Limburgse herinneringen aan het Verdrag van Maastricht (1992)

een geheugenlandschap

Samenvatting

This article examines how the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, which transformed the European Community into the European Union, is remembered in the city and region of Maastricht. Through oral history interviews with 35 local informants— ranging from policymakers and journalists to hotel managers and residents—the study reconstructs a ‘memoryscape’ using the parameters of people, stories, images, and locations. The analysis reveals recurring themes such as security, hospitality, protocol, and media attention. Compared with the more open and festive 1981 European Conference, likewise held in Maastricht, the 1991 summit was marked by restricted access and heavy security, and left fewer public memories. This shift reflects a growing distance between the European integration project and the involvement of the public. By tracing these local memories, the study shows how the Maastricht Treaty’s legacy is both a symbol of European unity and a reminder of the growing gap between Europe’s political project and its public imagination.