two represent a tabula rasa, however, seems to however, rasa, a tabula and are linked to the inbuilt temporal temporal to the inbuilt linked are to innovation, and technological the and to preservation archival al contexts that I have analyzed, analyzed, that I have al contexts and forgetting inherently good inherently and forgetting arated from each other. They in- They other. each from arated and forgetting. While in the first and forgetting. must be read before it is turned. it is turned. before be read must new beginning. beginning. new dynamics of consumer culture culture of consumer dynamics produced under the auspices of the auspices of under produced is used as a weapon, as a means weapon, is used as a shield for perpetrators. protective indispensible frames of selection of frames indispensible 4 Types processes. in cognitive is the fact that remembering and that remembering is the fact invokes remembering as its first remembering invokes forms of forgetting can be de- forms of forgetting forgetting. Nor are remembering remembering are Nor forgetting. - sep cannot be neatly forgetting favor of a new form of rupture form of rupture a new of favor legal supervision. supervision. legal ly positive connotations. They They connotations. positive ly One thing should have become have One thing should tions; they show how forgetting forgetting how show tions; they they are put. Looking back at the Looking back put. are they teract in different ways, as I tried ways, in different teract of forms the different in to show Conclusion various social frames and cultur and frames social various we may say that the first three three that the first say may we The last two forms of forgetting, forms of forgetting, The last two Therapeutic forgetting thus forgetting Therapeutic ------serving and rendering searcha serving and rendering shield relating to sensitive to sensitive relating shield ble a hitherto unknown mass of a hitherto unknown ble but rather seek to understand seek to understand but rather Memory Studies is Memory of the Journal other; the first being: „The net first being: „The other; the cumstances in which knowing knowing cumstances in which ond: ‘what is stored is forgotten’. is forgotten’. ‘what is stored ond: us teach es to the Internet knowledge of information, omy radically new possibilities of new radically creating a personal protection a personal protection creating and suspends its erosive effects. effects. and suspends its erosive a proponent of the theory that of the theory a proponent access to and availability of access to and availability and communication. One is the and communication. a technological determinism determinism a technological answers a human demand in a human answers archive, publicly accessible and accessible publicly archive, may add). He has described He add). may involves the indefinite enlarg involves data. Andrew Hoskins, specialist Hoskins, Andrew data. ing of the public realm through through realm ing of the public Under these cir information. dramatic changes into our econ into our changes dramatic information that was hitherto information that was circulating. indiscriminately Internet arrests the flow of time of the flow arrests Internet for digital memory and editor and for digital memory forgets nothing’ and the sec nothing’ forgets function of easily storing, pre storing, of easily function frames. The new legal frame frame legal The new frames. few and is now, in the virtual in the virtual and is now, few has become a potential within a potential has become has to be consciously knowing how the new media interacts media interacts the new how the Internet forgets nothing the Internet forgets ‘the end of decay as this change that the is to say which time’, theories competing with each competing with each theories that we should not indulge in that we Generalizing, we may say that say may we Generalizing, their social, cultural and legal legal and cultural their social, the Internet has introduced two two the Internet has introduced (like Freud’s Unconscious, we we Unconscious, (like Freud’s (almost) everybody’s reach, not reach, everybody’s (almost) with human demands and with human demands within the reach of only very very of only within the reach The other dramatic change change The other dramatic These contradictory approach These contradictory ------2014 en Until recently, it was far from far from it was Until recently, storing and circulating has over has storing and circulating can no longer rely on ‘automat on longercan no rely of our culture. One commenter of our culture. clear whether forgetting or clear whether forgetting of digital technology forgetting forgetting of digital technology while remembering exception of individuals to be protected to be protected of individuals observation of a basic asymme of a basic observation remembering took precedence took precedence remembering always on duty and doesn’t need on duty and doesn’t always assumed that forgetting does its its does assumed that forgetting with a judgment of the about against incriminating personal against made manifest that our new made manifest that our new must today be considered as the as be considered today must ning of human history forgetting forgetting ning of human history membering because there is no there membering because digital technology of writing, of writing, digital technology ing’, which is the reason why why the reason is which ing’, had We ‘lost’. is always present alarm came The ic forgetting’. Court in May European is always stronger than re is always in the information economy of in the information economy invention and dissemination invention information by deleting it in information by Internet. Internet. I started this survey with the the with this survey I started forcing ‘a right to be forgotten’, ‘a right to be forgotten’, forcing like a servant who is invisible, who is invisible, like a servant reminding up call, wake had a to be paid. Recently, however, we we however, Recently, to be paid. has written: ‘Since the begin has written: has become the rule.’ turned deeply rooted premises premises rooted deeply turned try: forgetting, we had assumed, had assumed, we forgetting, try: the Internet. There were two two were There the Internet. the exception. (...) Due to the the exception. thus answering the demand the thus answering of the memory the collective us that with the Internet, we we us that with the Internet, Postscript: work silently and automatically, and automatically, silently work was the rule and remembering remembering and rule the was This new form of legislation of legislation form This new ‘automatic mode of remember ‘automatic mode ‘the greatest part’ of a former part’ of a former ‘the greatest ------shared experience. Forgetting Forgetting experience. shared shared; the victim had to relate to relate the victim had shared; stance, remembering is the gate remembering stance, similar logic is at work in the logicsimilar is at work strategy. But, as I want to show, to show, as I want But, strategy. enable the patient to move for move the patient to enable edged by the perpetrator before before the perpetrator edged by combined features of the tribu combined features culture. In the ritual framework ritual framework In the culture. for in of Christian confession, connected to forgetting and per connected to forgetting remembering as the preferred as the preferred remembering remembering in South Africa. Africa. in South remembering artistic concept of ‘catharsis’: of artistic concept memory. memory. new form of public ritual, which which ritual, form of public new nal, the cathartic drama and the the cathartic drama nal, process is purged through this through purged is process matic past can be collectively re- matic past can be collectively membering in order to forget’ is to forget’ membering in order Western in discovery not a new public rituals a traumatic event event traumatic rituals a public psychotherapy: a painful past a painful past psychotherapy: it could be erased from social from it could be erased painful event on stage, a trau a on stage, event painful fore they can be erased through through can be erased they fore had to be publicly narrated and narrated had to be publicly had which his or her experience, through remembering is essen remembering through lived and overcome. According According and overcome. lived haps even directed towards it. towards directed haps even has to be raised to the level of to the level has to be raised and consciousness to language to be witnessed and acknowl Christian confession. In these Christian confession. to the theory of Aristotle, the Aristotle, of to the theory tially also the goal of Freudian also the goal of Freudian tially Commission designed by Bishop designed by Commission to be articulated and listed be the absolution of the priest. A priest. of the the absolution of a the re-presentation through this form of remembering is also is of remembering this form group that undergoes such a such that undergoes group ward and leave that past behind. that past behind. and leave ward way to forgetting: sins have first sins have to forgetting: way Therapeutic or transitional ‘re or transitional Therapeutic This was also the aim of staging also the aim of This was and Reconciliation Truth The a created Boraine Alex and Tutu

like a invisible invisible a like is always on is always servant who servant silently and silently duty, but no’ but duty, that forgetting forgetting that automatically, automatically, does its work does work its

‘We assume assume ‘We

Aleida Assmann Aleida Seven forms of forgetting of forms Seven the house of gisèle 70 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Castrum Peregrini Bostelen Photos: Herman van Castrum Peregrini the house of gisèle the house of gisèle Photos: Herman van Bostelen Photos: Herman van

