The identity and collective memory of Kaliningraders in recent Polish studies
Abstract
This paper is a review of recent Polish studies on identity and collective memory in the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation. Polish authors have analysed the development of Kaliningrad regional identity – a process closely related to collective memory changes and politics of memory. Scholars have explored the ‘identity dilemmas’ of Kaliningraders, commemorative conflicts between different groups about the past, and strategies for the ‘invention of traditions’. However, studies into the identity of certain groups of local residents (the Polish diaspora or Catholics) cast doubt on the very validity of the question about the identity of Kaliningraders. The experience of Polish scholars shows that the interpretation of the past and present of the Kaliningrad region in a multicultural perspective is a viable research area.