Archaeologies of Totalitarianism, Authoritarianism, and Repression: Dark Modernities (Palgrave Studies in Cultural Heritage and Conflict)

"This volume offers detailed case studies that apply the approach of contemporary archaeology to investigate and expose ways in which the repressive actions and policies of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes affect peoples' everyday lives, bodies, mobilities, memory-making, and heritage construction. The volume is wide in its scope; it is a timely and original contribution to the growing field of scholarship on the material residues of the discomfiting aspects of heritage." -Mary C. Beaudry, Boston University, USA This book offers new insights into the mechanisms of state control, systematic repression, and mass violence focused on ethnic, political, class, and religious minorities in the recent past. The geographical and temporal scope of the volume breaks new ground as international scholars foreground how contemporary archaeology can be used to enhance the documentation and interpretation of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, to advance theoretical approaches to atrocities, and to broaden public understandings of how such regimes use violence and repression to hold on to power. James Symonds is Professor of Historical Archaeology at the University of Amsterdam. His research interests focus on global historical and contemporary archaeology, and his recent projects have included work on urban archaeology; conflict archaeology; the archaeology of Diasporic communities; and archaeologies of poverty and inequality. Pavel Vařeka is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Archaeology at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. His recent work has focused on later medieval, post-medieval, and modern settlement archaeology; building archaeology; 'campscape' archaeology; and archaeologies of communism. He has also led archaeological expeditions to the North Caucasus and Kyrgyzstan Acknowledgments Contents Notes on Contributors List of Figures 1 Introduction A Conversation The Chapters in This Volume References 2 Mass Graves: Strategies of Extermination During the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s Dictatorship Field of Study and Historical Context Materials and Methods The Repression Associated with the Military Occupation: The Graves of the Romanzal Stream in Llerena (Badajoz) Areas that Supported the Uprising: The Repressive Practices of Paseos and the Places of Terror Los Paseos: Villasbuenas de Gata (Cáceres) The Places of Terror: Los Arenales, Escurial (Cáceres) Repressive Contexts After the End of the Civil War: Castuera (Badajoz)—The Establishment of Prisons and Concentration Camps The Fight Against the Armed Guerrilla During the Dictatorship The Repressive Strategies During the Spanish Civil War and Franco Dictatorship Conclusions References 3 Concentration Camps: Classifying the Subjects of the New Spain Searching for the Lost Camps “Moles” (Topos) The Castuera Concentration Camp The Slaves The Barracks The Women The Disappeared Conclusions References 4 Double Vision and the Politics of Visibility: The Landscapes of Forced and Slave Labor The Politics of Visibility The Invisible Landscapes of Forced Labor Strategies for Challenging the Invisible Concluding Thoughts References 5 The Heart of Terror: A Forensic and Archaeological Assessment of the Old Gas Chambers at Treblinka Introduction Previous Investigations at Treblinka Extermination Camp Methodology Finding the Old Gas Chambers Witness Information and Other Primary Sources Locating the Gas Chambers Examining the Old Gas Chambers Trench 1 Appearance and Operation of the Old Gas Chambers Trench 2 Trench 3 Demolition Personal Items Human Remains Impact and Future Work References 6 Materiality of a Forced Migration in World War II: Archaeology of Displacement of the Polish Exodus in Iran (from 1942) Introduction Historical Background Confronting Questions: Methods and Theories On Photographs Coming Close to the Experience; the Paths the Poles Have Taken in Iran Routes Places, Locations, Spaces Cemetery Space Doulab Cemetery Camp Site Areas Under Allied Control Manufactory Spaces Within the Camps Aid and Religious Spaces Non-controlled Spaces Tehran Esfahan Pahlavi Port (Bandar Pahlavi) Camp Spaces Wide-Angle Views Discussion References 7 Searching for Living Ghosts: The Archaeology of Communist Repression in Poland Introduction Searching for Hidden Graves Research Program on the Victims of Communist Terror Out-of-Court Execution Sites War Crime Sites Discovering Urbanscapes and Landscapes Marked by Communist Repressions Discussion Conclusions References 8 Archaeology of the Lithuanian Partisan War: Case of the Partisan Bunker in Daugėliškiai Forest Introduction Partisan War in Lithuania Archaeology of Lithuanian Partisan War Disposal Sites of the Remains of Lithuanian Partisans Partisan Bunkers Battlefields Other Sites of the Partisan War Partisan Bunker in Daugėliškiai Forest Archaeological Investigation Reconstruction of the Attack on the Bunker Conclusions References 9 Divided Landscapes, Divided Peoples: An Archaeology of the Iron Curtain Between Czechoslovakia and Western Germany The Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia The Vašíček Company Section An Archaeology of the Iron Curtain Surface Survey Trial Excavations The Material Life of a Cold War Barrack Block Results and Interpretation Conclusions References 10 The Shadow of Pain, Instructions for Archaeologists Living Under Dictatorship Introduction Who Were They? Episode 1: The Violated Lives of Our Great Grandparents Episode 2: 1953 Coup, Death of Hopes Episode 3: The Young Protesters Who Were Our Parents Episode 4: Repetition Who Am I? Episode I: Interrogations Episode II: How an Archaeologist Might Be Dangerous Episode III: Where Am I? Episode IV: An Archaeologist Without a Shovel Discussion: How to Survive References Index "This volume offers detailed case studies that apply the approach of contemporary archaeology to investigate and expose ways in which the repressive actions and policies of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes affect peoples' everyday lives, bodies, mobilities, memory-making, and heritage construction. The volume is wide in its scope; it is a timely and original contribution to the growing field of scholarship on the material residues of the discomfiting aspects of heritage." -Mary C. Beaudry, Boston University, USA This book offers new insights into the mechanisms of state control, systematic repression, and mass violence focused on ethnic, political, class, and religious minorities in the recent past. The geographical and temporal scope of the volume breaks new ground as international scholars foreground how contemporary archaeology can be used to enhance the documentation and interpretation of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, to advance theoretical approaches to atrocities, and to broaden public understandings of how such regimes use violence and repression to hold on to power. James Symonds is Professor of Historical Archaeology at the University of Amsterdam. His research interests focus on global historical and contemporary archaeology, and his recent projects have included work on urban archaeology; conflict archaeology; the archaeology of Diasporic communities; and archaeologies of poverty and inequality. Pavel Vařeka is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Archaeology at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. His recent work has focused on later medieval, post-medieval, and modern settlement archaeology; building archaeology; 'campscape' archaeology; and archaeologies of communism. He has also led archaeological expeditions to the North Caucasus and Kyrgyzstan