On the 19th of September 1914, incendiary shells hit the Reims cathedral and triggered a tremendous fire that destroyed the roof and ravaged various parts of the building. The “martyrdom" of the French kings’ coronation cathedral – perceived as a long-lasting national symbol – became a powerful instrument of propaganda against the enemy’s barbarity. During the conflict, the cathedral overshadowed the city and the destruction of other important buildings or entire urban sectors was almost relegated to the background. Nonetheless, the disputes about Notre-Dame brought the fate of Reims and its population under the gaze of the whole world. Opinions and hypotheses of reconstruction of the monument changed during and after the war, when the myth of the “resurrection” replaced that of the “martyrdom”. The analysis of these fluctuations may be useful to highlight how the community reacted to the conflict and to what extent the inflamed debate influenced the reconstruction in the aftermath of WWI. The story of the cathedral of Reims also offers some important insights into the dialectic between opposite narratives and helps us to understand the role of propaganda, the response of the inhabitants to the different visions conveyed by the media and, above all, the changeable value assigned to the material authenticity and its preservation.

Una memoria immemore. La cattedrale di Reims a cento anni dalla Grande guerra

Vitale, Maria Rosaria
2019-01-01

Abstract

On the 19th of September 1914, incendiary shells hit the Reims cathedral and triggered a tremendous fire that destroyed the roof and ravaged various parts of the building. The “martyrdom" of the French kings’ coronation cathedral – perceived as a long-lasting national symbol – became a powerful instrument of propaganda against the enemy’s barbarity. During the conflict, the cathedral overshadowed the city and the destruction of other important buildings or entire urban sectors was almost relegated to the background. Nonetheless, the disputes about Notre-Dame brought the fate of Reims and its population under the gaze of the whole world. Opinions and hypotheses of reconstruction of the monument changed during and after the war, when the myth of the “resurrection” replaced that of the “martyrdom”. The analysis of these fluctuations may be useful to highlight how the community reacted to the conflict and to what extent the inflamed debate influenced the reconstruction in the aftermath of WWI. The story of the cathedral of Reims also offers some important insights into the dialectic between opposite narratives and helps us to understand the role of propaganda, the response of the inhabitants to the different visions conveyed by the media and, above all, the changeable value assigned to the material authenticity and its preservation.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2019 Atti Carbonara.pdf

solo gestori archivio

Tipologia: Versione Editoriale (PDF)
Licenza: NON PUBBLICO - Accesso privato/ristretto
Dimensione 1.18 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.18 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/451918
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact