Contribution to collective works (Parts of books)Fabricating National Unity in Torn Contexts: World War I in the Multilingual Countries of Switzerland and Luxembourg
Gardin, Matias; Brühwiler, Ingrid
2016 • In Gearóid, Barry; Dal Lago, Enrico; Healy, Róisín (Eds.) Small Nations and Colonial Peripheries in World War I
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Abstract :
[en] Switzerland and Luxembourg are both multilingual countries whose national raison d’être does not refer to one language or culture. During the First World War, both countries experienced inner political conflicts; consequently, the effects of the war on the education of national citizens are of crucial interest. In this article, we analyse teacher journals to highlight the ideas and principles of the 1910s and relate them to the topics of civics, war and peace. In this way, we examine how these two countries interpreted neutrality, shared a commitment to and addressed multilingualism, and sought to educate national citizens. In Switzerland, two major teacher journals immediately reacted to the new circumstance of war with articles and lessons for schools about war and peace, whereas in Luxembourg similar articles appeared only after 1916. Both countries experienced similar discussions about WWI and national unity, peace, and daily difficulties in economic, social and political life. Additionally, some aspects of neutrality were addressed similarly but fostered different aims regarding the military or solidarity. Thus, although the First World War challenged schools – and therefore teachers – and led to different arguments in the two countries on the way that national citizens were to be educated, the proclamations of patriotism, virtues and morals were similar.