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Report from the seminar Relics and Reliquaries – Seeing is Believing held in Rome in October 2023, organised by the European Network on the Instruments of Devotion (ENID, enid.w.uib.no).

The introduction of the angel and later the Tudor sovereign gold coins in the late 1400s became part of a political rhetoric aimed at mediating the king’s image, power, and wealth. However, it also played a part in the legitimation of the Tudor dynasty during the later stages of the Wars of the Roses, a time of Yorkist pretenders and foreign opposition to Henry VII’s reign. As only the rightful king was believed to have the gift of healing, Henry VII appropriated both coins and ritual from the Plantagenet dynasty associated with the sanctity of kingship. Ordinary objects bearing the King’s image were imbued by the people with supernatural and political powers. How could the religious function of contact relics also facilitate the use of the non-religious Tudor gold sovereign and other denominations by mimicking the iconography and ritual use of the angel? And how were these coins used as part of political rhetoric to legitimate the claim for the throne to support a myth of royal succession and prove Tudor right by appealing to the public? This article argues that the coins created and empowered the King with saintly abilities, granting the object carrying the King’s image a reliclike power, further fusing the image with people’s belief in the legitimate King’s God-given power of healing. The visual migration or transfer of an image’s symbolic properties, in this case the transference of its sacred properties to secular objects, mediated both the literal and conceptual image of the King as part of political legitimation against the Yorkist pretenders and foreign powers

The article presents provisional results of research into material relics of the Great War in the foreground of the Dęblin Fortress. In the years 1914–1915, this area became the arena of battles between the Russian, German, and Austro-Hungarian armies. The hostilities left their mark on the landscape, such as field fortifications, forts, and cemeteries. The aim of the research was to locate and establish the chronology of the remains of field fortifications on the Gniewoszów-Bąkowiec-Mozolice line. The research involved analysis of source materials, LiDAR, field verifications, and analysis of the social value of relics of the Great War. The last phase of the research was analysis of the social value of these objects based on the philosophy of managing the past through preservation and heritage, exemplified by the cemetery in Wysokie Koło and the Gorchakov Fort. The research allowed to determine the course of the main Russian defence line from 1915, which consisted of three groups: Gniewoszów, Bąkowiec, and Mozolice. The best preserved are the remains of field fortifications within the Bąkowiec group, which was the central section of the Russian defence line. As analysis of the social value of the Great War relics indicates, the dominant way is to create heritage, and the message conveyed by the content of places representing the past causes a lot of controversy and conflicts among local residents.

The article is devoted to the understanding by Russian right-wing publicists of the significance of the ceremony of transferring the relics of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk from Kyiv to Polotsk. Materials published on the pages of such periodicals as «Moskovskiye Vedomosti», «Russkoye Znamya», «Russkiy Styag», «Okrainy Rossii», «Russkaya Zemlya», «Russkaya Pravda», etc. were used. Conservative publicists paid great attention to the celebration and, as a rule, tried to see in it one of the signs of the coming «revival» of Russia in the form in which they wanted to see it. It was assumed that the transfer of the relics of the venerable princess would contribute to the “awakening” of the Russian people, strengthening the positions of the Orthodox faith, devotion to which, in their opinion, is inherent in the soul of a Russian person by nature. The ceremony was also seen as a pledge of solving problems that were relevant for the beginning of the 20th century problems. The mood of right-wing publicists was characterized by extreme optimism. The challenges of modernity, which included the growth of Polish influence, the spread of Catholicism and the general decline in the level of religiosity of part of Russian society, as expected, would certainly be answered properly by uniting the united Orthodox Russian people. Transfer of the relics of St. Euphrosyne in Polotsk was considered one of the symbols of the future triumph.

