Images of the “great war” as perceived by contemporaries (based on the materials of the Russian press for 1914)

On the basis of materials published in Russia in a weekly illustrated magazine “Niva” in the early 20th century, the issue of perception of war in the Russian society and the formation of the enemy's image among the educated population of the country is studied. The article analyzes the material of the magazine covers, its photographic documents, articles and political reviews, as well as poetic and prose fiction. The results of the research allow to make a conclusion that the magazine formed the image of a “holy war” for the citizens of Russia, which defended the unjustly offended kin-country, i.e., Serbia, but also stood up for its own honor, dignity, integrity and equal position among the great powers. On the other hand, the image of the enemy in the magazine correlated with German militarism and was represented as a “military thunderstorm that had loomed over the peace-loving Russian people”. The creation of such images was supposed to create among contemporaries an understanding of the need for Russia's participation in the First World War, and to present it as a just opposition to the actions of the “new Attila” who were “blinded by militarism”.