Talk: Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in the Context of the Soviet Disintegration

Join for a seminar as part of the SSEES Russian Studies Seminar Series.

The study focuses on the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact debate in the USSR as a case study for examining the role that collective memory and instrumentalized narratives about the past played in the Soviet disintegration. In the context of glasnost and perestroika actors from different backgrounds gained access to the public space to contest the official versions of Soviet history. While their motivations varied, the result was often the same: by challenging the hegemony of official history, these groups voluntary or involuntary questioned the legitimacy of the Union. From this perspective, the MRP debate was especially vital as it examined the official version of the Soviet role in WWII. In this context, the memory of the War became a contested territory in which various groups promoted conflicting views on the past to gain control over the political center, or to legitimize separatist orientation.

The event is free, pre-registration required.