The essay "Bell Beakers in the Masurian Lakeland in Northeast Poland - Relics and Identification Problems" confirms that the influence of the Bell Beaker culture extended to the Vistula Basin. New discoveries in the North Podlachian Lowland, especially in the Masurian Lakeland, show that this region was heavily influenced by the Iwno culture, which spread the Bell Beaker influence in this part of Europe. The analysis of ceramic and flint artifacts from the Ząbie X and Szestno II sites revealed that these objects can clearly be associated with Bell Beakers and have no connection to the local Iwno culture. This suggests that in the late Neolithic period, individuals with the cultural heritage of the Bell Beaker culture reached the area of the Masurian Lakeland and the North Podlachian Lowland. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses current trends in the formation of the church space in post-Soviet Russia. The author focuses on religious practices that result in the presence of symbolically significant objects – relics, votive gifts, donators’ icons, notes, etc., – in churches. These objects build the space of the church as a space of communication with the saints; they form an environment in which parishioners and pilgrims clearly see the channels and means of this communication. Some practices are carried out primarily by the clergy – such as collections of relics and brandea or ordering various reliquaries for keeping sacred objects which the church is either already having or planning to obtain. Collecting relics allows clergy to build the “topography of holiness” in the church, to present the uniqueness of the church in the parish and on the church website. Other practices are carried out primarily by parishioners and pilgrims – this is the bringing of votive gifts, notes, and donators’ icons (sometimes with inscriptions). Various objects that appear in the temple space can serve as affordances for such actions. First, these are wooden icon-cases covered with glass – ‘niches’ in which it is convenient and safe to place gifts. Secondly, these are ‘regular’ gifts – decorations placed on icons by the clergy (as a rule, pectoral crosses and panagia). Finally, the same role is played by the notes, the gifts, and the curatorial icons themselves – the presence of the gift serves as an invitation to do a similar action and bring a note / a jewelry or to order a new icon related to personal or family story (request, need). As a result of such practices, the church space in Russia is actively developing. Reliquaries of various forms are being created; relics are integrated into icons and crosses, turning them into reliquaries; massive icon-cases are ordered for icons, convenient for placing a lot of votive gifts, etc. These processes are sometimes hardly noticeable, but their role in the current church tradition is undoubtedly significant. В статье рассмотрены актуальные тенденции в формировании храмового пространства в постсоветской России. В фокусе внимания – религиозные практики, которые оказывают влияние на наполнение церквей символически значимыми объектами – реликвиями, вотивными дарами, ктиторскими иконами, записками и т. п. Эти предметы выстраивают пространство храма как пространство коммуникации со святыми и формируют среду, в которой прихожане и паломники наглядно видят каналы и средства этой коммуникации. Некоторые практики осуществляются прежде всего духовенством – это собирание реликвий, святых мощей и брандеа, заказ различных реликвариев для хранения как уже приобретённых, так и (зачастую) ещё только запланированных к приобретению святынь. Собирание реликвий позволяет выстраивать свою «топографию святости» в каждой церкви, позиционировать уникальность своего храма в приходе и на церковном сайте. Другие практики осуществляют прежде всего прихожане и паломники – это принесение вотивных даров, записок, а также ктиторских икон, иногда с донаторскими надписями. Аффордансами для таких действий могут служить различные предметы, появляющиеся в храмовом пространстве. Прежде всего, это деревянные киоты, закрытые стеклами, – ниши, в которых удобно и безопасно размещать дары. Кроме того, это «регулярные» дары – украшения, размещаемые на иконах духовенством (как правило, наперсные кресты и панагии). Наконец, ту же роль играют сами записки, привесы и ктиторские иконы – наличие дара служит приглашением сделать аналогичное действие и принести записку / одарить икону драгоценностью / заказать новую икону, связанную с личной или семейной историей (просьбой, потребностью). В результате развития таких практик храмовое пространство в России активно развивается, трансформируется, формируется на новых основаниях. Для реликвий создают мощевики разных форм; частицы мощей интегрируют в иконы и кресты, превращая их в реликварии; для икон заказывают массивные киоты, в которых можно разместить множество вотивных привесов и т. п. Эти процессы порой мало заметны, но их роль в актуальной церковной традиции крайне велика.

