Remembering my European past: Observations and reflections on places of memory in South Africa

Abstract

I invite you to join me on a tour of monuments and places of memory in South Africa. Based on personal experiences, observations and reflections, the paper takes you from Cape Town with its statue of Jan van Riebeeck to the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park in Pretoria, with a brief detour to the German Settler’s Monument in East London. On the one hand, we ask whether monuments and memorials that commemorate European influence in South Africa are still relevant today. On the other hand, we take a critical look at new monuments such as Freedom Park in Pretoria, which provides new perspectives on South African heritage.