СТАЛИНСКИЕ ГЕРОИ В ЗЕРКАЛЕ ЭГО-ДОКУМЕНТОВ 1930-х гг.

Abstract

The article analyzes the potential of ego-documents of 1930s in researching the heroization of soviet daily life and the creation of Stalin’s heroes pantheon. In this context the hero is an institutional hero who received his status as a result of a state awarding act. Basing on the diaries and “letters to authorities” the article reconstructs self-perception of soviet “heroic” elites, as well as their perception by the contemporaries. The article finds, that ego-documents are a unique source of information, which makes it possible to research deeply such problems of soviet heroism as specific identity of Stalin’s heroes, mechanisms of creation of elitist soviet groups and personality cults of individual heroes, society hierarchization and reproduction of social inequality as a result of “order holders” affinity to authorities. Besides, ego-documents allow more authentic characterizing of the practices of public representation and glorification of Stalin’s heroes. In conclusion, the article states, that soviet society perceived processes of daily life heroization and the emergence of a plethora of Stalin’s heroes very ambiguously. The part of the society that chose to adapt actively to Stalin’s system demonstrated its delight with the idea of soviet heroism. In turn, skeptical contemporaries managed to see the policy of “making heroes” for what it was: effective strategies and practices aimed at manipulating the society, a powerful tool of social differentiation and hierarchization and a way to build-up specific soviet collective identity.