Forging links between research and society in Luxembourg

Among the many pivotal events and upheavals that have affected Luxembourg over the course of its recent history, the C²DH is especially interested in the two world wars and the questions of occupation, resistance and collaboration that have fuelled discussions about national identity. The transition from an economy dominated by the steel industry to a service-based economy centred largely on the financial and audiovisual sectors is another focus of the centre’s research, together with the phenomenon of migration and the multiculturalism that is a natural result of the country’s economic growth. Luxembourg’s development as a nation state and democracy within the broader process of European integration and globalisation also raises questions that the C²DH’s researchers will endeavour to address.

Several projects launched by the C²DH since 2017 concern the contemporary history of Luxembourg, and the regular references to these projects in the press emphasise the important role they play in the wider political and societal debate. One research project studies the history of the First World War in Luxembourg, another one explores the attitude of the Luxembourg government to Jews from the 1930s to the 1950s, and a project launched more recently will look at justice in Luxembourg from 1815 to the present day.

Involving the wider public in the centre’s research as part of a public history approach is another key aim of the C²DH, as reflected in the Forum Z series. These events cover a wide variety of subjects, from the future of storytelling in history to the shadow of the Second World War and the global history of finance. “Our aim is to share our research with Luxembourg society via innovative, creative outreach activities,” explains Andreas Fickers. “The C²DH also has a duty to get involved in public debates that require a historical perspective.”