Castrum Peregrini Castrum Peregrini

Vincent van Velsen van Vincent the house of gisèle histories alternate for space Making 77 - resident at the Jan van Eyck Eyck van the Jan at 2016 resident At the same time it became clear that At the same sion of and justification of contemporary of contemporary sion of and justification subjects came with a conscious reflection a conscious reflection subjects came with curator in 2015 with the exhibition exclude/ in curator gramme Memory Machine – We Are What We What We Are gramme Memory Machine – We our historical knowledge as well as our vi- well as our historical knowledge one (hi)story that no showing ent value: ‘the true image of as complete version, of post-colonial positions disclosed. All disclosed. of post-colonial positions framework of the and consideration on, spec- bears consequences for the entire conspiracies, coincidences and the coincidences conspiracies, researcher and curator with a background in with a background and curator researcher and worldview should contain multiple should contain multiple and worldview alterity as a alterity art and architectural history. He debuted as a He debuted history. art and architectural and mechanism that is called History. that is called History. and mechanism or addition alteration adjustment, any art canon was addressed, together with addressed, was art canon of large the opaque motives attention, include. Alternate Alternate Histories at Castrum include. its social relationships that emerge from from that emerge its social relationships or correct the true, to (re)present is able institutions and archives were featured, featured, were and archives institutions individuals that were excluded from from excluded that were individuals - the pro of within the framework Peregrini Alix de Massiac he with Together Remember. Art Corporate Association of the Netherlands curatorial price organized by by organized price won the 2015 curatorial Collections (VBCN). He researched notions of notions He researched Collections (VBCN). zations were reflected on, and the origins and the on, reflected were zations positions based on that same narrative. narrative. based on that same positions inher and highlight their perspectives politics of power. Furthermore, specific specific Furthermore, of power. politics In that sense our collective knowledge knowledge In that sense our collective the past, is substantially influenced by influenced is substantially the past, away’. slips the past continuously trum. How we view the world today, with today, the world view we How trum. history in exceptional ways were given given were ways exceptional in history - (pan-)national organi the importance of Academy in Maastricht. in Maastricht. Academy Vincent van Velsen is a Dutch critic, writer, writer, critic, Dutch is a Velsen van Vincent sion relating to perspectives, narratives narratives to perspectives, sion relating sense, writer Fred Moten justly pleads for justly Moten writer Fred sense, all are preservation and creation strangely, up with sameness’. bound is all struction cations. On the other hand, it aimed to On the other hand, cations. those but for victors or rulers, of those of ‘minorities’ in a one-dimensional way of or geographical ethnic religious, cultural, exclude/include, Alternate exclude/include, of the exhibition - and inclu of exclusion on the processes so- – political, and with power charge allowed are or financial – cultural cial, history. thus our and memory collective background. It did not propose an idea in It did not propose background. bound up with differentiation; and de- bound up with differentiation; and histories. The ability to voice one’s one’s voice to The ability and histories. more supposedly to a a single alternative in particular. of history and the concept question should focus on the way this the way focus on should question So, if ‘we are what we remember’, the first remember’, what we are ‘we if So, destruction, recognizing that [maybe] [maybe] that recognizing destruction, indicates, the aim was to reflect to reflect the aim was Histories indicates, remembrance comes about. As the title comes about. remembrance give an incentive towards a critical atti- towards an incentive give - expli and notion and its implications forgotten, overlooked, marginalized, the position not to focus on questioning mind and ways of being together. In that In that together. of being ways mind and provide space for other narratives: not space for other narratives: provide underrepresented and underappreciated. and underappreciated. underrepresented In the presented works the conventional the conventional works In the presented It is important to say that the aim was that the aim was It is important to say hand to demonstrate this Benjaminian Benjaminian this to demonstrate hand truthful truth. The exhibition intended to intended The exhibition truth. truthful general, stories in presented tude towards the question of history making: those in making: those of history the question to shape our able and thereby to speak, viewpoints in society directly relates to relates in society directly viewpoints which the works render a final version, or version, a final render works the which The aim of the exhibition was on the one on the was The aim of the exhibition ‘a life invested in preservation rather than rather in preservation ‘a life invested – including gender, sexual orientation, orientation, sexual gender, – including - - -

- the inclusion and exclu Decisions about substance. Therefore the possibility exists the possibility exists Therefore substance. social arena, and create a richness of the richness a and create social arena, sion of such narratives, ideas, individuals individuals ideas, narratives, sion of such should be provided significant space and be provided should can also be viewed in current American in current viewed can also be culture is based on a shared history which which history shared is based on a culture consists of a specific selection of historical testi highlighting canon and historical current society. At the same time it proves At the same time it proves society. current of other, alternative views next to a more to a more next views alternative of other, forms, as more other knowledge, exclude and European politics, relating to the relating politics, and European affairs. Thus the contemporary cultural cultural Thus the contemporary affairs. are equally important to our modern day to our modern day important equally are and groups therefore should be constantly be constantly should therefore and groups identity and potentiality of belonging. in future inclusive narratives. narratives. inclusive in future ization of diversification and the voicing and the of diversification ization questioned and reconsidered. The valor questioned and reconsidered. relationships. The grand narrative of a narrative The grand relationships. not only our knowledge about history, but history, about our knowledge not only proper attention. Knowledge does not Knowledge attention. proper Biases and unilateral narratives affect narratives Biases and unilateral fies to the implicit goals and values of our values and fies to the implicit goals historically based essence of an inclusive an inclusive based essence of historically that one’s collective history is a malleable is a malleable history collective that one’s with and other histories new to represent traditional or commonplace perspective or commonplace perspective traditional ways and views can be present within one can be present and views ways - (1939),On the concept of history

alternate histories alternate demonstrated by the exhibition in the exhibition by demonstrated need different viewpoints, as was was as viewpoints, need different classes identify themselves with the with classes identify themselves on several levels - class, gender, ethnicity gender, - class, levels on several ously slips away’. In it he refers to history to history In it he refers slips away’. ously curated by Vincent van Velsen. van Vincent by curated one story that is able to represent represent that is able to one story on our history on our - marginal the common or space for any moti- about comes - and and geography as ‘the history of the victorious’ which of the victorious’ which ‘the history as - neg The memory. as part of our collective or omit- marginalized elements are ative ized man, as nobody wants to identify wants as nobody ized man, includes only heroic and positive aspects and positive heroic includes only rulers, conquerors and welldoers of the the of and welldoers conquerors rulers, representation partakes simultaneously partakes simultaneously representation Making space for for space Making past. In that same history there is hardly is hardly there In that same history past. points are deliberately excluded. From From excluded. deliberately are points In his essay In his essay - and differing view chapters Dark ted. the prevalent narratives, these unilateral the philosopher Walter Benjamin wrote Benjamin wrote Walter the philosopher - past continu ‘the true image of the that the true version of our past. We We past. our of version the true , histories alternate clude/exclude, vated by biased interests. An issue that An issue biased interests. by vated By Vincent Velsen van Vincent By with a subordinate position. This issue of This position. with a subordinate There is not one history. There is not is not There one history. is not There We need multiple perspectives multiple perspectives need We

Vincent van Velsen van Vincent Making space for alternate histories alternate for space Making the house of gisèle 76

