Transformation of the Historical Narratives of the Second World War and the Decommunisation of Memory Policy in Ukraine

Abstract

In the research note I will analyse the changes of historical narrative of the Second World War and transformation of memory policy in contemporary Ukraine. The aim is to highlights the deconstruction of Soviet mythology of the Great Patriotic War, and the gradual formation of Ukrainian dimension of war instead. The impact of key actors in Ukraine's memory policy will be described, including: scholars who introduced new approaches for deconstruction the Soviet concept of the Great Patriotic War and have been creating a new historical narrative; authors of history textbooks who have been updating the content and improving the teaching methodology; Presidents of Ukraine and politicians who, by decrees and laws, propose changes of official discourse and memorial practices. Decolonisation a historical narrative, as well as the decommunisation of state memory policy in Ukraine regarding the Second World War were perceived by contemporary Russia as a threat. So, the accusations of Ukraine's distortion of the “truth” about the war and the alleged spread of “fascism” and “neo-Nazism” in Ukraine play a significant role in the Russian hybrid war against Ukraine which started in 2014—and in 2022 evolved into justification for full-scale aggression.