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.