Maria Barnas Maria the house of gisèle Zmamonka magic The 79 2015. within the framework of of the programme the programme of of Alternate Memories within the framework include/exclude, at Castrum Peregrini together with Danila Cahen. She is also engaged with Danila Cahen. together Shapeshifting at Castrum Peregrini of her past and spread them around the world, it would be impossible to put her back back to put her be impossible it would world, the them around of her past and spread she WE, not part of the dog-woman’s her I was to show in Polish, I know word only abundance. never really liked scrambled eggs, but zmazonka I could not refuse. Zmazonka held could not refuse. zmazonka I but eggs, liked scrambled really never known. I had never coming home to a country feeling of magic and a strange mystery, make-up box closed, an inch removed from the dog woman’s nose. woman’s the dog from removed an inch closed, make-up box man into a Dutch to all trap she made a pact with her sisters the road nettles along a made once they obliged to marry for feeling known men were Dutch marriage. past was like a fairy tale or a dark human hunting game. Sometimes she insisted game. hunting human tale or a dark like a fairy past was phant face far to close to the freshly powdered face of the stewardess who snaps her who snaps face of the stewardess powdered to the freshly to close face far phant hap- strong, raised They sisters succeeded in some sense. three The girl pregnant. frightening in offering food anyone, open to always were in homes that families py If we made zmazonka on just any odd day, the day became an occasion as by magic. I magic. as by became an occasion the day odd day, just any made zmazonka on If we had been confronted with. She said that she had never heard of the word. heard she had never She said that with. confronted had been looked at me, aghast. looked at me, there was no past to speak of. Sometimes she said that other people took fragments people took fragments she said that other Sometimes of. past to speak no was there in general. history about speaking I understand that she was Now together. exhibition she co-curated the ex- In 2014 she co-curated reality. how description shapes on she focuses in her visual work, this text Maria opened the With Playground. Intellectual Peregrini, of Castrum Tank Think in the She shook her head, as she got up to leave. She shook off all the absurd hostilities she the absurd shook off all She got up to leave. as she her head, She shook hibition She is making me part of a WE as she speaks. a me part of She is making My mother made zmazonka too, a way of making scrambled eggs on festive occasions. occasions. on festive eggs scrambled of making a way My mother made zmazonka too, her mood her on Depending histories. had many a gifted storyteller, My grandmother, Maria Barnas is a Dutch writer, poet and artist. Both in her novels, poetry and essays as well as and essays poetry Both in her novels, and artist. poet writer, a Dutch Maria Barnas is on 24 April Remember at Castrum Peregrini We What Are We – Machine Memory But for a few words, they never spoke Polish. But they made ‘zmazonka’. made But they Polish. spoke never they words, a few But for said the When I proudly bond with the stewardess. and me to intervene time for It was The WE is shoved between the two like a tight, irrevocable wall. irrevocable a tight, like the two between WE is shoved The When I google the word, there is no recognition. there the word, When I google When my Polish grandmother fled to the Netherlands as a girl, feeding herself with as a fled to the Netherlands girl, grandmother Polish When my All my terror of humanity is instilled in this wall. instilled in this is of humanity terror All my WE? woman’s the dog of Am I part considers me as such? because she Am I, ‘Zmazonka!’ I tried again. offered. I eggs?’ ‘Scrambled ‘OOOh’, says the dogwoman. ‘Warsaw!’ Laughs. ‘Honey, WE say Warsaw.’ WE say ‘Honey, Laughs. ‘Warsaw!’ the dogwoman. says ‘OOOh’, - trium deaf person – her a speaking to as if slowly, repeats woman the dog ‘WAR.SAW.’ - - stand what the woman is saying to her. She looks around for help. Should I intervene? for help. She looks around to her. is saying stand what the woman been away from home for quite a while. from been away blue only means one thing in a Dutch mind: KLM, The Royal Airlines. Why does this Why Airlines. Royal The KLM, mind: in a Dutch means one thing only blue Easy to clean, wear. to it is horrible I imagine because be me cringe? make It may blue already. and other places we might call our home. might places we and other attendants dressed in a cool, airy cotton. airy in a cool, attendants dressed ripple of calm and a tinge of excitement through the cabin, with echoes from the east from with echoes the cabin, tingecalm and a ripple of through of excitement her mouth. In perfect Polish she says ‘Warszawa’. The name of the city spreads a The name of the city spreads ‘Warszawa’. she says perfect Polish In her mouth. hierarchies and old systems of harsh suppression and exclusion. and old systems of harsh suppression hierarchies yes. But also non-breathing, sweaty and itchy. How different would it be to see flight it be to would different How and itchy. sweaty non-breathing, But also yes.

had never seen. This text was delivered at the opening of include/ex at the opening of delivered was text This seen. had never never known’ never Part of my unease with this blue is also the reference to the royal family – blue blood – blood – blue family royal to the is also the reference blue unease with this of my Part Distressed, the dog woman almost strangles the animal in her lap. She does not under in her lap. animal the strangles almost woman dog the Distressed, Polish grandmother: ‘Zmazonka’. A magic word from a country Barnas Barnas a country from word magic A ‘Zmazonka’. grandmother: Polish

, an exhibition made for Castrum Peregrini by by Peregrini Castrum made for clude, Alternate , an exhibition Memories By Maria Barnas By The stewardess sits down and starts putting blue eye shadow around her slant eyes. around shadow eye and starts putting blue down sits The stewardess ‘Thank you’. replies: distractedly The stewardess today?’ off to, flying you are ‘Where woman: The dog leaves a short melody a sigh, and with sits up straight awake, to seems The stewardess An elderly lady gripping a small panting dog in her lap says bitterly: you are beautiful are you bitterly: in her lap says dog small panting gripping a lady An elderly A tall woman dressed in stark blue polyester enters the train. This violent and practical This violent and practical enters the train. polyester blue in stark dressed A tall woman Vincent van Velsen. van Vincent feeling of coming home to a country I had I had a country home to coming of feeling The Dutch poet and artist Maria Barnas learned just one word from her her from word one Barnas learned just Maria and artist poet Dutch The ‘Excuse me?’ exclaims the dog woman. the dog ‘Excuse me?’ exclaims have She must on her face. smile an absent with the stewardess repeats ‘Warszawa’, ‘I don’t understand, where the hell is that?’, the dog woman cries out. woman dog the hell is that?’, the where understand, ‘I don’t curtly. replies the stewardess ‘The capital of Poland, ‘The word held mystery and a strange and a strange held mystery ‘The word The magic Zmazonka magic The

