EHBO - First Aid with War Heritage and History

The EHBO-event invited people in possession of objects related to the First and/or Second World War in their family archives to come to the Provincial heritage center in Ename. The day's goal was to identify, inventarize and historically contextualize the objects, to give the visitors advice about object preservation and about further research into their family history, as well as to prepare an exhibition with a selection of the war objects brought with. ​ 

 

Personal war heritage

'First Aid with War Heritage and History' took place on Sunday the 16th of November 2014 in the Provincial heritage center in Ename and was an initiative of the Province of East-Flanders. The heritage project wanted to collect, preserve and exhibit material war heritage from the two world wars. It also wanted to sensibilize and inform the public about the value of that heritage.

The event was divided in two pathways: 

A heritage pathway: depot counselors advized visitors about the best ways to preserve their material heritage and staff registered the objects and the story connected to them. After a selection was made, the collected heritage was put on display during the exhibition 'Collectievissen in oorlogstijd' organized by the Province East-Flanders from October 2015 until February 2016. 

A history pathway: historians gave thematic presentations dealing with both world wars. They also communicated personally with the visitors to give them historical context about their object(s) and to help them to individually perform further research into their family history. 

Organization

The EHBO-day was an initiative and organization of the Province of East-Flanders. The Institute for Public History (IPG) was partner and played and advizing, supporting and executive role. The IPG assembled about fifteen historians (professors, PhDs, doctorands) of the Research Group 'Social History after 1750' of the History Department of the UGent, as well as some experts of CEGESOMA, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History and the Royal Military School. 

Contact

Davy.verbeke@ugent.be