In this interdisciplinary study brought to your attention, a rather bold effort was made to develop a certain qualitatively improved scientific paradigm that would satisfy all informational, spiritual, and material aspects of being. That is, the author quite consciously sets himself an unimaginable and, it seems, a difficult task of integrating most of the present laws of nature. And, besides, his arguments are also supported by a number of appropriate equations of theoretical physics. For instance, it is from such a purely techie’s positions that an original secular rationale of the phenomenon of the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ is given here (as well as, however, the rather complex process of formation of the incorruptible relics of eminent Orthodox saints). But most importantly, this article, with its pacifist orientation and readiness for general open dialogue, visibly differs from many other thematically similar studies, which makes it very relevant in our days, when it is urgently required to learn, after all, to think in a new way, i.e. creatively and impartially.

The paper investigates the nature of the commemoration of saints using the cult of the evangelist Luke in late medieval Serbian lands as a case study. It analyses St. Luke’s veneration starting from the middle of the 14th century, focusing on the changes that occurred after the translation of the saint’s relics to Smederevo on January 12, 1453. The research showed that the cult was transformed with the frequency of commemoration and the importance attributed to Luke’s feast days. In addition, the content of the cult is related to the Serbian environment, especially the capital of the Serbian Despotate, in two ways: by translating Constantinopolitan texts associated with his cult and by compiling new writings. Thus, the veneration of all-Christian saints with stable and lasting cults also proves to be a very dynamic process, in which the focus on the saint’s relics has a vital role.

The basic aim of the article is to present a body of scholarly material which has not been included in the lexicographical publication entitled „Słownik frazeologizmów z archaizmami. Pamiątki przeszłości” because of the methodological assumptions which have been adopted. The text takes into account selected terminological combinations, with special reference to those which gained currency in colloquial usage e.g.: bieg wsteczny ‘reverse gear’, lusterko wsteczne ‘rear view mirror’, dom zdrojowy ‘spa’, katar sienny ‘hay fever’, udar mózgu ‘stroke’, wotum zaufania ‘motion of confidence’, wotum nieufności ‘motion of no confidence’, ząb sieczny ‘incisor (tooth)’.

The article analyzes three fragments from the travel notes of Vasily Grigorovich-Barsky about pilgrimage sites identified as the house of the Virgin Mary in Mariazell, Loreto and Nazareth. This traveler, who lived in the 18th century, was an Orthodox Christian and his education was very close to European University tradition, was interested not only in the appearance and history of these complexes, but also in the authenticity of the objects of worship. The texts about Mariazell and Loreto are non-critical descriptions, although about the shrine in Nazareth in his description Barsky is doubting about the authenticity of what he had seen earlier. Bringing scientific arguments, he is convinced of the falsity of the Catholic shrine in Loreto and the falsity of the legend about moving the house to another location. His reasoning, at first glance, is a natural part of interfaith polemics, but when referring to the tradition of Loretan criticism, it turns out that the author is included in the polemic that began in European religious and scientific circles long before him. His arguments are of interest from the point of view of the history of the Church, since he refutes Catholic practice, relying on arguments of a scientific nature, and not on theology. В статье анализируются три фрагмента из путевых заметок Василия Григоровича-Барского о паломнических объектах, отождествляемых с домом Девы Марии, в Марияцелле, Лорето и Назарете. Путешественника, жившего в XVIII столетии, исповедующего православие и получившего образование, близкое к университетскому, интересовал не только облик и история этих комплексов, но и подлинность объектов поклонения. Тексты о Марияцелле и Лорето имеют характер некритических описаний, тогда как при обращении к святыне в Назарете Барский задаётся вопросом о подлинности увиденного им ранее. Приводя аргументы научного характера, он убеждается в поддельности католической святыни в Лорето и неистинности легенды о переносе домика Девы Марии. Его рассуждения, на первый взгляд, являются естественной частью межконфессиональной полемики, но при обращении к традиции лоретанской критики выясняется, что автор включается в полемику, начавшуюся в европейских религиозных и научных кругах задолго до него. Его рассуждения представляют интерес с точки зрения истории Церкви, поскольку он опровергает католическую практику, опираясь на аргументы научного характера, а не на богословие.

