J.E. Trojer: Documentation of his Thinking and Methods

The project focuses on the constant interdisciplinary thinking and methods of the East Tyrolean writer, journalist, linguist, historian, and ethnologist Johannes E. Trojer (1935-1991) from quite different angles. The results-based on the extensive literary and historical remains comprizing 140 archiv cartons-are to be published in a scholarly documentation volume. This book represents the "heart" of the whole edition that includes Trojer`s works on contemporary history, literature, and journalism. It also contains scholarly contributions from other fields that cover special aspects of Trojer`s areas of interest-assembled by the project team Fürhapter/Kofler/Unterweger. Trojer`s unconventional way of working is the focus of the study. It is demonstrated in quite different case studies that give wonderful insight into his overlapping interests and the development of these interests from the 1950s to the 1980s. The main thesis is the perception of Trojer`s historic-ethnological approach as a continuous local experiment in the villages of the Villgraten Valley-in the context of his journalistic and literary work. The documents in the Brenner Archives shed new light on Trojer as an exemplary figure for research into the local culture; he concentrated on critical analysis of the past and the present and how it shaped local identities. In fact, Johannes E. Trojer personified "memory of the valley". With its interdisciplinary approach, combining history, literature, and society, this volume offers new insight for researchers into local culture as well as the scholarly guild. It establishes a new basis for further research- documentation, institutional history, collective memory or literary studies. Even more, you have to mention the important collection of thousands of photographs that give information on the change of the valley in the 20th century (construction of houses and farms, religious symbols, cultural activities etc.) and helps the present generation to understand the mentality and concerns of the forefathers as well as important documentary sources for future scholarship (contemporary history, agrarian history, everyday history, ethnology, art history). Trojer constantly analysed social power structures in the villages of Außer- and Innervillgraten. Therefore, even if he looked at an 18th century topic, created a literary montage or collected photographs of local soldiers of WWII: Trojer reflected the importance of his sources and works for contemporary life continually.

The project focuses on the constant interdisciplinary thinking and methods of the East Tyrolean writer, journalist, linguist, historian, and ethnologist Johannes E. Trojer (1935-1991) from quite different angles. The results-based on the extensive literary and historical remains comprizing 140 archiv cartons-are to be published in a scholarly documentation volume. This book represents the "heart" of the whole edition that includes Trojer`s works on contemporary history, literature, and journalism. It also contains scholarly contributions from other fields that cover special aspects of Trojer`s areas of interest-assembled by the project team Fürhapter/Kofler/Unterweger. Trojer`s unconventional way of working is the focus of the study. It is demonstrated in quite different case studies that give wonderful insight into his overlapping interests and the development of these interests from the 1950s to the 1980s. The main thesis is the perception of Trojer`s historic-ethnological approach as a continuous local experiment in the villages of the Villgraten Valley-in the context of his journalistic and literary work. The documents in the Brenner Archives shed new light on Trojer as an exemplary figure for research into the local culture; he concentrated on critical analysis of the past and the present and how it shaped local identities. In fact, Johannes E. Trojer personified "memory of the valley". With its interdisciplinary approach, combining history, literature, and society, this volume offers new insight for researchers into local culture as well as the scholarly guild. It establishes a new basis for further research- documentation, institutional history, collective memory or literary studies. Even more, you have to mention the important collection of thousands of photographs that give information on the change of the valley in the 20th century (construction of houses and farms, religious symbols, cultural activities etc.) and helps the present generation to understand the mentality and concerns of the forefathers as well as important documentary sources for future scholarship (contemporary history, agrarian history, everyday history, ethnology, art history). Trojer constantly analysed social power structures in the villages of Außer- and Innervillgraten. Therefore, even if he looked at an 18th century topic, created a literary montage or collected photographs of local soldiers of WWII: Trojer reflected the importance of his sources and works for contemporary life continually.