CONTENTS
3
Introduction Stephanie Herold, Benjamin Langer, Julia Lechler
7
History, identity, and urban space. Towards an agenda for urban research Maximilian Hartmuth
Luna Park Antonio Dimitrov, Elena Dinovska, Polina Goldberg, Aleksandar Jurgec, Rudi Kunstmann, Teodora Mladenova, Elizabeta Poljonska, Iris Trostel Santander, Ruža Tokić,
20
34
Reading Skopje 2009. A City between Amnesia and Phantasia Julia Lechler
Parallel Readings
47
Sasho Andreevski, Ken Gericke, Novica Nakov, Jovanka Popova, Marina Reissner, Aneta Spaseska, Gunn Irja Wålberg
58
Authenticity of Places and Construction of Images Biljana Stefanovska
Timeless Skopje Jelena Donević, Bojan Gruevski, Biljana Ivanova, Peter Koziel, Jilliane Pollack
64
2
79
Urban space and memory. The Old Business Quarter of Skopje Konstantin Dimitrovski
Central Public Spaces in Skopje
88
Karolina Nacoska, Nina Nestorovska, Jasmina Lajmanovska, Martin Schwemin, Roman Soike
102
Notes on the reconstruction of Skopje after the earthquake of the 26th July 1963 Ines Tolic
The Disappearance of Djuro Djakovic Snezana Domazetovska, Leonora Grceva, Dragan Krstevski, Maja Lukarevska, Elena Pazardzijevska, Haris Piplas, Stjepan Skoric, Mladen Stilinovic, Simona Veselinska
130
The Exotic Place. Skopje as a Topic of Western Travelogues and Literary Texts Benjamin Langer
140
Images of History. On the emotional motivations to reconstruct Stephanie Herold
115
3
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
The
following
publication
shows the results of an interna‑
Bourdieu), which is used to ac‑ complish political agendas.
tional project which took place in
Skopje in May 2009 and led to
The importance of this topic
two exhibitions showed in Skopje
has increased across Europe in
and Berlin in May and July 2009.
recent years. At the same time,
Bearing the title “Reading the
the focus on memory phenomena
city: Urban space and memory in
increases the awareness of the
Skopje”, the project followed the
relationship between the past
hypothesis that every historical,
and the present by highlighting
political, and social development
how our memories shape our
and trend is mirrored in the city’s
identity as well as our present.
built environment. Cities, accord‑
This is best reflected in places
ingly, consist of a multitude of
where breaks occur and different
layers of narratives and thus be‑
memory constructs clash, leading
come an image of individual and
to open controversies, as is cur‑
collective memory.
rently the case in Macedonia,
Due to the intimate relation‑
which was established as an own
ship between memory and iden‑
national state in 1991 after the
tity, the city itself and its urban
breakup of Yugoslavia.
fabric play an important role in
Since its foundation, the
the shaping of collective identi‑
young state has been facing vari‑
ties. The city, its urban spaces
ous problems. Beside the internal
and architectural shape, are sub‑
conflicts and tensions between
ject of politics of identity and
the Macedonian and Albanian
memory, its “sites of memory”1
population which escalated in
and the cityscape turn into
2001, when the country found
“symbolic capital” (Pierre
itself close to a civil war, Mace‑
INTRODUCTION
donia faces a lot of difficult rela‑
and why? Which roles do they
tions with its neighbouring coun‑
play in the texture of the city?
tries, especially with Greece,
In picking up the questions
which doesn’t accept the name of
advanced and the problems iden‑
the country because of its north‑
tified in the study of „sites of
ern part, which also belongs to
memory”, the workshop was to
the geographical and historical
discuss how history is mirrored
region of Macedonia. Further‑
in the urban space of Skopje to‑
more Macedonia is still in the
day, how it is perceived and con‑
process of shaping itself a na‑
structed, and which historical pe‑
tional and cultural identity.
riods influence the city’s current
Its capital city Skopje, which
planning discourse; how the city
is ethnically very diverse ‑ the
deals with its material “lieux de
two largest population groups in
mémoire”, the historical architec‑
the city are Macedonians (ca.
tural heritage, and what kind of
64%) and Albanians (ca. 25%),
history is remembered in ongo‑
reflects very obviously the cur‑
ing urban and architectural trans‑
rent political and societal devel‑
formations.
opments and discourses.
