This contribution is aimed at exploring the reasons why people from all over the world have been visiting France and Belgium, to see the old battlefields of the Western Front of the Great War over the last hundred years. What motivations did or do they have? Is it a general interest in historic places or do the visitors have a personal connection to the places because they have fought there or have lost a loved one there? Does a real tourism to the former battlefields exist at all? As a single term paper cannot be enough to answer all these questions in detail, the focus will be set on the British visitors. It be will be examined what war tourism, or rather battlefield tourism, entails and how it developed after the Armistice. Finally, selected guidebooks and their typical features will be presented and how they prepare visitors for their journey into the past.
Despite the Great War being over for more than 100 years, the promise of remembering its dead is still fulfilled. The idea for this term paper came from a book that has been on my shelf for quite some time now. In "Traces de la Grande Guerre" J.S. Cartier has captured what is left of the Western Front during the 1990s in black and white photographs, supplemented by short informative texts on the location or the picture itself. I was surprised at the recency of the book, and how much is actually left of the war and omnipresent - not only in hidden places.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Battlefield Tourism and the Western Front
2.1 What Is War Tourism
2.2 Motives to Visit the Battlefields
2.3 The Emergence of Battlefield Tourism at the Western Front
3 Duty or Pleasure — Tours of Tragedy
3.1 The Cathartic Pilgrimage
3.2 Modern Visits to the Western Front
4 A Tour to the Battlefields
4.1 Guidebooks to the Battlefields
4.2 The Influential Tourguide
4.3 A Home Away From Home
4.4 Souvenirs From the Battlefields
5 Trench Tourists
5.1 Join the Army, See the World
5.2 The Returning Soldier
5.3 The Female Traveller
6 Changing Battlefield Tourism
7 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper explores the evolution and motivations behind battlefield tourism to the Western Front of the Great War, specifically focusing on British visitors. It examines how these sites transitioned from immediate post-war pilgrimage locations into modern heritage destinations, analyzing the role of guidebooks, tour guides, and the commodification of memory through souvenirs and commemorative rituals.
- The historical development of battlefield tourism since the 1918 Armistice.
- Psychological and social motivations for visiting former combat zones.
- The influence of guidebooks and tour guides in shaping the visitor experience.
- The intersection of personal grief, national remembrance, and tourism.
- The changing perception and cultural memory of the Western Front over the last century.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Cathartic Pilgrimage
The post-war battlefield tours opened up spaces for civilians that were previously restricted to them (Malvern 2001: 50). Yet, “[f]or visitors arriving at the Front after the armistice, the destruction and devastation along the battle lines was so complete that there was very little to see. It was a countryside of former places, of missing woods and obliterated villages”, states Iles (2006: 163). In the 1920s and 30s there was a “massive popular movement to construct local war memorials, which were almost always local initiatives”, states Malvern (2001: 47).
When the Great War ended in 1918, survivors wanted to make sense of the terrible loss the conflict had brought “via a tour of culture of mourning and remembrance that relied on traditional social and literary practices”, argues Ganaway (qtd. in Ahmad and Hertzog 2018: 1). According to Ahmad and Hertzog (2018: 7). “[t]he ruins became shrines and the vast stretches of battlefields transformed into a sacred geography, the visit to the battlefields was a pilgrimage not just a journey, and the pilgrim became a witness to the horrors of the war.” “In particular, large pilgrimages, such as the 1928 British Legion pilgrimage, were public journeys which united bereaved relatives and ex-servicemen with political, military and often religious leaders in an act of mourning for an homage to the dead” (Lloyd 2014: 133-134).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the scope of the study, focusing on British battlefield tourism to the Western Front and the underlying motivations of visitors.
2 Battlefield Tourism and the Western Front: This chapter defines war tourism, examines visitor motives such as remembrance and education, and provides an overview of how tourism emerged after the conflict.
3 Duty or Pleasure — Tours of Tragedy: This section explores the concept of the post-war pilgrimage, analyzing how bereaved survivors sought connection with the dead and how modern visits have evolved.
4 A Tour to the Battlefields: This chapter details the practical aspects of tourism, including the influence of guidebooks, the role of professional tour guides, and the significance of souvenirs.
5 Trench Tourists: This chapter analyzes the "tourist sensibility" of soldiers themselves, the experiences of returning veterans, and the emergence of female travelers in previously male-dominated zones.
6 Changing Battlefield Tourism: This chapter discusses the evolution of memory and how contemporary memorials use technology and interactivity to engage new generations.
7 Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the transformation of battlefield tourism from mourning practice to historical heritage, emphasizing the ongoing promise of remembrance.
Keywords
Battlefield tourism, Western Front, Great War, Remembrance, Heritage tourism, War memorials, Pilgrimage, British visitors, Guidebooks, Cultural memory, War souvenirs, Trench art, Mourning, Commemoration, Historical tourism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the historical and cultural phenomenon of tourism to the Western Front of the Great War, specifically analyzing how and why British travelers have visited these former battlefields over the last 100 years.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The work covers themes such as the transition from mourning to heritage tourism, the role of "war souvenirs," the evolution of guidebooks, and the way the landscape of the Western Front is perceived by subsequent generations.
What is the main goal or research question of this study?
The study aims to understand what battlefield tourism entails, exploring the motivations—ranging from personal connection to historical interest—that draw people to sites of past trauma.
Which scientific methods or approaches are used in this paper?
The paper utilizes a qualitative approach, synthesizing historical accounts, travel literature, guidebooks, and secondary sociological research to analyze the cultural practices surrounding war remembrance.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the emergence of war tourism, the experiences of returning soldiers and bereaved relatives, the role of professional tour guides, the significance of iconic memorials, and the commodification of war through souvenirs.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include battlefield tourism, remembrance, cultural memory, Western Front, Great War, and heritage tourism.
How does the author describe the shift in how battlefield tours are experienced?
The author highlights that tourism has moved from exclusive, deeply personal "pilgrimages" of the interwar period to more diverse, interactive, and educational experiences for "students" and general tourists today.
What role do guidebooks play in the visitor experience?
Guidebooks are shown to be essential tools that provide not only geographical navigation but also help "decode" the landscape, connecting the modern visitor to the historical significance of the locations.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Felicitas Deckert (Autor:in), 2020, Battlefield Tourism on the Western Front of the Great War, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1160718
