Esther Wittemann on the phenomenon of national nostalgia

Interest is booming in the Netherlands in the country's history, culture and traditions. The government is building a national historical museum, and the latest TV hit is a quiz show entitled "I Love Holland". Esther Wittemann discusses the phenomenon of national nostalgia in the daily NRC Handelsblad. "What we are observing is that people feel insecure because the world around them is changing so rapidly. Through the credit crisis, through international terrorism and sometimes through migrants who are different from themselves. For this reason they seek a sense of security in a group. They want to belong, they want a safety net. It is important for them to pinpoint who belongs to their group and what it stands for. They need to stress what the people in their group have in common. Tales of their shared history help, as do old symbols. Ultimately they use this country, the Netherlands, as their reference, and that imparts a feeling of solidarity. When people want to oppose changes that frighten them, they retreat into their own group. But in delimiting and adulating their own group they should beware of falling into extremes."

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