The article examines an important and especially acute for our country issue of interaction between the secular state and the church both at the grassroots and at the highest level, using the example of one of the aspects of church life. The policies pursued by the Soviet state in the early years of Soviet rule generated a lot of speculation and misinterpretations caused by superficial study of the subject and entrenched stereotypes. The article clarifies the existing ideas about the process of opening the relics, reveals the mistakes of a number of researchers. The main problem is the assessment by contemporaries and direct participants in the events of the policy pursued by the state and its results. The key method of work is the method of collating documents of secular authorities, church bodies and the memoirs of eyewitnesses of the events. The autopsy of the relics as a process that began from below and was picked up later by the state, as a grassroots one and really influencing the attitude of ordinary people to the church, could not eliminate the churching of the masses. However, it was the background against which the interaction of the new government and the organization of the Russian Orthodox Church was built in the first years of Soviet authorities.

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Copyright of Leviathan: Zeitschrift für Sozialwissenschaft (Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG) is the property of Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Alongside the garden terraces, which were already famous at the time of their construction, the castle complex of Książ (German: Fürstenstein) is framed by an extensive historical park and cultural landscape. It is unique in that it is still preserved in its original dimensions today, even if large parts of it have become overgrown; design intentions are therefore difficult to recognise or only recognisable to specialists. At the same time, exceptional natural values with valuable habitats have developed in these areas, which have been designated as nature and landscape protection areas. One centrepiece is the so called »Wąwóz Pełcznicy pod Książem« (German: Fürstensteiner Grund, English: Gorge of Książ), a deep notch valley below the castle, which meanders through impressive rock formations and steep slopes over a length of circa three kilometres. Hans Heinrich VI of Hochberg (1768–1833) initiated the creation of a landscape park from 1794 in this gorge. $e preceding marriage with Anna Emilia of Anhalt-Köthen-Pless (1770–1830) in 1791 signalled the beginning of a renewal in Książ: For the first time in its history, the wider surroundings of the palace were taken into consideration for garden and park design ideas. Hans Heinrich VI commissioned the painter and architect Christian Wilhelm Tischbein (1751–1824), a descendant of the famous Hessian Tischbein artist family, to develop a dra" for the landscape park. An artificial castle ruin, (ephemeral) decorative buildings, paths and staircases, bridges, a pond and statues were set up in the valley. Guidebooks praised the varied landscape; spa guests from nearby Szczawno-Zdrój and Stary Zdrój visited the area. $roughout the 19th century, the valley remained a popular excursion destination, and numerous artists captured the views in paintings and graphics. Around 1900, under Hans Heinrich XV (1861–1938) and his wife Mary-$eresa Cornwallis-West (1873–1943), known as Daisy von Pless, the park area was modernised as a woodland garden with large popula‐ tions of rhododendrons. To this day, relics from both design phases have been preserved, but are in poor condition. In cooperation between Technical University of Dresden and the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, a model project at the interface of cultural history, preser‐ vation of garden monuments, nature and water protection and tourism has been elaborating since May 2021, sponsored by the Deutsche Bundessti"ung Umwelt (DBU). In practice, communication problems arise due to different objectives, especially between nature protection and monument preservation. So far, it has not been possible to develop an overall planning strategy that incorporates both cultural and natural heritage. $is is where the DBU project applies, as the administration of Książ Castle wishes to integrate the historic landscape more closely into a museum and tourism concept. Stakeholders, institutions and authorities are involved in the project from the beginning in order to win them over as long-term guarantors for the preservation and maintenance of the historical landscape. It is a joint task to preserve the Gorge of Książ for future generations as a shared European cultural and natural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 16th-century historiographer of the