Signs Carved in Stone-Armenia's Brutalist cultural heritage: a key to Armenian identity? In this essay, a short overview is given of the historical background of Armenia and the impact of religion, language and alphabet in the Armenian strive for identity and survival as a nation. These factors are crucial to understand the notion of "Stone Thinking', typical of Armenian brutalism. As one of the authors tries to look for a common ground and values expressed in both Armenian and Belgian brutalism, she interviews her Armenian co-writer to finetune what is written in stone and concrete of Armenian heritage. The essay shows how the use of signs has Armenian brutalism differ from other brutalist structures and has made it stand out as a specific 'national architecture', even in the Soviet era.
This study focuses on the rediscovery and analysis of a largely overlooked painted wooden reliquary shrine from the Church of Saint Stephen in Hoeselt (Limburg, Belgium). The object, which had not previously been inventoried or studied by national heritage institutions, resurfaced in 2024 following a public appeal launched within the framework of the PaReS-Painted Relic Shrines in Situ project. This ongoing research initiative investigates painted wooden reliquaries dating from before 1566 that survived the iconoclastic outbreaks in Belgium and remain in their original ecclesiastical contexts. Initially dismissed as a modern imitation due to its crude painted surface, the shrine was re-evaluated through in situ analysis, art-historical interpretation, and archival research, which suggest a production date in the sixteenth century. The structure consists of nine oak panels joined with wrought iron fittings. Multiple layers of polychromy were identified, including traces of an earlier and more refined decorative scheme. The reliquary has been opened on several occasions since the 16th century, as documented in various historical sources. These records describe a diverse collection of relics, some accompanied by identifiable inscriptions (e.g., Saints John the Baptist, Benedict, and Ursula), while others lack provenance. During the same research campaign, a second, nearly identical shrine was discovered in the church attic. Its comparable dimensions and iconography suggest it was created as a deliberate replica, possibly for processional use. This study demonstrates that the Hoeselt reliquary represents a significant yet understudied piece of religious heritage. Further technical analyses, such as dendrochronology and advanced imaging, are recommended to refine its dating and reveal earlier iconography beneath later overpainting. The case underscores the broader value of local religious artifacts for understanding regional devotional practices and material culture in the post-medieval Low Countries.
Despite more than a century of scholarly research into pilgrimage pennants and pilgrimage prints in Belgium, and the publication of several reference works and catalogues on the subject, new discoveries continue to emerge. For nearly four hundred years, Wolfegg Castle in Upper Swabia (Bavaria) has housed one of the most extensive collections of fifteenth-to seventeenth-century copper engravings, comprising tens of thousands of prints. The foundations of this remarkable collection were laid by Count Truchsess Max Willibald (1604-1667), who collected prints with particular intensity from around 1650 until his death. In his will, he stipulated that the collection should remain intact and undivided; partly because of this provision, it has remained largely untouched for centuries. The collection includes works by major masters such as D & uuml;rer, Holbein, Schongauer, Altdorfer, Rembrandt and Van Dyck, as well as engravings after compositions by pilgrimage pennants Bruegel and Rubens, alongside countless others. In addition to these canonical works, the collection also preserves a substantial body of more popular prints, among which are several previously unknown pilgrimage pennants originating from what is now Belgium. The long-standing 'pilgrimage banner dispute' of Duffel, for instance, is now finally illustrated by the survival of a pennant. It is likely that further examples connected with the cult of Our Lady of Good Will will come to light in due course; until now, however, this episode had been documented only in archival sources. Scherpenheuvel, too, is now represented by a pennant. The example from Villers-Perwin reveals a hitherto unknown devotion, while the pennant from Jezus-Eik clarifies the iconographic representation of the former sanctuary, among other insights. The discovery at Wolfegg Castle strongly suggests that many more unknown pilgrimage pennants may yet surface in the future.
This article examines how members of the Hopeful Choir, a Black Gospel choir in the Netherlands, give meaning to their participation. Based on open interviews, it explores how choir members relate to religion, social practice, and the Black cultural context of gospel music. While some participants consider religion central, others adopt a more secular or broadly spiritual perspective. Non-religious members may experience tension when religious themes predominate, yet still find personal meaning in the lyrics and performance. All members, including White singers, demonstrate awareness of the Black roots and historical legacy of gospel, recognising its cultural significance. Participation in the choir constitutes both an emotional and a social experience. Collective singing and shared rituals foster a sense of connection among members, with the conductor, the audience, and, for some, with God. At the same time, the musical practice raises questions of authenticity and representation, for instance in the careful al location of solo parts to honour the tradition's origins. The choir functions as a temporary, place-bound community in which diverse backgrounds, identities, and beliefs converge. Performing Black Gospel in a predominantly White group encourages ongoing reflection on race, heritage, and respectful engagement with the tradition. Singing in the Hopeful Choir thus exceeds mere artistic expression: it becomes a site of connection and meaning-making on spiritual, social, and cultural levels. Black Gospel emerges as a dynamic tradition that invites reflection on identity and belonging. This study contributes to our understanding of music as a social and cultural practice, demonstrating how Black Gospel in the Dutch context fosters shared meaning across lines of religion and ethnicity.
