Perception of Russian History by School Students in the Kaliningrad Region: A Focus Group Study

The study of the cultural memory of young people is of particular relevance in the context of digitalization and is of applied importance for the development of educational strategies. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to determine the aspects of the perception of Russian history by schoolchildren of the Kaliningrad region. The empirical basis of the study was six focus groups conducted in November 2024 with the participation of 48 students of the 10th grade of secondary schools in the region. The analysis showed that the central place in the cultural memory of schoolchildren is occupied by the Great Patriotic War, which evokes ambivalent emotions in them: pride and joy for victory, but at the same time grief for numerous losses. The flight of Yu.A. Gagarin and the reunification of Crimea with Russia are perceived mainly positively, while the collapse of the USSR and the October Revolution cause mixed emotions. Polarization is also observed in images of historical periods. The Russian Empire is associated with prominent monarchs and military power. The Soviet period evokes both recognition of military and economic achievements and criticism of the repressive nature of the political system. Modern Russia is associated with the personality of V.V. Putin, his long reign and contribution to the development of the country. The analysis of the hierarchy of historical figures showed the dominance of state rulers (Peter I, V.I. Lenin, I.V. Stalin) over cultural and scientific figures (A.S. Pushkin, Yu.A. Gagarin), which is associated with the priority in assessing the personalities of such characteristics as the creation of a strong state, military successes, expansion of territories and strengthening the country’s position on the world stage. Schoolchildren call Internet resources and textbooks the main sources of knowledge about history, but visual and interactive formats are noted as preferable: museums, excursions, feature films.