Historical Heroes and Antiheroes as Determinants of Cultural Memory Among Kaliningrad Residents

Abstract

One of the most important arenas of contemporary memory wars is the symbolic space of  historical reconstruction and interpretation. The perception of history through the  mechanisms of selection, canonization, and institutionalization can be a factor of  both social cohesion and societal fragmentation. This article studies the cultural memory of  Kaliningrad residents of the role of historical figures in the history of Russia. The theoretical framework is based on Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory and Assmann’s concept of  cultural memory. The empirical foundation includes data from a survey of residents in the Kaliningrad region (N=1005) conducted in October 2024. Using network analysis of open-ended responses, clusters of historical heroes and antiheroes were identified. Respondents were then grouped according to their proximity to these clusters. Among positively evaluated figures, distinct clusters of  writers, scientists, and military leaders emerged. Peter the Great stands out as  a  central figure connecting respondents regardless of their other choices. Among antiheroes, two clusters were formed—with Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Lenin as central nodes—although the Yeltsin cluster clearly dominates. Negative attitudes toward Yeltsin and Gorbachev serve as  a mechanism of “antagonistic unification”, as they are rejected by a majority of respondents regardless of political preference. Overall, the cultural memory of  Kaliningrad residents exhibits relative symbolic cohesion and is shaped by the narratives of military victories, state strength, and national tradition. While some subgroup-level contrasts were observed in the evaluations of heroes and antiheroes, these differences remain marginal and do not challenge the dominant model of cultural memory.