ISS 25 (1995).pdf - The International Council of Museums

The Life Itself Provides The Topics
The International Council of Museums, the "Braunschweig-Studie" and the "Declaration of
Quebec" among a lot of very important points explain exactly the connection between
museology and community, interrelating starting-points and the shapes of an "active
museology", modem methods of communication and contemporary history as a position
defining present time. So the following statement of Wilhelm von Humboldt is valid until
today: "The man is looking after so much world as he is possible grasping up, and also
connecting with himself as he is able. "
With his pilosophy of museum v. Humboldt is close to the modern anthropology of civilization
and to the social-sciences but also to interdisciplinary and inter-social concepts.
The theme "The Life Itself Provides The Topics" for that very reason is in a near correlation to
contemporary history as "the sum of first passed events relating to contemporaries
immediately." This statement gives also reasons for the opening museums to all social groups
and following their democratic mission.
Museum-visitors of different levels of education, in my mind, easiest are reached by museums
and documentation centres in the way being on good terms to contemporary history. This
epoch is closer to the visitor's own life and often discussed in mediums he uses (almost)
regularly. So he connects with topics he is interested in, and the common-social connections
with the museum tasks which are here - in museums of contemporary history - more intensively
than in the other types of museums and - as we hope - more effectively with regard to the
socio-political appearances.
Now, under a lot of possibilities, I've to characterize some examples of museums and their
intentions which are challenging museum-responsibles regarded to contemporary history and
politicai actuality.
The first is the KZ-memorial place Dachau in Bavaria! Germany, the second the "Neue
Wache"/ Berlin and its figuration to the reunification of Gerrnany in 1989, the third the
"Holocaust-Museum" in Washington and the Museum of Tolerance (MOTX Simon­
Wiesenthal-Center) in Los Angeles.
The first called challenges "reflecting over connected remembering" and wants actual "images
to hostiles" will to be discussed, on the one part having contemporary events, on the other part
future political occurrences in view.
The second is to be seen on the agreement "From the School of Violence - to a Place of
Learning", because only remembering would be to less.
The third - The United States Holocaust Museum and the Museum of Tolerance - related to
the tragedy of Jewish people - first of all are aiming at informing Americans and inspiring
visitors to contemplate the moral implications of their choices and responsibilities as citizens in
an independent world.
The needs of democratic education according to different target groups are challenging
authorities in contemporary history much more than traditional museums. The general question
for them has to be setting impulses the visitor will be motivated through to a readiness in
humanity, peace and reconciliation in future.
Hildegard Vieregg
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