Die Heiligtümer der Nation. Abraham Lincoln, Erinnerungskultur und die „nationale Einheit“ der USA

Abstract

In US-American nation building, Abraham Lincoln played such a vital role that he became a major focal point in US politics, society and culture. His significance even reached dimensions of religious worship, which represents a key characteristic of US culture of remembrance. Especially in modern, pluralistic democracies, such an intertwining of nationhood and religion may cause societal tensions. This paper deals with Lincoln’s efforts to create a religion of the nation, establishing a hegemonic culture of remembrance. Based on the concept of „civil religion“, it investigates the meaning and implication of religious elements, particularly the „Pledge of Allegiance“, and the role of history in the contemporary USA.