Posted on 23.04.2024, Text by Ekaterina Mikhailova

In the Lotmanian semiotic tradition, the periphery occupies a central place in semiosis – the process of meaning-making (Lotman 1984). Peripheral territories in general and border regions in particular are rich in codes – interpretive frameworks that correlate signifiers and signified (Chandler 1994). 

Memorial sites in border regions present a concentration of semiotic codes. Such sites take various shapes – from official monuments opened with an authorization of local self-government bodies to unofficial grassroots memorials created by local residents. The former are familiar as memorials to the fallen soldiers who defended their homeland, or more recently as monuments to the ordinary borderlanders, from farmers to smugglers. The latter reminds us of grassroots memorials that emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic in many border areas within the Schengen area where typically fence-less borders were suddenly fenced off.

In this post I would like to look at one particular kind of memorial sites that has been present in border regions throughout Europe – thematic memorial tourist trails. Such trails often explore topography, toponymy, history and materiality of current and historical (phantom) borders. In spring 2022 such a border trail has been inaugurated in Thônex, one of 45 municipalities of the Republic and Canton of Geneva right on the border with France.

The 5.5 km-long trail recounts the history of the Swiss-French cross-border area during the Second World War. A particular attention is given to border crossings, authorized and clandestine, and persons heading to Switzerland to take refuge there. Those attempting to cross the Swiss border include both members of different Resistance networks and wanted persons – e.g., opponents of the Vichy regime, persons of Jewish origin, young French people fleeing the Compulsory Labour Service in Germany, etc.

If one looks at the map of the memorial trail (top left image), the first impression is that the border is out of sight – there is only the river Foron and its two banks. It is indeed so until one finds out that this river marks the border between Switzerland and France in this section, on the last eight kilometers of the river course. Interestingly, following the Treaty of Turin (1816), the border runs on the Genevan bank and not, as it is customary, in the middle of a riverbed or watercourse. For those unaware of this fact, the presence of the border is encoded in the trail title « Le long de la frontière » [Along the border].

The story of the Foron being the border is revealed to a hiker only in the middle of the route, on the infopoint 7 titled « Le Foron, l’inévitable obstacle » [The Foron River, the inevitable obstacle] accompanied with the illustration by Bérénice Milon shown here on the centre left (courtesy to the Commune de Thônex). On the drawing, the closed border and the risks of crossing it materializes in two signs – a closed down check barrier and barbered wire along the river. Three characters, would-be border crossers, quickly run to the bridge over the river to leave occupied French territory and enter neutral Swiss soil. The artist alludes to their professions: farmer, doctor and entrepreneur.

Only one out of eleven information points is situated on the French side of the border (bottom left image). This information point circled in white on the map tells the story of a failed escape of French Lieutenant Yvan Génot, who wanted to reach London via Switzerland to join the Resistance but was shot dead by German customs officers. On the French side of the border, the memory of Lieutenant Génot has been preserved by a street that bears his name. The information point stands at the beginning of this street and emphasizes the memorial story behind the street name.

As you stand amidst an intriguing landscape, your eyes wander from the industrial land on the left to the railways stretching into the distance, until they settle on a seemingly mundane sight: a silver-painted concrete pillar adorned with three crests. Yet, hidden within this unassuming underbrush lies a significant marker of territorial boundaries. Welcome to the Tripoint between Luxembourg, France, and Belgium, a site of both geographic convergence and symbolic importance.

These pillars, scattered across Luxembourg, serve as silent sentinels marking national territories. However, one particular pillar, nestled in the south-west of Luxembourg, near Rodange (LU), Athus (BE), and Mont-Saint Martin (FR), attracts considerable attention.

Despite its neglected state, this border marker holds a peculiar allure, evident from the 62 Google reviews expressing fascination with its significance as the meeting point of three nations. Yet, disappointment often accompanies this curiosity, stemming from the marker's poor condition. This juxtaposition of intrigue and neglect underscores the symbolic weight attached to border markers, especially at tripoints.

The appeal of such sites lies not only in their geopolitical significance but also in their representation of broader concepts such as national sovereignty and regional integration. Tripoints, by their rarity and symbolism, evoke curiosity and reflection, serving as tangible reminders of the Schengen Agreement and the European Union's principles.

Drawing from the geosemiotic approach proposed by Scollon & Scollon (2003), we recognize that these markers derive meaning not only from their physical placement but also from the context they inhabit. The reciprocal relationship between the marker and its surroundings underscores their mutual signaling function, with each element enhancing the other's significance. The border poll assumes a symbolic role as a marker of national identity. Such a role is achieved through the combination of respective national coats of arms, emblematic symbols on their own, and meanings associated with them based on the collective memory resting both on historicity and socially constructed processes. Through this interplay between the material and the immaterial, a symbolic landscape is created, ready to be read and interpreted by the observer.

In essence, the modest border marker at Luxembourg's Tripoint offers more than meets the eye. It serves as a microcosm of larger geopolitical narratives, inviting contemplation on the fluidity of borders, the interconnectedness of nations, and the enduring quest for collective identity. As visitors gaze upon this unassuming pillar, they are reminded not only of the lines that divide but also of the shared histories and aspirations that transcend them.