Memorial plaque at the Bataclan theatre | Ana Milošević
Limits of remembrance
wreaths laid. No political speeches were delivered
on the day of commemoration, and no references to
What lessons can we take from these
cases? Do memorials and memorialisation
support personal and societal recovery?
the causes of violence made. This is understandable
seen how polarising and difficult the issue of
terrorism and security has been. But the criticism
of the victims’ families and survivors that emerged
Over the last two years, I have been studying in response to top-down memorialisation of the
societal reactions in the aftermath of the Brussels terrorist attacks is also similar across the EU. They
terrorist attacks. On 22 March 2016, two separate see a strong contrast between societal and political
bombings occurred: one at the airport and other remembrance and want to contribute to the process
in the Maelbeek metro station. Following the of distilling the meanings and values from the tragic
tragedy in Brussels many memorials have emerged event and shaping the knowledge about the terrorist
to commemorate 32 lost lives, and more than 300 attacks.
persons that were injured ( Milošević 2018).
In Belgium, a number of issues have been raised by
Differently from grassroots memorials that attract the victims’ families, associations and survivors.
very large numbers of people, permanent memorials On the one hand, the process of determining the
and annual commemorations don’t have the same memorial in Brussels has proven to be very divisive
emotional resonance. On the first anniversary of as it is its resolute, memorial itself. The survivors
the attacks in Paris (2015) officials unveiled small and the victims’ families, as well as some of the
plaques at each of the three bombing sites. One year associations that represent them, have put forward
after the attacks on the London bridge, the Tree their own views on the process. They wish to have a
of Healing was planted. In Brussels, a permanent proactive role in the overall memorialisation process,
memorial was created by the government at the from monument making to commemorations
Schuman Square. organising - instead of being simply the object of
remembrance. This message comes across different
In all of these cases, annual commemorative interviews I have conducted between 2016 and 2018
ceremonies followed the same script. Minutes of with survivors from the Zaventem and Maelbeek
silence were marked, names of the victims read, bombings sites in Brussels.
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