The priest is not only one of the most recurring characters in the folktales of the Belgian province of Limburg alongside witches, gnomes and werewolves, but has also been a highly influential voice in folklore research throughout the late 19th and 20th century. This article examines how priests were involved in folklore research and whether or not they were able to retain their power in the discipline during the examined period. Specifically, the article will examine two major sources, both collections of folktales. Firstly, there's 't Daghet in den Oosten, a magazine dedicated to language, history and folklore, which was both founded and staffed almost exclusively by priests. The second collection is composed of 19 theses written by students of philology hailing from Limburg, in which the priest plays a remarkable role as well. Based on these sources, the article will attempt to uncover why folklore became such an important discipline for Limburg's priesthood, rooted in the social and political strife between Christian and liberal groups in 19th century Belgium, as well as what tactics the priests used to try and defend their religion against the oncoming waves of secularisation. The period from the middle of the 20th century onward, represented by the theses, will then be examined to understand the gradual disappearance of the priests' influence on folklore and folkloric study, which came about due to a complex mixture of shifting attitudes from both priest and public, church reform and a generally waning social position of the priest in Limburg's steadily blossoming communities.
This article analyzes the dynamic between tourism and literature in the life and works of Abraham Hans, highlighting the influence of late-nineteenth century tourism on Hans' literary career, and subsequently Hans' influence on one of the key tourist associations in Flanders during the interwar period, the Vlaamse Toeristenbond [Flemish Tourist Association]. The advent of the 'cycling craze' in the last decade of the nineteenth century in particular is stressed, as it granted Hans - and other writers of his generation - a certain degree of individual touristic freedom which hitherto did not exist in Flanders. Consequently, this newfound sense of individual (mobile) freedom resulted in Hans molding the traditional travel literature into a new format, which already became apparent in his early works. Moreover, Hans' vision on tourism-and its possible usage to further develop a Flemish (national) identity-proved influential for the rise and development of the Flemish Tourist Association, which relied heavily on Hans to promote and support its key tenets. This is why this article argues that Hans was not only a pivotal figure in the literary scene, but also proved to be a 'trailblazer' for the development of tourism and tourist infrastructure in Flanders in the early twentieth century.
Abraham Hans (1882-1939) grew up in a Protestant environment, between poverty and a hunger for reading, became a teacher, and adopted Belgian nationality at an early age. From 1901 onwards, he pursued a dual career as teacher and journalist-writer in Antwerp and Kontich; via Het Laatste Nieuws and publisher Lode Opdebeek, he reached a mass audience. His popular novels and children's books culminated in the serialised "Kinderbibliotheek" (Children's Library, 1922-1939), an accessible reading project that brought thousands of children to books. During the First World War, he fled to the Netherlands, reported on German atrocities for De Telegraaf and helped refugees; after 1918 he returned to Kontich and became a full-time journalist and author. In the interwar period, he profiled himself as a moderate Flemish nationalist: socially engaged, committed to linguistic emancipation, averse to extremes, yet regularly targeted by Catholic circles. Villa "Houthulst" served as a production hub for novels, serials and tourist reports; he was publicly celebrated in 1934 (500th volume Kinderbibliotheek). Healthproblemsandpersonallossesmarked his final years; Hans died in Knokke in 1939. His oeuvre comprises over 107 popular novels, 89 children's books, 1,155 Kinderbibliotheek instalments (with sequels by family members), a Novel Library, French-language titles and thousands of newspaper articles. Although he did not enter the literary canon (quantity over "high" quality), his impact on reading promotion, journalism and commemorative culture was considerable. Reappraisal is however growing: bibliographies are being supplemented and digitisation is advancing (already over 1,100 items up to 1921 accessible), with continuing needs in variant and reception research. The lasting image: Hans as a cultural mediator and "enlightener of the people" who taught Flanders to read, yet slipped from the canon because of his popularising choices.
