It is interesting to observe the growing awareness of dark tourism in the
conventional media. For example, the current (ie. November) issue of
British Airways’ irredeemably glitzy in-flight magazine has a wee in-
flight tutorial on what dark tourism is. Last Wednesday’s New York Sun
newspaper gave it a mention too - as part of its coverage on the Halloween
conference held at GCU.
Meanwhile, hidden europe magazine (http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk) has, in
its November issue, an interesting essay which looks at swastikas in urban
and rural locations around Europe. It is an interesting example
of ‘lighter’ dark tourism, highlighting locations where swastikas feature
on buildings – often without being associated with any darker political
intentions. For example at the Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen or on the
floor of Amiens cathedral. But also some useful observations on ‘hidden’
swastikas – on a frozen lake in winter, in a German forest and in newly
laid cobbles on a German town square. The piece was previewed last month
in the magazine’s free e-news, which made mention of a swastika on a
building at Selwyn College in Cambridge. That short preview can be found
in the magazine’s e-news archive at
http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk/barticles.php?tPath=1. Click on issue
2006/27.
CH
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