Memorials and monuments represent a society's view of its own history and the conclusions we collectively wish to draw about its meaning. In America in recent years, public clashes over the presence of contested public memorials--including and especially monuments dedicated to the Confederate cause in the United States Civil War--have led to considerable debate over the proper role for such monuments in public spaces. Such debates also provide high school teachers with a unique opportunity to explore contested history and the process of memorialization. In this article, that process is analyzed, using the nation of Germany as a comparative example of how to build a "memory culture." Various teaching methods are also discussed, including strategies for reconceptualizing memorials through a "truth and reconciliation" process.