Handheld History

Over the past decade the world has seen the rise of smartphones and mobile apps, covering all sorts of subjects, including history. This research aims to make a start in illuminating how such apps represent history, by showing how the Second World War (WWII) is represen ted through popular and museum- related mobile applications, and why this is done in this parti cular way. It examines these questions by investigating two groups of apps: five of the most popular WWII -related apps and three WWII-apps related to Dutch museums and institutes. Combined these eight c ases cover a range of apps on one of the most popular historical subjects. Main focus points in anal yzing these representations were the narrated stories, including the perspectives and different aspe cts on WWII that were given through the apps. These were related to the concept of remediation in order to show the motivations and rules dictating these representations. It was found that the five popular apps present themselves as being authentic and highly immersive. Games turned out to be most popular applications in the app stores. In these games third- person shooters present WWII through Allied eyes, in which it a ppears one man (or ship) has the power to decide the outcome of the War. In this category of mobile ga mes the outcome of history is fixed: events unfold in a linear sequen ce through the actions of users . Although strategy and simulation apps diverge from this pattern, all five apps are mainly focussed on the military aspects of the war. Military tools can be bought and upgraded, in these highly commercialize d games. Apps related to museum turned out to be aimed immersive experiences as well, but contr ary to popular apps they do so by providing information at historical sites. Stories are told mai nly from an Allied perspective, and through personal accounts. Multimedia and location-technologies are use d to enhance visitor experiences. Overall these representations o f WWII can be related to the t heory of remediation. Visitors and users long for an immersive experience of this historical episo de. Apps contribute to this demand by offering a mixture of authentic multimedia, engaging elements a nd the possibility to engage in stories at the exact place where the events took place. The narratives and images they present to their users build upon existing (popular) historical material, ensuring fam iliarity (and thus popularity and engagement) among their users. The story of WWII through apps l argely remains the same as that one found in comparable media, apps rather form an extension to the existing network of representations. Their power lies in their possibility to deliver a story that c an be personalized, accessed in shorts bursts and on the spot.