Maria Barnas Maria The magic Zmamonka magic The the house of gisèle 78

Lars Ebert Lars the house of gisèle bubble Castrum The 81 - 9789060341001. isbn programme and European projects. He is also active inter He is also active projects. and European programme nationally as a consultant for educational institutions of for as a consultant nationally It is like that, remember. It is like that It is remember. It is like that, up out of nothing. some intention risen By In a sense between us two whoever In a sense between us face who other each faced two we have Before scene abstract this other now across Each Lars Ebert was born in Heidelberg, Germany and holds a and holds Germany born in Heidelberg, was Ebert Lars Into the space we make. And yet I say And yet the space we make. Into construct this space better, silence or, this I say it is not us we see we are where From disguise is mortal. tense present in the Here Mainly an obstacle to what I mean. what Mainly an obstacle to Meanwhile surely there must be something to say, something to be must there surely Meanwhile least happy not suitable but at Maybe degree in Protestant theology. He has lived since 2003 at He has lived theology. in Protestant degree More truly now this abstract act become. abstract now this truly More Stretching between us. This is a public place is a public This between us. Stretching higher arts. arts. higher So that somehow something may move across move So that somehow something may Only when it is said and fixed and dead. when Only know we never course of surely, Or maybe, Castrum Peregrini, where he is responsible for the cultural the cultural for he is responsible where Peregrini, Castrum Castrum Peregrini in 2004, Castrum Peregrini This silence here for in it I might hear you. in it I might for here silence This and me. habits of language to you caught The disclose our home. continually times The I am here Yet hastening. times are trying The W.S. Graham W.S. We are. Anyhow here we are and never we are here Anyhow are. We What we have said, what lonely meanings are read lonely meanings are what said, What we have Very often at the beginning till we are met till we are often at the beginning Very And even then we know what we are saying we are what then we know And even Achieved against subjective odds and then against subjective Achieved And times are hastening yet, disguise is mortal. hastening yet, And times are ’ by Claus Victor Bock was published by published by was Bock Victor Claus 1942-1945’ by The Constructed Space Constructed The ‘Untergetaucht unter Freunden. Ein Bericht. Amsterdam Amsterdam Ein Bericht. unter Freunden. ‘Untergetaucht - - - - time. in time but also out of time. still touch my heart, against against heart, my 1942-45 still touch they stood, and that each of them expressed expressed of them and that each stood, they Looking back Claus Victor Bock writes in 1985: ‘I Bock Victor Claus Looking back There was something universal in this experi something universal was There nothing will happen to us’ will happen to nothing bring us closer to acquiring a free mind. We owe owe We mind. bring us closer to acquiring a free you spaces where to build constructed societies, spaces, on smaller or bigger scales – and this is spaces, spaces. But the meaning-making mechanism was was But the meaning-making mechanism spaces. in their own way. … If in the beginning literature literature … If in the beginning way. in their own in a circle reading verses aloud, faces up to a poem a up to faces aloud, verses reading in a circle someone from demanded is never which in a way ence, an essence of life that became solid like gas an essence of life that became ence, or the same smoking wick fattend in hair grease’ fattend in hair grease’ smoking wick or the same cultural production being the catalyst: ‘We were six: were ‘We being the catalyst: production cultural stands up Whoever spectators. no ence and certainly cultural sense. ‘But what held the artists [of the the artists [of what held ‘But sense. cultural and I can meet, against all odds. all against and I can meet, reading silently. Reading aloud involves me in a crea Reading aloud involves silently. reading democracy to have art stitched in all aspects of our in all aspects of art stitched have to democracy measure my benefit rather against the fact that rather benefit my measure metaphor of a circle and the recitation may remind remind may recitation and the metaphor of a circle in a broader and much fundamental more much Herengracht, badly illuminated by a single oil lamp by illuminated badly Herengracht, us to trust, find friendship and love and ultimately ultimately and and love find friendship us to trust, under high pressure, a notion that we construct a notion that we under high pressure, unique that happened us of religious ceremonies as similarly constructed as similarly ceremonies us of religious the visual arts… Many of the drawings and pain and the drawings of the visual arts… Many to build a group as a safe space in which differences differences which space in a safe as group to build a these readings there were only participants, no audi no participants, only were there these readings the years the years of the the fact that I still see and still approve tings were realised during the last war winter at the during the last war realised tings were 57) The p. (Untergetaucht, with a poem...’ process tive group in hiding] … together was the mental space, in the mental space, in hiding] … together was group 5) p. (Untergetaucht, 91) p. (Untergetaucht, were made fruitful through cultural references and references cultural made fruitful through were what is called culture: memory in action. It enables It enables in action. memory what is called culture: was more dominant, at the end of the war it were it were of the war at the end dominant, more was which which Wolfgang, Buri, Chris, Vincent, Reinout and Claus. Claus. Reinout and Vincent, Chris, Buri, Wolfgang, Again we read from ‘Der Stern des Bundes’… During ‘Der Stern des Bundes’… from read Again we ‘As long as we write poetry poetry write we long as ‘As -

Concentration was a methodological necessity. The a methodological necessity. was Concentration We owe the notion to Henri Lefebvre that space the notion to Henri Lefebvre owe We being. That was the magic spell, the hope, the love, the love, the hope, the magic spell, That was being. back to the German poet Stefan George. I can only I can only German poet Stefan George. to the back social group. He calls this the Third Space. ‘Space Space. Third He calls this the social group. In the memories of the hiders and that symbols.’ say every now and then “as long as we write poetry write poetry long as we “as and then now every say it to harkening rest, Long in the terrible night, Till Till night, in the terrible Long it to harkening rest, from freed are And you and strong, it is tempered is a complex social construction in which values values social construction in which is a complex of earth when hearing or reciting words as ‘Render as words of earth when hearing or reciting of Wolfgang Frommel and Gisèle it becomes clear and Gisèle Frommel Wolfgang of needed was individual, engagement of each creative centration proved of value, concentration on poetry, on poetry, concentration of value, proved centration 85) p. (Untergetaucht, prayer.’ or on on ones activities and evident this utopia was educational aspect of cultural, cultivated space in the midst of barbarism? space in the midst cultivated cultural, roused by the god, When softly called by your love.’ your called by When softly the god, by roused and cultural references produce the meaning of a the meaning of produce references and cultural and associated images its through lived as directly and security permeated us’ (Untergetaucht, p. 85f) p. and security permeated us’ (Untergetaucht, meaning, it was there to set you free as an individual as an individual free to set you there it was meaning, nothing will happen to us”… then a feeling of rest will happen to us”… then a feeling of rest nothing negativism did not stay away. In such moments con In such away. did not stay negativism no tie. We experienced freedom inside, not outside. not outside. inside, freedom experienced We no tie. important to maintain it was All the more meters. peace and quietude. Huffiness, emotional explosions, explosions, emotional Huffiness, peace and quietude. from antiquities to the current times, the active and the active times, current antiquities to the from had been forced to to disappear from the surface disappear from to to had been forced Our pilgrims’ castle consisted of only a few square square a few Our pilgrims’ castle consisted of only that the continuous reception of cultural highlights of cultural reception that the continuous that kept them going. Young pilgrim ‘Buri did though ‘Buri did pilgrim Young them going. that kept guess what those must have felt and thought who have guess what those must your spirit to rest, Under immaculate clouds, Send immaculate clouds, Under to rest, spirit your are When you No longerand numb, silent shell, your This journey through a dark and horrible night had a a dark and horrible through This journey Wolfgang Frommel largely motivated it by referring referring it by motivated largely Frommel Wolfgang ‘What held us together was a magical ring, no chain, no chain, ring, a magical held us together‘What was - - - 401 . (Untergetaucht (Untergetaucht 401. , translation by the author) by translation 77, Gisèle and Wolfgang Frommel together with their Frommel Wolfgang Gisèle and

by a similar destiny. This social space required hard hard space required This social a similar destiny. by space? in Amsterdam. 401 in Amsterdam. house on the Herengracht did Gisèle and barbarism. How Nazi run from in order for it to hold such different characters, ages, ages, characters, different for it to hold such in order ever we were doing at that very moment. This was, This was, moment. doing at that very were we ever castle, themselves as pilgrims, bound to one another bound pilgrims, as themselves castle, constructed space by itself, a bubble amongst many. amongst many. a bubble itself, constructed space by our time of our lives, erosion the which in ourselves, references and bring them into alignment. It was a It was and bring them into alignment. references and continuous work of building up and maintaining building up of work and continuous and the space that claws occurs, and our history network of friends and colleagues provided shelter provided of friends and colleagues network dinary, tiny, vulnerable, rental flat, without a kitchen, without a kitchen, flat, rental vulnerable, tiny, dinary, dreams, talents, longings, genders, religions, cultural cultural religions, genders, longings, talents, dreams, portant. When we read poetry we had to stop what had to stop we poetry read we When portant. Foucault. But what enabled Gisèle and Wolfgang Wolfgang and Gisèle what enabled But Foucault. for a small group of youngsters against persecution. persecution. against of youngsters for a small group formally speaking, our first and only commandment.’ commandment.’ and only our first speaking, formally time in hiding at Herengracht time in hiding at Herengracht […] we live inside a set of relations’, quoting Michel Michel quoting inside a set of relations’, live […] we and maintain a a set of relations such to establish in the midst of barbarism of in the midst gnaws at us, is also, in itself, a heterogeneous space a heterogeneous in itself, is also, us, at gnaws the midst of barbarism Castrum Peregrini Peregrini barbarism Castrum of the midst Unter Freunden, p. p. Unter Freunden, was the code name in World War II for the the II for War World in name the code was was Castrum Peregrini, the pilgrim castle. In this or castle. the pilgrim Peregrini, Castrum was

