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Humanitarian sciences in Siberia

2014 year, number

THE COMMEMORATIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF MASS FUNERALS HELD FOR CIVIL WAR VICTIMS IN THE PROVINCIAL CITIES OF WESTERN SIBERIA

Ye.I. Krasilnikova
Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU), Russia, 630099, Novosibirsk, Kamenskaya str., 56/1-53
Keywords: Western Siberia, provincial capital, political culture, collective memory, funeral, memory politics

Abstract

The aim of this article is to characterize the mass funerals of «Kolchak victims» in the provincial cities of Western Siberia (Omsk, Novonikolaevsk, Tomsk and Barnaul) as the commemorations - the ways of forming collective memory of Siberians in regard to the Civil War. The study broadens the idea of ​​Soviet policy in relation to historical past, trends of creating the collective memory of Russians in the first third of the XX century as well as the memory culture of the period under study. Funerals as well as other commemorations were used by the authorities for conscious transmission of ideologically significant information to contemporaries and descendants through the perpetuation of the memory about certain persons and events. It is underlined that the form of this funeral resembled a traditional Orthodox funeral of Romanov’s Imperial family members, politicians and other famous people. However, some symbols which had a revolutionary significance were used at such funerals. Some traditional elements of the ritual were replaced by the elements typical for «red funerals»: red banners and flags were used instead of icons, civil rally was held instead of religious memorial services, revolutionary songs were heard instead of prayers. The author also pays attention to the emotional background of the funeral, the problem of moral feelings, which, in Bolsheviks’ opinion, the ordinary people had to have. The article explains ideological significance of the “red funeral” ritual, its role in the Bolshevik memory policy, which assumed a certain vision of the events of Civil War. The author concludes that funerals were aimed at discrediting the regime of A. Kolchak in the social opinion, exaggerating the heroism of the people killed by the Kolchak army, at the political socialization of population and legitimization of authorities.