Legitimization of the Memory of the Great Patriotic War

The article is devoted to the study of the role of legislation in the construction of the official historical narrative of the Great Patriotic War, as expressed in memorial legislation. Based on the analysis of the form, content and meaning of normative legal acts dedicated to the memory of the Great Patriotic War, it is concluded that the legitimization of historical memory is associated with the desire of the state to articulate frames of historical memory that explicate social ideas about key individuals, events and symbols that are crucial for ensuring national security and social identification, not only in in historical retrospect, but also in relation to modern social reality. The memory of the Great Patriotic War, consolidating society, is the most important means of social identification and acts as a value standard of citizens' behavior, which has shown its effectiveness in the past. By constructing frames of historical memory, memorial legislation ensures not only the preservation of the image of the Great Patriotic War and its interpretation in accordance with the official historical narrative, but also its transmission to citizens and representation in commemorative practices that explicate the axiological intentionality of Russian politics. This creates a sense of belonging between the state and civil society in the process of perpetuating the memory of the Great Patriotic War. The author emphasizes that memorial legislation is not only a legal, but also a legitimate means of preserving, broadcasting and representing the memory of the war. On the one hand, it explicates the conventional image of the Great Patriotic War, formed in the memory of Russian society. On the other hand, it is intended to broadcast the official historical narrative to the neophytes.