writes Claus Victor Bock in his memoires about his about his memoires in Bock Victor writes Claus without a bath, they imagined their reality as a safe reality imagined their they a bath, without As a cultural construction of a safe house in house in a safe of construction As a cultural people on the for poetry house full of safe A The code name of this safe house on Herengracht The code name of this safe house on Herengracht By Lars Ebert Lars By A culturally constructed safe house house safe constructed culturally A Wolfgang Frommel manage this constructed manage this constructed Frommel Wolfgang ‘Interpretation was important, reading was more im more was reading important, was ‘Interpretation ‘The space in which we live, which draws us out of draws which live, we ‘The space in which The Castrum bubble Castrum The

Lars Ebert Lars The Castrum bubble Castrum The the house of gisèle 80 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Family affair: the Castrum Peregrini family ‘The true platonic meaning of friendship: growing together, working together, enjoying together, and making decisions based on true feelings’

For ten years Reli Avrahami and Avner wide windows framed in white. It has seven Avrahami have wandered through- stories and a terrace on the roof, and is locat- out Israel, portraying families for the ed on the Herengracht canal. The building 82 newspaper Haaretz. Their series of was renovated in 1920, and the Dutch artist 83 pictures accompanied by short in- Gisèle rented the third floor in 1941. She terviews is famous in Israel. They are gradually purchased the entire building. portraits of everyday lives, of Jews and Arabs, of Muslims and Christians. For Gisèle: Gisèle van Waterschoot van der their exhibition in Amsterdam in 2015, Gracht (1912–2013), the daughter of the ‘Family Affairs’, they portrayed the Dutch jurist and geologist Willem van Castrum Peregrini family. Waterschoot van der Gracht, was an artist, a patron of other artists, a publisher and Text Avner Avrahami a Righteous Among the Nations, awarded Photo Reli Avrahami by Yad Vashem. She lived in the US in her youth, studied in Paris and in the south of the Netherlands, produced etchings and paint- Castrum Peregrini family ings and created stained glass for churches. In 1941 she moved to Amsterdam, where she Members: Lars Ebert (40), Frans Damman remained during World War II. (48), Michael Defuster (59) World War II: After Holland fell to the Nazis, The house: In the city centre, a traditional Gisèle hid Jewish children in her home. She The Castrum Peregrini family, Amsterdam. Amsterdam building from the 17th century, cited her strong faith in humanitarianism as Frans Damman, Michael Defuster and Lars Ebert in the salon of Gisèle. tall and narrow, built of brown bricks, with the motive for this activity. A group of children Photo: Reli Avrahami, February 2015

Family Affair: the Castrum Peregrini family · Avner Avrahami and Reli Avrahami Family Affair: the Castrum Peregrini family · Avner Avrahami and Reli Avrahami the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

hiding in the home engaged in art under her economics, worked in publishing and the And if they are free, they do some sports and God: No. tutelage. They remained there after the war. museum world. eat a bite at their favourite place - Café de Over the years, Gisèle gradually purchased the Lars: Born in Heidelberg Germany, 1976, Doffer. Mostly though, they entertain guests Children: God forbid! adjacent building and created a maze of studi- an only child, grew up in Germany, stud- – friends or future collaborators, speakers, os, a gallery, apartments, offices, hallways and ied Protestant theology, also works as a board members, authors, artists interested Most important: Friends. staircases full of art and collectors’ items. consultant for higher arts education and in a residency, and others. That means that international networking in culture. Lars cooks and they prepare a nice table in Last will: ‘Castrum Peregrini does not Castrum Peregrini: Latin for ‘Fortress of the Gisèle’s studio and celebrate sharing food belong to us; it is an independent founda- Pilgrims’, the name of a Crusader fortress in Life decision: ‘To intertwine our private and thoughts for an evening. tion. We hope that following generations Atlit, south of Haifa (in present-day Israel), and professional lives and dedicate them will continue our work on the legacy of which provided shelter for pilgrims. It was to Gisèle and her heritage.’ Professionalism: Michael is an accom- Gisèle van Waterschoot van der Gracht and the code name for Gisèle’s house during the plished cook, but most of the time Lars Wolfgang Frommel.’ war and became the name of the foundation How they met: Michael and Frans met at a cooks, enjoying the concrete work of pre- she set up in 1957, which operates from the class for publishers, Lars did an internship paring food, including hunting for its in- Happiness (on a scale of 1 to 10): 8.5 house at Herengracht 401. at Castrum when Michael was already direc- gredients at local markets. Whoever cooks tor; they became friends and started to build must not wash dishes. Michael does the Reli Avrahami and Avner Avrahami have The house today: A cultural centre for art- a life together. Taking care of Gisèle was the laundry, while Lars is good at ironing; Frans wandered throughout Israel, photographing ists, students, teachers, academics, pro- final experience that made them a family. takes care of the plants and birds, and the random families and questioning them about ducers and opinion makers, with its unique house in general. their daily lives, about their dreams and history providing inspiration for exhibi- On sharing life: ‘The true platonic meaning beliefs, their origins and their relations. She tions, lectures, performances, discussions, of friendship: growing together, working House rules: ‘No smoking. If someone with- takes photographs, he writes; she navigates, workshops and seminars. The house is also together, enjoying together, and making draws, we respect privacy. In general, treat he drives; she’s a wife, he’s a husband. They 84 home to Michael, Frans and Lars, run the decisions – not based on conventions, but everything and everyone with respect.’ visited hundreds of families in their private 85 foundation. based on true feelings and urgencies. We homes – and others who live under one roof. enjoy building and exploring together. Love, Outings: Seldom in Amsterdam (‘too busy Their portraits appeared regularly in the Roles: Michael – general manager. His duties life, hard work and joy are all one for us. with our own house and activities’) and weekend supplements of Haaretz (and later include charting strategy, creating devel- And having a joint purpose: contributing to more often when travelling. But they do Maariv), week by week, becoming a routine for opment programmes and establishing the society – in our case, opening up Castrum try to attend openings, performances and Israeli readers. Encounters with a variety of centre as a brand in Dutch and international Peregrini to a broader audience, making films, and during the weekend go to (new) people, born in the country or immigrated, Jews public discourse. Frans – responsible for the that heritage fruitful for a healthy society, restaurants. and Arabs, Muslims, and Christians, coming educational programmes, content devel- giving something back to society.’ from Europe, Africa, and Asia. The format was opment, marketing and communication. Dreams: Making Castrum Peregrini a sus- always the same: a colourful photograph and Lars – director of activities and, in particular, Daily routine: ‘We wake up at 7.30, and then tainable place that can be fruitful for many a very personal text. The traces of tensions in European projects. have coffee (and the newspapers) togeth- future generations. ‘We enjoy Greece, and the Israeli society, national and religious, social, er. The first disagreement: Do we read in maybe we’ll build a beautiful existence political or ethnic, are visible in the ambience Support staff: Judith Couvee, art historian – silence or do we discuss the day ()?’ The there, also working and living together, of everyday life, in the environment of living production; Leon – project assistance. three then work in the house, are busy with developing a project (with olives?) and our- rooms and family stories. Of the hundreds of meetings, guided tours, preparing exhibi- selves – growing with challenges.’ families and their stories, about 80 were select- Biographies: Michael: Born in Kortrijk, tions, lectures etc., or they travel to project ed for an exhibition in the frame of the pro- Belgium, 1957, grew up in a large family, edu- meetings, write funding applications, and Longings: World peace, GT and sun. gramme Memory Machine – We Are What We cated as an architect and landscape architect. so on. Quick lunch at one o’clock, often used Remember in 2015, curated by Galia Gur Zeev. Frans: Born in Amsterdam, 1968. Grew as a staff meeting to discuss the proceed- Abroad: Greece, Pylos in Messinia, where For this occasion they portrayed the Castrum up with a brother and a sister, studied ings of the day. (‘We try to stop by 6 o’clock.’) they grow olives. Peregrini Family.

