Kotiseutu kulttuuriperintöprosessina – saksalainen kokemus

Home district as a process of cultural heritage – the German experience This article examines the interpretations of the home or home district (Heimat), and is based on the memories and experiences of the East Germans. The use of the concept ’home district’ has changed in the West German macro level discourse. Formerly one’s home district was the place in which an individual had domicile rights and duties. From this description there has been a gradual shift towards more diverse connections to personal identity. The concept of home district has changed in accordance with the ever-changing life situations of the post-modern individual. The author has used this conceptual shift as a background to the life experiences of her interviewees. The interviews were conducted in the Mecklenburg area in 2007–2008, in connection to a larger research project funded by the Academy of Finland, entitled ”At home in a conserved house – the East German experience”. The author is aiming to show that the ”secondary knowledge” as related by the inhabitants and the image provided by the official documents of socialist Germany did not meet in everyday life. People give meaning and significance to their home district according to their personal life history and also depending on the type of housing they live in. The three different interpretations of the ’home district’ that have been chosen from the data show that secondary knowledge provides new interpretations of the history of socialist Germany. It is history outside official documents.