Bavarian dukes, Johannes Aventinus (1477-1534), was among the first scholars who investigated the landscape in search of material relics of the ancient past. He tried to identify the fortifications and towns mentioned in ancient texts. According to 16th-century ideas on Roman architecture, he 'recognised' the remains of many ancient forts especially because of the use of heavy stone walls, constructed with rectangular blocks of rustica and the use of heavy barrel vaults. In fact, in most cases these were the remains of Romanesque castles, but the differences between Romanesque architecture and genuine Roman art were not yet defined in those days (in fact this only started in the early 19th century). In the second half of the 16th century other scholars took up Aventinus's ideas, among others Daniel Specklin from Strasbourg. The castle of Niederalfingen, built in the 1570s for Marx Fugger near Aalen, may even be interpreted as a scholarly reconstruction of such a Roman stronghold, following the criteria described by Aventinus and his contemporaries, including the archaic style of its sculptured decorations. Konrad Ottenheym: Aventinus on Roman fortifications in Southern Germany. The 'discovery' of the Roman limes in the 16th century. The 16th-century historiographer of the Bavarian dukes, Johannes Aventinus (1477-1534), was among the first scholars who investigated the landscape in search for material relics of the ancient past. He tried to identify the fortifications and towns mentioned in ancient texts. According to 16th-century ideas on Roman architecture, he 'recognised' the remains of many remains ancient castella especially because of the use of heavy stone walls, constructed with rectangular blocks of rustica and the use of heavy barrel vaults. In fact, in most cases these were the remains of romanesque castles but the differences between romanesque architecture and genuine roman art were not yet defined in those days (in fact this only started in the early 19th century). In the second half of the 16th century other scholars followed Aventinus's ideas, among others Daniel Specklin from Strasbourg. The castle of Niederalfingen, built in the 1570s for Marx Fugger near Aalen, may even be interpreted as a scholarly reconstruction of such a Roman stronghold, following the criteria as described by Aventinus and his contemporaries, including the archaic style of its sculptured decorations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a long tradition of lay involvement in historical monastery research, a kind of "citizen science" or, more precisely, "citizen history" avant la lettre. Interested people close to monasteries have been, and still are, actively researching and communicating their history. Through their familiarity with local conditions, they have knowledge monopolies from which specialist science can profit. These can include, for example, historical relics, monastic material culture, or features of the monastic landscape. Conversely, citizen historians can receive methodological impulses from specialist historians and thus further improve their voluntary work. It would, therefore, be a gain for historical monastery research if the cooperation between volunteers and trained historians could be established as a meta-method through targeted measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a starting point, the paper asserts that there was no geographic region called Diokletia Hvostanska (Diokletia of Hvosno), which is mentioned in just two sources – one from the 15th and another from the 18th century. The root of this misconception is an erroneous reading of a section in Teodosije’s Vita of St. Peter of Koriša, which recounts that the saint was born in the area of Hvosno in Diokletia. Starting from the fact that Hvosno was in Diokletia, i.e., Duklja or Diokleia, only when this historical region was ruled by King Vukan, son of the Serbian grand župan Stefan Nemanja – in the last decade of the 12th and the very beginning of the 13th century – the birth of Peter of Koriša is dated to this period. Accordingly, his life and miracles would belong to the 13th century. Based on an in-depth analysis of the most important details about the death of St. Peter of Koriša and the beginnings of his cult – the chronological distance of Teodosije’s Vita of St. Peter of Koriša from the saint’s death, the transfer of some of his relics to Constantinople, the time of writing of the earliest service dedicated to him, and the earliest layer of frescoes at the hermitage of St. Peter of Koriša – I propose that the saint died no later than c. 1270 and that Teodosije composed his service and vita in the last decade of the 13th century. In the time separating these two events, the saint’s relics were revealed as incorruptible, and he began to be venerated.