Family Affair: the Castrum Peregrini family · Avner Avrahami and Reli Avrahami Family Affair: the Castrum Peregrini family · Avner Avrahami and Reli Avrahami the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Maker unknown Hugo Claus Hermann Josef Mispelbaum, 1988 Maker unknown Woodcut, 32 x 39 cm Invullen!! Acrylic and pencil on paper, 40 x 29,5 cm Acrylic on paper, 23,5 x 16 cm

Sol Lewitt Silkscreen, 37 x 37 cm , number 8 of 50 copies

Attributed to Marcel Schaffner, 1980s/1990s Nicola Wisbrun-Irmer, Zonder titel, 1987 Maker unknown, 1984 Mixed media on paper, 97 x 78 cm Mixed media on paper (acrylic), 100 x 69 cm Ink and pencil on paper, 14,5 x 10,5 cm

Heiter Müller-Schlösser Gert Weber , Komposition Pencil on paper, 148 x 148 cm Oil paint on canvas, 73 x 94 cm

The Legacy of Walter Euler and Sabine Euler-Künsemüller

Castrum Peregrini is thankful for the 1980s to settle in Zeeland (NL) to live on this spread is displayed in a guest W.H (signed), Small Machine, Josef Albers, 1972, Silkscreen, 32 x 32 cm, Lothar Quinte Acrylic and ink on cardboard, 35,5 x 16 cm nummer 288 van 380 exemplaren Silkscreen, 18 x 18 cm legacy of lateWalter Euler (†2008) and amidst their art and books. The couple apartment at Castrum Peregrini that we Sabine Euler-Künsemüller (†2016). Walter knew Castrum Peregrini since the 1950s named after Sabine and Walter. We are was an art historian, Sabine an art restor- and sought contact when moving to the grateful for their support and will cherish er and both were avid collectors of books Netherlands. Their personal archive as the memory of their exceptional life in and art. After a life in Darmstadt, Basel well as their art was transferred to the which freedom, friendship and art played and Düsseldorf they left Germany in the Castrum Peregrini archive. The selection a key role. The Legacy of Dr.Walter Euler and Dr.Sabine Euler-Künsemüller

Riemer Knoop Riemer

condition humaine condition the house of gisèle the for Refuge A 89 ------with all its objects, associations with all its objects, hub

These interiors are not merely snapshots, but but snapshots, not merely These interiors are And now it’s something that has no name, yet, yet, has no name, something that it’s And now , an opposite, that complements the that complements an opposite, , contramal stop there. We still have to take shelter today: as to take shelter today: still have We stop there. but over the well-meaning silent majority, preservation, museums and heritage, having held po having and heritage, museums preservation, . This This in 1945. War after the of Castrum Peregrini sitions at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities, Antiquities, National Museum of sitions at the Dutch , a Barbarians The Take but faces of politicians. Alessandro Italian philosopher book written by enemy will, at least for most visitors, be obvi at least for most visitors, will, enemy the development of their heritage policy. the development eager neo-Marxism, from Reaganomics and Reaganomics from eager neo-Marxism, and ‘Culture Inkei’s Or take Peter far? so ognize ous: the nasty Nazis. With Gisèle the situation With ous: the nasty Nazis. the Arts Amsterdam. He has a broad professional professional He has a broad Amsterdam. Arts the the VU University, Amsterdam, and the University of and the University Amsterdam, VU University, the from war time friends that had not survived: had not survived: friends that time war from culture. In that sense, the House of Gisèle forms the House of Gisèle In that sense, culture. ma and strong with the continuity contrast rather accumulations of material and spiritual spiritual and of material accumulations rather really new or is it just something we did not rec did we or is it just something new really and attributions. artists, intellectuals, cultural, ethnic or gender cultural, intellectuals, artists, background in the areas of archaeology, built heritage of archaeology, in the areas background a more special to me than the famous house on special to me than more minorities. We need shelter from progress, the progress, need shelter from We minorities. mocracy. It could well become an unexpectedly unexpectedly become an It could well mocracy. Prinsengracht. In the Anne Frank House the Anne Frank In the Prinsengracht. is more nuanced. Although it starts in the same nuanced. is more not it does same dilemmas, period and with the impactful is a static and almost immaterial memorial, a immaterial memorial, is a static and almost Baricco: do these faces represent something represent do these faces Baricco: tool for de a cultural such for me represents Riemer Knoop is a Dutch Professor of Cultural of Cultural Professor Riemer Knoop is a Dutch of University Academy Heritage at Reinwardt teriality of the memory of the House of Gisèle. Gisèle. the House of of teriality of the memory ’: do we need cultural democracy democracy cultural need the Déplorables’: do we house our societies? Gisèle’s tools to preserve Opposite page: first publication bearing the name Opposite page: first Gandersheim. The main character of the ensemble makes it ensemble of the character The main Thatcherism, and until recently neoliberalism. and until recently Thatcherism, Vincent Weijand, Percy Gothein and Liselotte von Liselotte von Gothein and Percy Weijand, Vincent Amsterdam. Riemer engages at Castrum Peregrini in at Castrum Peregrini engages Riemer Amsterdam. Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. The latter Amsterdam. House in Anne Frank ‘Gedenkbuch’ featured three portraits of and texts portraits three featured ‘Gedenkbuch’ - - - not heritage The extent to which something is attributed to which The extent Which items, thoughts and rooms should rooms thoughts and items, Which When ABN AMRO bank was broken up broken bank was AMRO ABN When

