Wall Memorials and Heritage

Sybille Frank is Professor in the School of Planning, Department of Sociology at the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany.

"The Berlin Wall stood for 28 years before crumbling in the midst of popular protests that begin in November 1989. This year will mark the 28th anniversary of its fall. Thus, it seems timely to consider the ways that Germans have sought to remember the barrier that divided them for so long. Using Checkpoint Charlie as her focus, Frank (sociology, Technische Univ. Berlin) examines the debates surrounding the commemoration of the wall. She devotes the first part of her ambitious new book to a theoretical exploration of the concept of heritage and provides a thorough review of recent literature on the topic. Here, she makes the argument that heritage research should become a subdiscipline of its own in the field of sociology. The book's second part traces the complicated—and often contentious—discussions that have transpired since the 1990s regarding how Checkpoint Charlie specifically, and the Berlin Wall more generally, should be memorialized. This fascinating history of commemoration in reunified Germany identifies the interests of both public and private stakeholders and illuminates how competing agendas often led to misunderstandings and conflict. Summing Up: Highly recommended"- B. M. Puaca, Christopher Newport University in CHOICE

• Introduction: Heritage as an Under-Researched Academic Field Part 1: Theoretical Foundations: The Anglo-American Heritage Debate 1. How it Began: The Debate on the British Heritage Industry 2. International Outreach: Heritage as a Global Field of Sociocultural Practice Part 2: Empirical Findings: The Conflicts around Checkpoint Charlie 3. From Checkpoint to "Chequepoint": Introduction to the History of and the Diverse Stakeholders at Checkpoint Charlie 4. First Conflict: From Checkpoint to "Cheekpoint" 5. Second Conflict: From Checkpoint to "Shockpoint" 6. Checkpoint Charlie as a Victims’ Place and the Impossibility of Learning from Disney 7. Disneyfication as Cultural Combat Term 8. Pitfalls and Loopholes of Local Governance Conclusion: The Unregulated Formation of a Heritage Industry at Checkpoint Charlie