Monuments to Peace
The War Romantic Test
With his intervention 'The War Romantic Test', Lüschen investigates the thin line between boredom during peacetime and the romance of war. The term 'war romantic' connects two contradictory words. Similarly, the general public formed two fronts, as was illustrated by the reactions to the War Romantic Test by Philip Lüschen during the opening of the Monuments for Peace exhibitions.
'As sinister as it sounds, I can imagine it,' agreed a middle-aged man. According to an alternatively dressed young woman, boys in particular grow up with adventure novels and can view war in a romantic light.
An older couple refused to take the test: 'Romanticism and war do not belong together. Anyone who thinks so is a dreamer and leads a restricted life!' A male in his fifties remembers his parents taking him to a military cemetery, which taught him that 'hidden inside everybody is a wolf'.
A thirty-something participant who scored highly in the test explained that 'it's what everybody thinks secretly, just like people secretly think they could be a hero'. A young couple thought the test was humorous. An older woman who 'definitely didn't want to be a war romantic' was afraid to fill in the test for fear she might be identified as one.
A girl explained how her grandmother often spoke about the war in a positive light. It was a time of solidarity, of discretion, and of sharing with strangers who found themselves in the same situation. 'Men thrive on tension. A young man who found a release for his energy back then in the underground movement might now become a criminal.'
An elderly man was shocked by my questions. 'You are young. Youngsters don't know what they're talking about.' He admitted he still spent a lot of time thinking about the war. 'I can't avoid watching films and reading books with a mixture of amazement and horror. If there were a war today, the first thing I'd do is set up a resistance group. But who could I trust to join it?'
By: Tessa Velthuis