David L. Hoffmann

This project examines the collective memory of the Second World War in the Soviet Union, with particular attention to conceptions of gender. It considers the ways that the war was commemorated in official Soviet culture, focusing on memoirs, war memorials, museums, literature, and films. “War, Gender, and Memory” illustrates how representations of the past buttressed the political order, as official memory of the wartime victory became the primary symbol of legitimacy for the Soviet government. More specifically, it shows how the Soviet government’s use of war remembrance to foster its own authority simultaneously drew upon and reinforced gender stereotypes. It also analyzes the ways that Soviet authorities prompted citizens to recall their own experiences within the framework of official images and narratives.