Community Archaeology in the Research of World War II Events : The locating and interpretation of the crash site of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber in the vicinity of Fehérvárcsurgó

Dömötör, Csaba and Papp, Attila (2025) Community Archaeology in the Research of World War II Events : The locating and interpretation of the crash site of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber in the vicinity of Fehérvárcsurgó. HUNGARIAN ARCHAEOLOGY, 14 (4). pp. 53-61. ISSN 2416-0296

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Abstract

Since 2025, the archaeological investigation of military heritage has been subject to regulation in Hungary. In the same manner as archaeological finds, characteristics of such features—including traces of World War II, their age and the parts preserved in situ—are now subject to investigation. Through the examination of the crash site of a B-24 Liberator bomber near Fehérvárcsurgó, this study provides insight into a highly specialized field of archaeology: the distinctive methodology of aviation archaeology, including aspects accessed using community-archaeology approaches. Dynamic battlefield processes, extensive debris fields, and incomplete archival records require complex interpretation. The comparison of field evidence, archival data, and personal recollections enable the identification of the aircraft, a task that entails particular responsibility, since—unlike in earlier archaeological periods— at every site, the material remains are associated not only with specific individuals but also with descendants seeking information about them.

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