In 1930 the Norbertine Abbey of Averbode launched a series of pocket-sized booklets to provide Flemish youngsters with recreational reading that fully met the Catholic hierarchy's requirements. The initiative proved successful: the booklets sold well and a new issue appeared every week, until paper shortages during the war forced a halt. In 1946 O. De Kesel (Nonkel Fons), editor-in-chief of Zonneland-a classroom magazine-revived Vlaamse Filmpjes. Thanks in large part to his close partnership with the prolific John Flanders, whose boundless imagination gripped young readers, the series flourished anew. In 1973 the John Flanders Prize was created, an annual competition designed to secure a steady stream of stories and to encourage young writers-though in practice it was usually won by experienced authors. The 1970s also saw the introduction of more socially relevant themes. During the 1980s and 1990s the series reached its peak, with a strong emphasis on promoting youth literature. As sales later declined, the publisher streamlined the editorial operation and gradually phased out the central figure of John Flanders. Vlaamse Filmpjes continues to publish engaging stories-since 2022 under Plantyn-but its frequency has fallen from 51 issues a year to ten booklets. Promoting reading among children, especially those in the fifth and sixth years of primary school, remains its core mission. In total, 3,450 issues have been published to date.
The narrative representation of the liberal urban ideal in the early children's books of Abraham Hans, 1900-1914 Current historiography typically char-acterizes the Flemish Movement's cultural production during the Belle & Eacute;poque as conservative and anti-urban. Literature is often treated as a means of construct-ing a shared Flemish identity rooted in a rural idyll and traditional values. This view, however, overlooks the ideological diversity within the Flemish Movement. A smaller but active liberal faction saw the city as a positive symbol of industrializa-tion and modernization and advocated reform of the city and its inhabitants in accordance with the bourgeois ideal of self-discipline and knowledge. This article seeks to nuance the dominant perspective by examining the representation of the Flemish city in the early children's works of the explicitly liberal flamingant Abraham Hans. While the role of children's literature in the formation of a Flemish identity has largely been over-looked, this genre offers valuable insights into the national and ideological discours-es of the time. The formative power of chil-dren's literature was widely acknowledged among Flemish pedagogues and writers of the period, including Hans, who sought to "elevate" young Flemish citizens through "good books." His preference for contem-porary urban settings and his narrative treatment of urban space reflect a positive, future-oriented urban ideal intended to socialize young readers into the values and norms of respectable Flemish citizen-ship. In doing so, his work aligns with the broader liberal "civilizing offensive."
The A-HA! School in Kontich grounds its educational vision in the legacy of Abraham Hans (1882-1939), a teacher and popular educator who believed in the power of stories as a means of personal formation and social emancipation. In response to the global decline in reading proficiency and enjoyment, the school promotes a strong and joyful reading culture that combines technical reading skills with literary engagement. Reading is viewed as a gateway to knowledge, culture, social mobility, and personal growth. The school deliberately emphasizes the Dutch language as a tool for connection and citizenship, while practices such as shared reading, literary discussions, and purposeful writing foster deep comprehension and expression. Through socially just policies and a culturally rich environment, A-HA! School aims to ensure that all pupils, regardless of background, can share in Hans's emancipatory mission. In doing so, the school bridges historical idealism with contemporary pedagogy, remaining faithful to the belief that language and storytelling can empower individuals and strengthen communities.
Abraham Hans wrote several thick novels about gangs of robbers in Flanders. With his compelling novels about these gangs of robbers, led by Jan De Lichte, Baekelandt, Pollet and Nauwelaerts, he left his mark on a beloved genre in popular literature. Reprints appeared in various forms (individual instalments, newspaper serials, books) long after his death. He is one of the most widely read and beloved authors of this underappreciated genre in popular literature. Neither his biographers nor the overviews of popular crime literature have given him sufficient recognition to date.
Abraham Hans and Reinaart de Vos Abraham Hans-like several contemporaries, including Stijn Streuvels-produced an adaptation of Reynaert. In 1924 he adapted the tale for the first time as no. 102 of A. Hans's Children's Library (Hans 1). The booklet immediately received a second and a third printing. Two years later, he published a so-called "juvenile novel" (Hans 2) with the publisher L. Opdebeek. This "novel" went through a second printing during Hans's lifetime and was reprinted many more times over the next fifty years. This trajectory likely made his Reynaert adaptation one of Hans's most widely read texts, including posthumously. In this contribution, we compare both texts (Hans 1 and Hans 2) and their different printings; we trace the textual sources (especially Jan Frans Willems, Julius De Geyter, and Stijn Streuvels) and the iconographic ones (Gustave Van de Woestijne and the anonymous illustrator of a fox story first published in English and later in Dutch). Despite the lack of archival material, we also venture some observations on the genesis and publication history of the various printings. Finally, we consider whether Hans influenced later Reynaert authors-that is, whether he "made school." Our main conclusion is that Hans documented himself intensively- both textually and iconographically-for the creation of his Reynaert books, which remain more than worth reading today.
