Abstract
By discussing the history of the center for the Great Patriotic War veterans opened on the Island of Valaam (the Republic of Karelia, Russia) in the early 1950s, the article searches for the roots and reasons for the “social oblivion“ that affected the war wounded veterans, many of them amputees. The author tries to point to the mechanisms that account for the discrepancies between the official myth of the brave and simple soldier, respected and admired by the younger generations, and the grim fate of the crippled war veterans doomed to oblivion. She emphasizes that when it comes to the Great Patriotic War, social oblivion has often “competed” with social remembrance. She also shows what kind of filters have been applied to the Russian collective memory, and how the elements not fitting the official gala image of war veterans have been excluded as they could potentially undermine the shared group identity.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