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Some manuscripts of the 11th and 12th centuries preserved in Catalonia present a specific rite when a bishop had to consecrate a church. In the altar he placed relics, three fragments of hosts, three grains of incense and small parchments on which was written the information about the consecration, the ten commandments and the beginning of the four gospels. The Catalan consecration ritual corresponded to a specific liturgical codification, the Catalan-Narbonne ordo, which is generally accepted to have been strictly followed. However, archaeological excavations carried out in pre-Romanesque and Romanesque churches in Catalonia since the 19th century have often brought to light a practice that was not codified in these texts: the modest containers of wood, stone or alabaster that contained the consecration relics had been engraved with names. This paper is dedicated to these nominal inscriptions from the consecration ritual, found inside the altars.

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The article sheds additional light on early Capuchins, early modern Eucharistic spirituality, and the post-Tridentine understanding of holiness. It mentions a study of St. Lawrence of Brindisi's eucharistic spirituality and mass handkerchiefs, and reports that among the many enthusiastic supporters of the Eucharist in early modern Catholicism was the Capuchin Father and Doctor of the Church Laurentius of Brindisi who used handkerchiefs to dry his tears.

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Copyright of Praehistorische Zeitschrift is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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In the 1740s and 1750s, the public scene in Italy was abuzz with a debate weighing the pros and cons of swallowing small pieces of paper with a prayer to the Virgin Immaculate printed on them. Having been introduced to the city of Naples by the Jesuit missionary Francesco Pepe, the practice drew the ire of the Catholic reformer Ludovico Antonio Muratori, whose pointed intervention entailed a flurry of publications from both Jesuits and Franciscans. Responding to Muratori, these authors actively sought to establish the paper pills as part of an embodied and sensual religion superior to the reading of pious texts that Muratori was proposing as an alternative to baroque Catholicism. Leveraging Muratori's elitism, his critics touted the paper pills as an expression of the untainted religion of uneducated men and women uncorrupted by the reading revolution that was converting sections of the elite to enlightened values. In later decades, this populist corporeal, anti-intellectual religion was weaponized against the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Drawing on insights from religious media studies, this article argues that the battle between baroque and reform Catholicism should not be seen exclusively as one of ideas, but rather as embedded in a complex media configuration in which partook both sides of the argument and which accounts for the unlikely survival of baroque Catholicism in the age of mass reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The extreme mountain landscape and its potential dangers were one of the reasons for the high number of sacred buildings in the Alpine region. Tyroleans have long called their region the Holy land of Tyrol, due to the many churches, chapels, monasteries, wayside shrines and crucifixes in the region, among other reasons. How was the unique religiosity of Alpine inhabitants expressed in their buildings? Is it expressed differently than in the famous church buildings of European cities? It seems that the motives for erecting sacred buildings and monuments in mountain regions are to be weighted differently and that, in addition to their primary religious function, these structures fulfilled different tasks for the population at different times. While contemplative spatial concepts were and still are at the forefront of architectural thought, earlier buildings were primarily vessels for relics, images and statues. The motive lay in conjuring up and invoking the help of God and the patron saints. Thus, while historical buildings were seen more as places of practiced rituals – to receive help from the difficulties of everyday life – the individualistic interest in contemplative places has gained momentum in modern times. The sheer number of these different typologies of structures in a wide variety of social locations is unique to Tyrol, making it easy to identify social and societal conditions in different historical periods.

The article focuses on reevaluating the Reformation in Bremen by analyzing administrative texts from the late Middle Ages, challenging the traditional belief in a rapid transition instigated by Brother Hendrik's sermons. It uses documents by Daniel von Büren to assess the extent of religious change and pre-existing awareness of a crisis in church and religion, presenting a case study for examining German cities' transitions to the Reformation.