Especially the question of the
The project “Reading the city:
community‑founding function of
Urban space and memory” exam‑
memory is of special importance
ined how Macedonia copes with
in Skopje. Which common his‑
the profound changes and con‑
tory does the diverse society of
flicts of the recent decades.
Skopje identify itself with? How
Accordingly the objective of
does this relate to the ambivalent
the workshop was to explore
memories? Not just in relation to
monuments and “sites of mem‑
the differences between individ‑
ory” in Skopje, including the not
ual and collective memories, but
yet materialized. Who is using
also in relation to the parallel
these “sites of memory”, how,
memory constructs of different societies or in the same society.
4
5
INTRODUCTION
The question, therefore, is not
that there is no single, universal
only how different events are re‑
valid interpretation, but that dif‑
flected within the city, but also
ferent groups interpret history
how they are perceived and so‑
differently
cially constructed by the different
construct different memories.
societies.
Thus, the main topics of the
and
consequently
The analysis focused on a
workshop were the different per‑
physical and a symbolic level,
spectives on memory, which can
whereas the transitions between
be found within the city in the
them can often be smooth. For
form of idealized constructs as
example, the specific material (be
well as in a substantial way. Par‑
it size, shape, location) often
ticularly in relation to a city such
serves as a vehicle for a certain
as Skopje, with its culturally very
symbolism. To explain these
heterogeneous population, such
links was also one of the tasks.
an approach is reasonable.
Apart from evaluating the actual
After a general introduction to
and the desired meanings, their
the topic by several “experts” the
potential impacts were consid‑
participants split up in different
ered, particularly with regard to
groups and developed their own
the different residents of the city.
topics and methods to investigate
Which story(s) do the residents of
the city under the questions men‑
the city connect with different
tioned before. Doing so, they
places? Why are they relevant to
chose very different approaches,
different groups of the popula‑
subjects and methods, which put
tion, why not?
together show a very heteroge‑
Therefore, the workshop did not only focus on the sites them‑
neous picture of the city of Skopje.
selves, but also on their stories,
This book recapitulates the re‑
which express a particular mem‑
sults of the workshop, combining
ory (or create it). This approach is
the introductions given to the
especially useful if one assumes
INTRODUCTION
participants and the results of the
Balov from Prima Center Berlin
group‑work.
and the Cultural Center Tocka in
The result is a very multi‑
Skopje for providing us with the
perspective volume, which show
necessary space for the workshop
the variety of different issues all
and the exhibitions in Skopje and
connected to the general question
Berlin,
of “urban space and memory”.
Benedikt
and
Sunny
Alder,
Raisig, Johanne
The project “Reading the City:
Lisewski, Polina Goldberg and
Urban Space and Memory” con‑
Peter Koziel for their supporting
sisted mainly of students from
work for the publication.
the TUB (Technische Universität
And finally we want to thank
Berlin) and the University Ss.
all the contributors and partici‑
Cyril and Methodius Skopje and
pants of the workshop for their
was funded by the foundation
commitment and dedication dur‑
Erinnerung, Verantwortung, Zu‑
ing and after the workshop.
kunft (Remembrance, Responsi‑
bility,
Ge‑
schichtswerkstatt Europa (History
Future),
the
6
Workshop Europe), the Goethe‑
Berlin / Skopje, November 2009
Institute and the Technische Uni‑
Stephanie Herold, Benjamin Langer,
versität Berlin.
Julia Lechler
We would like to say special thanks to Felix Ackermann and Bernd
Vogenbeck
Geschichtswerkstatt
from
the
Europa
for
their support and advice, Jovan
1
Using Pierre Nora’s concept oft the „Realms of memory“ (“lieux de mémoire”) on a concrete spacial level