Een strijd met vele gezichten

My research question of this master thesis was: to what extent can I trance changes and continuities within national histories in Protestant and Catholic MULO history textbooks in the period 1920-1930 and 1960-1970 and how can these be explained? I have chosen for a case study: the national history about the Dutch Revolt (1568-1648). In the period 1920-1930 the mnemonic religious community appears to play a major role in MULO history textbooks. This resulted in large differences between the historical narratives about the Revolt in Protestant and Catholic textbooks. The history textbooks were only a cultural memory for their own ‘pillar’ and contained only collective memories that were considered important for their own religious group. In the period 1960-1970 the society has changed, the religious mnemonic community faded into the background and the Dutch national mnemonic community got the upper hand. However, this national community had changed since 1920. In 1920-1930 the national identity consisted mainly of the Protestant identity. In the period 1960-1970, the Catholics won their own place within this discourse. This had implications for the historical narrative about the Revolt in both the Catholic and Protestant history textbooks. A number of factors played an important role in the growing together of the historical views of the different religious groups. One is the Second World War. Historians from different backgrounds who would otherwise never be talking to each other did meet during the war and they brought together different ideas and new ideologies, for example the 'breakthrough’ movement (Doorbraakgedachte). Moreover, the war made brutally clear what the consequences could be of creating an "other". After World War II, European countries were working together to monitor international freedom. This growing European cooperation was the beginning of European citizenship. The most important factor of the shift in the historiography of the Revolt in history textbooks is the changes within the ‘pillars’ themselves and the changes within the churches. The ecumenical movement, which emerged in the fifties and sixties, sought openness for other faiths and supported renewals within the church organizations.