Heritage transmission within migrant communities encompasses various elements. While extensive research has focused on safeguarding practices among first-generation minority groups with a migration background, less is known about the dynamics at play in subsequent generations. This study explores the maintenance of intangible heritage among five Dutch individuals of Chinese descent. We identify three key pillars in the process of cultural adaptation and heritage preservation: consciousness, competence and commitment. Consciousness refers to individuals' understanding of the meaning and value of their heritage within their heritage communities, as well as the personal connection they establish with it. Competence encompasses the knowledge and skills required to sustain heritage practices and pass them on in ways that are culturally meaningful. Commitment involves the actual practice of heritage, including participation and emotional investment. We argue that these three pillars-the "three C's" - provide insight into a sustainable approach to heritage safeguarding. In this context, we introduce the concept of heritage continuity. Factors such as family, identity development, health, perceived difficulty, integration, and cultural rationality play a crucial role in this process. Heritage transmission becomes increasingchallenging when shifting identities and evolving social environments erode consciousness, competence, and commitment. We propose that heritage transmission is an experience and ongoing process of preservation, reinterpretation, and adaptation-shaped by the interplay of these three C's within individuals' changing cultural and social contexts. This study offers insight into how individuals of Chinese migrant backgrounds in the Netherlands navigate the complexities of heritage continuity and transformation.
This article puts the importance of a number of forgotten key texts on "folklore" (studies), published by Titia van der Tuuk in the 1880s and 1890s, back on the radar and the agenda. These texts are part of a much broader oeuvre, addressing a wide range of societal challenges and intellectual problems. How is it possible that these contributions and critical reflections - and their female author - have been forgotten and ignored? Why is a prolific and productive author, translator, and editor such as Titia van der Tuuk not mentioned in the historiography of Volkskunde/ folklore studies/ethnology, including in this journal Volkskunde, with the notable exception of one text by Van der Tuuk herself, published in its first year, in 1888? How did several relevant texts from the 1880s - not only those of Titia van der Tuuk, but also by protagonists like Pol de Mont and August Gitt & eacute;e-escape the attention of bibliographic instruments and their users? This article focuses on the life and oeuvre of Titia van der Tuuk, and on her activities in the three decades before and after 1900. She was pioneering and made a difference in many domains, not only in feminism. Her work as a translator and cultural broker is impressive, and yet she seems to have been forgotten - until now. She deserves a place in many historical narratives, including that of Volkskunde/folklore studies. That is precisely what this contribution aspires to do.
"Folk" or "traditional" music is commonly used by governments, political movements, and NGOs to bolster cultural identities. On the one hand, folk music is implemented to assert difference by signifying the particularity of cultures. On the other hand, this particularity under-girds humanitarian music projects, where the diversity of musical traditions signifies universal values. The efficacy of music in human rights practices has only recently received critical attention, and scholarship on traditional genres in this context remains scarce. A critical discussion of contemporary folk music instrumentalization is becoming increasingly urgent as cultural debates in Europe and beyond continue to polarize. I argue that in times of polarization, music NGOs, governments, and political movements use musical heritage as an expedient to assert or maintain cultural sovereignty. To conceptualize folk music as a resource for humanitarian and political cultural sovereignty claims, I draw on George Y & uacute;dice's concept of cultural expediency, Simon Bornschier's "new cultural divide," sovereignty discourse, and (ethno) musicological scholarship. I focus on the humanitarian perspective in a case study of the NGO Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) and its folk music program Ethno World. Through an analysis of primary sources and JMI's organizational structure, I argue that, while adhering to a humanitarian understanding of cultural sovereignty, JMI's network relies on public funding and national policies, placing it within the domain of the state's cultural sovereignty. Using Ethno Sweden, the first-ever Ethno program, as a case study, I examine the gathering in relation to Swedish cultural policy and consider how it may be affected by the national government's recent shift towards the right. Finally, I suggest that folk music's expediency to cultural sovereignty leads to a diffusion of political and humanitarian objectives in the cultural heritage arena and to an ineffective reliance on music as a universal language in humanitarian music projects.