special, ongoing involvement with critical with ongoing involvement special, The uniqueness lies in science and social life. something is under attack and should be and should something is under attack sale of national heritage – shame! ‘Next, they they ‘Next, sale of national heritage – shame! off our heri Hands Verdonk. said Minister be preserved in the house and refuge of be preserved is clearly visible: the Bad Nazi. In the the In visible: the Bad Nazi. is clearly both notions in its dynamic approach towards towards approach dynamic both notions in its bystanders. No, be defended. therefore itself and must by objects and their meaning. Things are as they as they Things are and their meaning. objects recent history. recent nuanced. How should we preserve the the preserve we should How nuanced. a Wunderkammer. It illustrates, I think, a I think, It illustrates, Wunderkammer. a are and at the same time - as they say - ‘beauty - say and at the same time - as they are accidental, critical heritage theory employs employs theory critical heritage accidental, abroad several years ago, many felt this was a felt this was many ago, years several abroad our Saint Nicholas’, going to take away are detail, period by period: the interwar period, period, the interwar period: period by detail, multicoloured Zwarte Piet has already left the has already Piet Zwarte multicoloured national character of ABN AMRO? depends on circumstances and context: high context: and on circumstances depends it being preserved down to the most bizarre the most bizarre to down it being preserved defended and therefore it becomes heritage. it becomes heritage. defended and therefore The permanent. is never an attribution Such pressure, scarcity, contestation or an ‘emo an or contestation scarcity, pressure, is in the eye of the beholder’. of the beholder’. eye is in the ing was being. Although this shift was not shift was Although this being. ing was is a call to arms. Something is is a call to arms. heritage works. Plato meets Aristotle, in a way: in a way: Aristotle, Plato meets works. heritage heritage arena. And who still cares about the about And who still cares arena. heritage seems now the ensemble the spaces, house, to Plato, being was being, to Aristotle, observ Aristotle, to being, being was to Plato, the war, the post-war period, and the more the more and period, post-war the the war, , in art, in art, the condition humaine, thinking about Gisèle van Waterschoot van der Gracht (1912- der Gracht van Waterschoot Gisèle van tage! In this case the heritage qualification tage! In this case the heritage qualification tional network’ of proponents, opponents and opponents proponents, of network’ tional House of Gisèle this image is more Gisèle this image is more of House In the Anne Frank House, the enemy the enemy House, Anne Frank the In what we attribute to them. That’s how simply simply how That’s them. attribute to what we wonderful Herengracht 401? Herengracht wonderful Refuge for the the for Refuge By Riemer Knoop Riemer By Things are never what they seem. Things are Things are seem. what they never Things are ) at Herengracht 401? And 2013) at Herengracht The why? condition humaine condition

Riemer Knoop Riemer

condition humaine condition the for Refuge A the house of gisèle 88

Michael Defuster Michael the house of gisèle beast the Against 91 -

It emerged out of a humani- out It emerged normalization It opposes the standable for a wide audience. standable The Identity of of Identity The Peregrini Castrum The Castrum Peregrini is an independent Foundation ad- that organization cultural society in inclusive an vocates is the norm. diversity which that survived tarian community World house during in a safe to be wants It therefore II. War come individuals a place where con- togethermake a positive to society, to an inclusive tribution orien- of ethnicity, irrespective or background cultural tation, opinion. through of the unacceptable aca- and cultural and dialogue It detects signs demic activities. at an early of social change them under stage and makes Memory Machine (2014-2016). Machine Memory Of late, it has even assumed positions has even it Of late, These are just a few of the insights we we of the insights few just a These are swept along by the masses and be the masses by along swept control this beast, parliamentary and parliamentary beast, this control the are first targets and the of power, ern world at least, it has in recent years years recent it has in least, at ern world ethnicity, religion and social status, and and social status, religion ethnicity, be drawn towards equals in terms of equals towards be drawn all efforts taken after World War II to War World taken after all efforts and plungeback mankind centuries is no guarantee that the wild beast in beast that the wild is no guarantee To us. destroy or even misery into deep es- been have institutions democratic sys- legal independent and up, drawn - theme of the pro the provided dard, illuminated the bizarre ability of the of the ability the bizarre illuminated My Friend, My Enemy, My Society (2013). Enemy, My My Friend, not sound very encouraging, despite encouraging, very not sound there a better place, make the world the effort to restrain than an more While this demon us. monster inside - west in the a century, than half more faces. names and us will not once again raise its head head its raise once again us will not ple to escape from the value system in system the value from ple to escape gramme Finally, the apparent inability of peo- of inability the apparent Finally, free press, the judiciary, and political the judiciary, press, free have gained. Therefore, and this does Therefore, gained. have a ghost for than more has been nothing tablished, constitutions of fundamen- constitutions tablished, been have and obligations tal rights know we Since Freud, place. tems put in nothing is essentially that civilization and acquired human form, taken on human species to allow itself to be to itself to allow human species tempted by irrationality and violence. and violence. irrationality tempted by in charted was others, thus to exclude sys- other the merits of to appreciate to elevate tendency and their tems, stan- to an all-destroying their truth which they were raised, their inability their inability raised, were they which The instinctive tendency of people to to of people tendency The instinctive ), we we (2012), All Are Fanatics We All our activities centred on why on why centred All our activities During that search, it became clear to it became clear search, During that on the themes of sensitivity to group fa- to group of sensitivity on the themes ory and connection with identity. Now Now connection with identity. and ory insti- a cultural find one can scarcely on their answers through exhibitions, exhibitions, through on their answers mean- and hence or offer detached ourselves. entitled becoming moralistic, simplify issues becoming moralistic, in our programme ‘Memory Machine’ Machine’ ‘Memory in our programme innocent, intelligent young people had people intelligent young innocent, Sloterdijk, Rosi Braidotti, Kenan Malik, Malik, Kenan Rosi Braidotti, Sloterdijk, to tried we accounts, ingless historical of our hu- part unconsciously in and racism and holocaust are deeply rooted rooted deeply are holocaust and racism naticism, freedom and friendship, and friendship, and freedom naticism, politics and diversity. politics (Philipp and curators philosophers man nature. In our annual programme programme annual In our man nature. grasp the reality in which we now find now we in which reality the grasp us that the discrimination, xenophobia, xenophobia, discrimination, us that the Blom, Zygmunt Baumann, Peter Peter Baumann, Zygmunt Blom, thematic annual programmes centred centred programmes thematic annual lectures and plays. Without wanting to wanting Without plays. and lectures address identity identity does not address tution that world the outside from for years to hide World during the gas chambers to avoid to explore the question and shed light shed question and the to explore van Velsen, Nina Folkersma and others) and Folkersma Nina Velsen, van - mem to cultural attention devoted we War II. We invited artists, academics, academics, artists, invited We II. War Wendelien van Oldenburgh, Vincent Vincent Oldenburgh, van Wendelien ‘Intellectual Playground’, we organized organized we Playground’, ‘Intellectual - fore not have could Although we

seen just how big the movement would would the movement big seen just how getthat things could sense a stinctively artists and intellectuals to chal- to and intellectuals artists - accord programme its and adapt later, years ten almost Now, ingly. came an insult, one of the first signs of signs of one of the first came an insult, recognize the danger of populists populists of the danger recognize cultural world was struck by the fact by struck was world cultural ‘heavy’ considered — values culture’ lenge the beast. become, the vulnerable safe house vulnerable the become, ever, but Michael Defuster calls on on calls Defuster but Michael ever, and ‘difficult’. In the early years of this years In the early ‘difficult’. and ined. Under the contradictory banner the contradictory Under ined. Since then, many cultural events have have events cultural many Since then, millennium, the word ‘intellectual’ be- ‘intellectual’ the word millennium, ples of the democratic rule of law. law. rule of democratic ples of the Castrum Peregrini was perhaps perhaps was Peregrini Castrum Peregrini outsourced its publishing its publishing outsourced Peregrini It has been eight years since Castrum since Castrum eight years It has been - imag than generally serious lot more heritage we preserve allowed us to in- allowed preserve heritage we the frontal assault by populists on what populists assault by the frontal basic princi- the elite and the call they taken place, and during that time the that and during taken place, core around organized were that they the prospects seem bleaker than than seem bleaker the prospects the first cultural institution to to institution cultural the first Against the beast Against values such as ‘freedom, friendship and ‘freedom, as such values By Michael Defuster By Civilization needs to be saved be saved to needs Civilization work and started to organize activities. activities. started to organize and work

