Cultural Heritage on the Curonian Spit | University of Tübingen

A typical anthropogenic landscape shape on the Curonian Spit

The Curonian Spit is a 98 km long and at its widest point 3 km large peninsula. It is situated east of Selenogradsk (Зеленоградск / former Cranz) in the region of Kaliningrad and stretches northeast in the direction of Klaipėda (former Memel) in Lithuania. The Curonian Spit was until 1945 part of the province of East Prussia, but the northern half belongs from 1920 until 1939 to the “Memelgebiet” (Memel area) respectively to Lithuania.

Since medieval times different cultural groups settled on the Curonian Spit, including Curonians, Lithuanians and Germans. These groups shared the life on the Spit and shaped together the nowadays landscape. The Curonian Spit is an example for an international and intercultural melting pot on the fringe of the Baltic Sea.

For the culture and history of Germans in Eastern Europe, the Curonian Spit is important in three different ways:

It was settled by an ethnic complex and diverse population, containing Curonian, Lithuanian and German people. This population transformed incrementally towards a German self-identification, especially in the second half of the 19^th century.
Until the Second World War, the Curonian Spit was an important research field for ethnologists and natural scientists, who influenced scientific discourses in the German Reich using the Curonian Spit as an Example (I. a. Question of nationalities, dune structure and coast protection).
The Curonian Spit is an important memory space in the German cultural collective memory. Starting with the so-called “Luisenkult” referring to the former Prussian queen Louise (1776 – 1810), it includes also the impression of prominent landscape scenery and represents a “soul-image” (W. von Humboldt).
During the first third of the 20^th century, Nida (former Nidden) was the place of a famous artists’ colony. Among others Lovis Corinth, Max Pechstein und Karl-Schmidt-Rotluff lived and painted in this colony, but also the famous writer Thomas Mann commissioned a summerhouse for his family and himself.

Renovated residential building (constructed before 1945)

Not renovated barn (constructed before 1945)

There is a substantial demand for scientific exploration regarding the material cultural heritage on the Curonian Spit from the time before 1945. Until today, a systematic inventory of the Cultural heritage of this region is missing, even though the Curonian Spit is part of the Unesco world heritage, which implies a special duty to research and conserve this heritage. Further research on this field is also missing.

The rising number of tourists on the Curonian Spit creates a demand for more Information on local cultural heritage. This information is therefore important for a further valorisation in the context of a progressing touristic and cultural usage and is indispensable for the protection and conservation.

We want to intensify the contemporary scientific research on the Curonian Spit. At the beginning, we will compile an inventory of the material cultural heritage of the nowadays-existing cultural heritage. Based on the inventory we will carry out empirical studies on the development processes of attributing meanings to the Cultural Heritage. The empirical studies will be a contribution to critical reflexion of the memory Space Curonian Spit in the collective memory of Germany, in which it represents a supposed “German East”.

Our project is designed to start filling the gap of needed scientific research on the Curonian Spit. We start with an extensive inventory of the material cultural heritage of the nowadays-existing cultural heritage. Based on the inventory we will carry out empirical studies on the development processes of attributing meanings to the Cultural Heritage. The empirical studies will be a contribution to critical reflexion of the memory Space Curonian Spit in the collective memory of Germany, in which it represents a supposed “German East”.

The division of the Curonian Spit between Russia and Lithuania make an intercultural examination of different developments paths possible. The social interaction with the cultural heritage and based on the cultural heritage in both parts of the Curonian Spit is divergent since 1945. This is an additional scientific value and a rare opportunity for researching the impact of the material cultural heritage.

Finally, with our project we might be able to provide important impulses for the future protection and the sustainable valorisation of the cultural heritage by addressing and involving the two national parks on the peninsula.

At the end of our Project we want to present:

A complete inventory of the buildings of the pre-war period on the Curonian Spit with a valuation of the monument value.
A complete inventory of anthropogenic influenced landscape elements, which represents a historic or contemporary iconic character of the Curonian Spit.
A collection of narrative interviews about appropriation processes of the material cultural heritage after 1945, which are analysed with regard to migration, interpretation and transformation
A report with an analysis of the different development trajectories between the Russian and the Lithuanian part of the Curonian Spit
A concept paper with a set of recommendations for action for an improved protection of the material cultural heritage on the Curonian Spit and its usage or valorisation.

A geographical information system (GIS) with all collected topographical and contentual information about the material cultural heritage on the Curonian Spit (both: Buildings and landscape elements)
Different publications (monographs and scientific papers) about the processes of appropriation and the valorisation of the material cultural heritage on the Curonian Spit.
Concept papers with specific recommendation for the protection of the material cultural heritage in combination with workshops with stakeholders on the Curonian Spit to discuss and spread the recommendations.

Financed by:

Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien