Русе пред избор на приоритети. Локална идентичност и преход
Rousse – facing the Choice of Priorities. Local identity and Transition

Summary/Abstract: The present text is a result of the research study called “Town in Transition. Culture as a resource”. The text is an attempt to catch the changes in contemporary Bulgarian town during last 15 years, after the year 1989. Most probably a part of the change in Rousse is to rediscover its own town past, which imparts to town a unique identity – different from proclaimed in time of Socialism – town of revolutionaries, town of Baba Tonka. Today, as a part of Rousse’s identity are presented the “premieres” of the Industrial epoch (First Railway, First Private Bank). They reflect European tradition in development of the town and realization its culture. We observe tendency to seek relations between many historical characters (real and mythical) and the town and which can improve it image. Among them are Elias Canetti-a Nobel Laureate in Literature, born in Rousse and the prototype of Dracula, the Wallachian Prince Vlad III, who has received the sobriquet Tsepesh in Rousse. This contemporary point of view reconstructs the relations with the past, creates new symbolical fields, where today’s identity of Rousse is presented and thus determines the choice of priorities. In this process the culture is a very important instrument. With its support the desired identity can be accomplished, a necessary image of the past can be constructed, but also envisioning of the present is supported.

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