Michael Defuster Michael Against the beast the Against the house of gisèle 90

Michael Defuster Michael the house of gisèle beast the Against 93 oppose the unacceptable, the beast, the beast, unacceptable, oppose the by protecting a space of civilization in a space of civilization protecting by artists, intellectuals and like-minded intellectuals artists, darkest days of modern European his- of modern European darkest days developments in society and politics. and politics. in society developments to Frommel, Wolfgang and der Gracht ) is director of (59) is director Defuster Michael Castrum Peregrini. Castrum Peregrini. prevail. people, just as they did roughly seventy seventy did roughly just as they people, Peregrini, Gisèle van Waterschoot van van Waterschoot van Gisèle Peregrini, from the clutches of the beast and let it let of the beast and the clutches from the norm, just as they did during the did during they as just the norm, to invite continue we why That is tory. years ago, to help protect civilization civilization protect to help ago, years which humanity and inclusiveness are are inclusiveness and humanity which We owe it to the founders of Castrum founders of Castrum it to the owe We Up to now, Castrum Peregrini has Castrum Peregrini now, Up to These recent developments de- developments These recent servatives, socialists, homosexuals and homosexuals socialists, servatives, seems more important than a solemn important seems more can be maintained in view of current of current in view can be maintained confined its scope to research. We research. scope to confined its community based on mutual respect respect based on mutual community extremely one-dimensional: a message one-dimensional: extremely Twitter on 140 characters of maximum vul- with Combined election promise. art can be subversive and shake peo- and shake be subversive art can and affection or love. Literature and art and Literature or love. and affection from the beast of keeping as the means inevitable question is whether this is whether question inevitable it exceptional. This characteristic has characteristic This it exceptional. Castrum identity of determined the disappeared, this heterogeneous group group this heterogeneous disappeared, and all our efforts are needed to save it. needed to save efforts are our and all during the war the House of Gisèle the House of Gisèle war during the a tight-knit formed they interests, rarely adopted an open position. The an open position. adopted rarely remained largely intact, which made which intact, largely remained Germans, Catholics, Protestants, con- Protestants, Catholics, Germans, people are left outside once they enter they left outside once people are ple out of their slumber. After the war, war, After the their slumber. ple out of Peregrini up to the present. For even even For present. the up to Peregrini provided the unifying element as well as well the unifying element provided maintain the delicate balance. And it is delicate balance. the maintain parties with nuanced views – all of – all views with nuanced parties fears omens raise these gar demagogy, Dutch, Jews, for a safe haven provided Peregrini will take in the future. Its in the future. will take Peregrini had sunk his teeth into that too, for that too, his teeth into had sunk today, apparent contradictions between between contradictions apparent today, the house. history remains a source of inspiration: of inspiration: a source remains history their different Despite heterosexuals. the door. They were forced to practice to practice forced were They the door. because the beast in secret, their art them institutions that were set up to set were that them institutions serious threat is under that civilization that Castrum direction termine the when the pressure from outside had from when the pressure plunge us into plunge us into deep misery’ again and again and demons in us demons guarantee guarantee the upper hand the upper that the dark dark that the will not gain will not

‘There is no is no ‘There

Michael Defuster Michael Against the beast the Against the house of gisèle 92 the house of gisèle the house of gisèle

Editors Castrum Peregrini works Credits Bob Witman / Come in partnership with Unique historic Michael Defuster, Lars Ebert, Framer Framed, Amsterdam; House of Gisèle is a ensemble must be Frans Damman / Castrum Humanity in Action, Amsterdam; one-off magazine with Peregrini Van Loon Museum, Amsterdam; a circulation of 3000 copies. preserved for future Oude Kerk Amsterdam; It is part of the programme Contributors Reinwardt Academy, University generations Memory Machine – We Aleida Assmann, Maria Barnas, of the Arts Amsterdam; Goethe Are What We Remember, Avraham Burg, Job Cohen, Annet Institute Lyon and Amsterdam; by Castrum Peregrini, The House of Gisèle is a unique place, with a Mooij, Kenan Malik, Amie Dicke, Frans Hals Museum and De 2014-2017. World War II hiding place, that has remained Avner and Reli Avrahami, Riemer Hallen Haarlem; ACERT Tondela, unchanged. It preserved civilization amidst bar- Knoop, Vincent van Velsen, Portugal; PELE, Porto, Portugal; Publisher Michael Defuster, Lars Ebert, University of the Arts, Bucharest, barism. Times may have changed since the war Foundation Castrum Peregrini, Herman van Bostelen, Arie de Romania; Bruno Kreisky Forum but the condition humaine has not: the fundament Amsterdam Ruiter, Simon Bosch, Sander for International Dialogue, of our culture is threatened again. The House Tiedema, Koos Breukel, Cees Vienna, Austria; Central Saint of Gisèle reminds us of what can happen and Managing Board van Ede, Quinsy Gario, Janina Martins College, University of the Frans Damman: PR, marketing, remains a beacon of culture. We need your help Pigaht, Pieter Paul Pothoven, Arts, London, United Kingdom; guest and visitors programme to preserve it! Louis Andriessen, Betsy Torenbos, Create, Dublin, Ireland; University Michael Defuster: general manager, Renee Turner. of Aix Marseille, France; Avrupa strategic development As an independent private foundation, Castrum Kültür Dernegi, Istanbul, Turkey; Lars Ebert: cultural programme, Peregrinin has conducted a feasibility study of Art direction, design Finnish Cultural Institute for international projects and photography the Benelux, Brussels, Belgium; the future of this unique place. Together with our Herman van Bostelen Dialogue Advisory Group, board of recommendation we have developed Staff Amsterdam; The European plans to renovate the historic spaces. They will Judith Couvée: production, Printer League of Institutes of the Arts, allow better access for a broader audience, offer volunteer coordinator Unicum, Tilburg Amsterdam. Leon Laskus: volunteer Aktion space for intellectuals and artists as well as cul- Sühnezeichen Friedensdienst tural and think-tank events. They will also gener- Memory Machine - Bas Merkies: financial Text editors ate income to ensure the sustainable future and Billy Nolan and Bob Witman We Are What We Remember. 94 administration 95 was realized in independence of the foundation and its home. co-operation with Supervisory Board Memory Machine - Come, Herman van Bostelen, For this investment we need Jan-Petrus Rozenbroek, chair, is an We Are What We Remember. Genootschap Nederland your support! entrepreneur, change manager and is financially supported by Duitsland, Royal Netherlands consultant the Mondriaan Fund, the Donating to Castrum Peregrini can be beneficial. Academy of Arts and Sciences, Ute Oelmann, secretary is a Amsterdam Fund for the The cultural ‘ANBI status’ of our foundation Graduate Gender Programme, literature scholar and Stefan George Arts (AFK) and the Pauwhof makes your donation tax deductible. Individuals University of Utrecht, Jewish expert Fonds. may deduct 1.25 times the amount of the gift Museum Hohenems, European Erik Somers, treasurer, is a historian Cultural Foundation. from their income tax return. Companies can at the NIOD Institute for War, deduct 1.5 times the amount of a donation on Holocaust and Genocide Studies Further reading their tax return. Feel free to contact us to discuss www.castrumperegrini.org the form in which you wish to support Castrum Board of Recommendation Peregrini. There are also ways to connect with Avraham Burg, author Follow us and politician, Israel the House of Gisele for those who do not live in Job Cohen, jurist and politician, the Netherlands. facebook.com/ Netherlands castrumperegrini Marjan Schwegman, For questions or a consultation please get in historian, Netherlands @CastrumNow touch with Frans Damman at: Ronny Naftaniel, activist, Netherlands castrum_peregrini [email protected] Maya Meijer-Bergmans, t 0031 20 6235 287 art historian, entrepreneur, Netherlands m 0031 6 2336 7491 Eric Fischer, vice chairman supervisory board Delta Lloyd NV

Credits Credits Photo: Herman van Bostelen