Waterloo, lieu de mémoire européenne (1815-2000): histoire et controverses

A few decades ago, to consider the day of June 18, 1815 as one of the "thirty days which made France" was undoubtedly provocative. Today, no one is surprised at the importance of this major event in the history of contemporary Europe. This work argues that the Battle of Waterloo, strongly rooted in the memory of Walloon Brabant, must be seen in the context of building a Europe in search of identity, beyond "nationalist" divisions and conflicts. It should become a symbol of European peace. Mythical place par excellence, Waterloo belongs to the collective cultural heritage of every European citizen. Our memory is thus strewn with significant places, commemorative monuments and historical interpretations, which can be the object of local, regional, federal, even European controversies. This work bears witness to the historical singularity of the "Waterloo-1815" event. It places it in the field of investigation of a heritage history, of a common heritage, based on new research aimed at recording traces of European historical representation. [translated and modified from Google Books]