This reflective essay explores the complexities of positionality. At the heart of this reflection lies a joint thesis project on the homes of women with a Turkish migration background in Ghent. Written in a personal tone, it follows the evolving relationship between two researchers-one an insider to the research context, the other an outsider-and explores how their different backgrounds led to moments of tension and vulnerability, but also to deeper mutual understanding. The essay examines the frictions caused by insider-outsider dynamics, ultimately framing "we" not as a fixed identity but as an intention-a commitment to ongoing dialogue and thinking together, both because of and despite difference. The essay also offers a critical perspective on positionality statements in academia, questioning their tendency to become performative, reductive, or self-centred. The authors argue that positionality should not be a checklist item for decolonisation, but rather a continuous, relational, and ethically engaged practice. They warn against essentialising identity or reducing researchers and subjects to fixed categories, emphasizing that positionality is fluid and shaped by evolving contexts, emotions, and relations.
Willy Katzenstein (1874-1951), a citizen of Bielefeld, lawyer, local politician and busy official in numerous Jewish associations and societies, left behind several autobiographical writings. These clearly reveal his assimilated attitude towards Judaism as well as his national and liberal-democratic views. In addition to his autobiography, written in exile in England in 1939, his war diary from the First World War is particularly noteworthy, offering a unique account of the history of German rule in Belgium. In his war diary, Willy Katzenstein writes about his experiences as a hussar who was stationed in various locations in Brabant and Flanders from September 1914 up to December 1918 and in France till the end of the war. The nationally minded Jew justifies both German war policy and the occupation regime in Belgium. As an occupying soldier, he was responsible for enforcing German rule and controlling the Belgian population on the ground. Only rarely, for example during the deportation of Belgian workers to Germany and the execution of Belgian spies sentenced to death, did he express personal doubts about the legitimacy of German rule. In his diary entries, Katzenstein presents himself as a typical German citizen at the turn of the century. On the other hand, he almost completely ignores his affiliation with the Jewish community.
My research focuses on the acquisition of Karen Gegiazarian's maquette by the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. Gegiazarian fled Abkhazia with his family, arriving at Klompjan, a temporary refugee shelter in Markelo. When Klompjan announced its closure, he built a detailed model of the facility. Rediscovered years later, the model inspired the Tussenlanding project in 2020, eventually leading to its acquisition by the Rijksmuseum. My central research question is: How do the various stakeholders relate to each other and to the model in the process of making the object accessible? In addition, I investigate to what extent Marstine's concept of guardianship can serve as an alternative framework for approaching the care for the model. The Rijksmuseum focused on the object as a work of art or historical artifact, emphasizing the creator, the materiality, and the historical context. The Tussenlanding collective approached the model as a social object, embedded in a network of political and social relationships. They also enhanced the societal relevance of tthe object by approaching it not only as a carrier of material and historical information but also as a means of dialogue and community building. The Rijksmuseum provided care and a prominent platform, recognizing the work of Karen Gegiazarian and contextualizing the model within its collection through an acquisition presentation and an audio stop that allowed for the complexity of the theme. Still, questions remained about the extent to which the museum sufficiently acknowledged the political and social relationships of the object as essential to its identity . The initiative for collaboration came from outside the museum, while the responsibility to facilitate this collaboration often fell on individual staff members within the museum. The development of structural frameworks for such collaborations-such as embracing the concept of guardianship-could enable museums to handle future projects or acquisitions with greater sensitivity and organize them more inclusively.
A Good Joke or Bad Taste? Jokes about tragedies and disasters often provoke mixed reactions, yet the existence of this phenomenon is undeniable: disaster humour. Although many individuals perceive such jokes as premature, they tend to emerge shortly after a disaster occurs. For instance, it has been documented that within a day of the September 11 attacks or the tragic death of Diana Spencer, the first jokes had already begun circulating. Numerous scholars have attempted to explain disaster humour, yet a comprehensive account addressing all aspects of this phenomenon remains elusive. Contrary to claims that disaster jokes constitute a contemporary development, historical evidence suggests that they are part of a long-standing tradition. From the Titanic shipwreck in 1912 to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, humour has consistently been used as a means of coping with tragedy. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, introduced a notable shift in the nature of disaster humour. Whereas previous crises often gave rise to harsh and dark jokes, the humour during the recent pandemic remained comparatively mild. Although the precise reasons why individuals find certain disaster jokes amusing may never be fully understood, examining the underlying motivations for this form of humour remains a worthwhile endeavour. Consequently, it is essential to investigate the following questions: What constitutes disaster humour, and what compels individuals to create such jokes?
