Nieuwe stadsgeschiedenissen in beeld

Abstract

C. Gorisse, e.a., ed., Tilburg, stad met een levend verleden. De geschiedenis van Tilburg vanaf de steentijd tot en met de twintigste eeuw; P.H.A.M. Abels, e.a., ed., Duizend jaar Gouda. Een stadsgeschiedenis; R.C.J. van Maanen, e.a., ed., Leiden. De geschiedenis van een Hollandse stad, I-IV; J.G. Smit, e.a. ed., Den Haag, Geschiedenis van de stad, I-III; J. ten Hove, Geschiedenis van Zwolle; L. Fox, W.J.H. Willems, J. Kuys, H. Bots, Nijmegen. Geschiedenis van de oudste stad van Nederland, I-III.

New monographs on urban history on display
Books describing the entire history of a Dutch city or village are published every year in the Netherlands. These comprehensive, often multi-volume publications are based on previous case studies relating to aspects of the local history spanning several centuries. Monographs on The Hague, Gouda, Leiden, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Zwolle are recent examples. Five of these were written by a team of authors, although the book on Zwolle was the work of only one historian, as in the old days. Although these books differ too much to constitute a ‘standard format’, as advocated by urban historian Pim Kooij, they are comparable enough to provide insights into parallel developments. The integration of new disciplines such as urban archaeology has been extraordinarily fruitful. The continuous publication of urban histories helps to further accentuate the image of the Dutch past, particularly its local diversity.