The article focuses on Martin Luther's overlooked theology regarding bodily healing and medicine within the context of his theological considerations of suffering. It explores Luther's views on the proper use of medicine, examining how his theological concerns, specifically his soteriological vision and criticism of idolatry, shaped his perspective on healing practices. It mentions investigation delves into Luther's commentaries on the Old Testament to elucidate his endorsement of resistance.

The Orthodox view of the Catholic Church with its sacred buildings, rituals, and shrines was amply reflected in the Byzantine and Russian descriptions of the Council of Ferrara-Florence. It is possible to divide the existing sources into two groups with different attitude to Latin cultic practices. An ambiguous attitude of earlier descriptions may be related to the uneasiness of the majority of Orthodox towards Western religious art, the decoration of churches, and the peculiarities of ritual that appeared unusual and alien. The most prominent Byzantines, including the emperor and the patriarch, were prepared to the union, tolerated the Latin liturgy and worshipped at Latin shrines. Many Orthodox followed their example, though not without hesitation. The rigorists, who constituted a minority at the council, rejected the very idea of a religious reunification based on compromise, and considered it unacceptable to honour Latin shrines. The latter view had eventually prevailed both in Constantinople and in Moscow, leading to the emergence of highly polemical descriptions of the council. Their authors tried to conceal the interested attitude of many Orthodox delegates towards Catholic churches and liturgy, their reverence for Catholic icons and relics. On the contrary, confessional distinction was strictly imposed, leading to firm refusal to venerate Catholic shrines that belonged to the menacing heresy and dangerous heretics.

The date 17 November 2022 marked the deathof Prof. Andrzej Marek Wyrwa, a historian and archaeologist,a long-standing professor at the Adam Mickiewicz Universityin Poznan, and Director of the Museum of the First Piasts atLednica. Born on 22 March 1955 in Krzyż Wielkopolski, hegraduated in history (1978) and archaeology (1981) from theAdam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. Bonded with his almamater in his scholarly activity, where he worked uninterruptedlyas of 1984, he was conferred doctoral degree in 1985, postdoctoraldegree in 1996, and became professor in 2004. Havingheaded the ’Łekno’ Archaeological Expedition in 1982–2008,he conducted excavations at Ł3 archaeological site at Łeknonear Wągrowiec which resulted in a spectacular discoveryof pre-Romanesque rotunda relics dating back to the Early--Piast monarchy, of a stronghold, and of a Cistercian monasteryfounded in 1153. In many aspects that research into the wholesettlement complex around Łekno was trailblazing, extensive,and interdisciplinary. Having become Director of the Museumof the First Piasts at Lednica in 2008, over the 14 years of hiscontribution to that institution he implemented crucial projectsenabling its operation. In 2013, he extended the archaeologicalreserves at Ostrów Lednicki, Giecz, and Grzybowo. He alsoextended the Dziekanowice seat of the Museum making thedream of generations of Polish scholars and museologistscome true: to have Ostrów Lednicki’s Piasts’ heritage proudlymanifested. Not so long ago, since on 7 October 2022, togetherwith Prof. Wyrwa we happily celebrated the launch of the newMuseum building. Furthermore, his academic legacy containsover 625 academic studies, works for general public, and piecesof feature writing.

Copyright of Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Praehistorische Zeitschrift is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

What should we do with the remnants of Nazism? Should we dispose of them? Is it acceptable to sell them at a flea market or on the internet? At what point does memory become nostalgia, or even illegal neo-Nazi activity? Objects related to Nazism get discovered in various places and contexts – whether in one’s own basement, at flea markets or an online portal, in the estate of relatives or even in the trash. Even if one’s own family history is not entangled with the Nazi regime, such finds trigger feelings ranging from shame to detachment and even fascination. The exhibition "Disposing of Hitler. Out of the Cellar, Into the Museum", House of Austrian History ("Hitler entsorgen. Vom Keller ins Museum", Haus der Geschichte Österreich) asks about the social responsibility in dealing with relics of Nazism and explores the question of how these things can strengthen democratic consciousness in the present.