Institutional factors in the formation of the population’s identity in Penza region during the Great Patriotic War 

Viktor Yu. Kladov, Candidate of historical sciences, deputy director for science of the Penza State Museum of Local History (73 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), viktek79@mail.ru

Background. The analysis in terms of historiography makes it clear that there are a lot of unresolved issues on this issue on the research agenda, both at the regional   and federal levels. The purpose of this work is to thoroughly analyze the structure of citizens and villagers’ identity in Penza region during the Great Patriotic War. Materials and methods. This article is based on historical documents from the national archives, but also includes historical records from the family ones, which were used and exposed scientifically for the first time. Methodology of this study corresponds to the scientific principles  of objectivity and history and includes detailed examination of historical facts. Results. The study resulted in detecting and finding different levels of population's identity in Penza Oblast and their links within the Great Patriotic War, in analysing their aspects and components, in describing discources of national and local identity. Conclusions. The key factor of the very improved soviet identity was a centralizing process of administrative and social institutions during the Great Patriotic War, determined the strengthening of the community of the Soviet people in the face of a deadly threat. In the new realities, it is national interests, and not local problems, that have become an value for the people of Penza. The centralizing process provided soviet economy and political system with the paramount resources for victory, shaped an idea of national unity. The interests of the population in Penza region revolved around the national problems and not around the local ones. On the other hand the Great Patriotic War had a big impact on local identity, which led to the new ideas, new values, to the process of rethinking the role of the area in terms of culture and history and to the situation in which the population in Penza region formed the prerequisites for self-identification within the territorial framework of the region that restored its independence, in the space of military everyday life.

Penza Oblast, population's identity, the Great Patriotic War, the history of everyday life

Kladov V.Yu. Institutional factors in the formation of the population’s identity in Penza region during the Great Patriotic War. Izvestiya vysshikh uchebnykh zavedeniy. Povolzhskiy region. Gumanitarnye nauki = University proceedings. Volga region. Humanities. 2022;(3):120–133. (In Russ.). doi:10.21685/2072-3024-2022-3-11