Memory Laws and Memory Wars in Poland, Russia and Ukraine

Abstract

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Information manipulation and historical revisionism: Russian disinformation and foreign interference through manipulated history-based narratives

“…The Second War World is a well-documented issue within Russian propaganda ( Belavusau et al, 2021 ; Khaldarova & Pantti, 2016 ; Sherlock, 2016 ; Vázquez Liñan, 2010 ). The Victory Day, as a symbol of the defeat of the Nazi Regime at hands of the Soviet Union acted as pivotal for Soviet identity construction, conceptualising the Soviet Union as a guarantor of freedom and sovereignty ( Luxmoore, 2019 ) and for supporting Soviet nationalism and patriotism ( Vujacic, 2007 ).…”

“…The importance of World War II became evident in the 2020 Constitutional Referendum that elevated “this pillar to the realm of mnemonic constitutionalism” ( Belavusau et al, 2021, p. 15 ). The novel Article 67.1 of the Russian constitution consecrated the protection of “historical truth and the respect of the ‘memory of the defenders of the Fatherland’ targeted mainly the Soviet past and its commemoration, in particular the glorification of the Soviet army” ( Belavusau et al, 2021, p. 15 ).…”

“…On the other hand, recent memory laws within some CEE countries positioned WWII as a core theme, bringing to the surface tensions between neighbours that are rooted in the past. Belavusau et al (2021) conducted a comparative analysis on the historical memory legislation enacted in Poland, Ukraine and Russia in the context of memory wars and the historical narratives that are employed as political contestation among the three countries and the potential conflicts derived from them.…”

“…On the other hand, it is well known that the collapse of the Soviet Union led to a necessary ‘moment’ or process of identity questioning/reformulation, or identity assertiveness, in the countries of the post-Soviet space. In this context, the revision of history emerged as a fundamental pillar from which to define new (and sometimes former) sovereign states ( Cheskin, 2012 ; Moll, 2013 ; Tolz, 1998 ), by focusing on facing/dealing with the 20th Century communist and fascist experiences ( Belavusau et al, 2021 ; Braham & Hanebrink, 2020 ; Đureinović, 2018 ; Pavasović Trošt, 2018 ) and on territorial and ethnic issues rooted in the First World War peace treaties. This revision of history, based on the historiographical research and the sound work of historians, is precisely the most effective tool against the manipulative revision of historical events and its weaponization by the Kremlin.…”

Memory laws, mnemonic weapons: The diffusion of a norm across Europe and beyond

“…The political climate created by laws of type 3 discourages historical scholarship and inquiry for fear of punishment. Beyond recent legal cases that have been prosecuted in Russia and Poland (see Belavusau et al, 2021), memory laws map onto material memory wars with real, physical consequences as we have seen in Russia's continued weaponization of false narratives for geopolitical gain. Because a rise in populist memory control is not limited to CEE, it is with an eye towards the worldwide trend that the current research remains urgent.…”