The Nostalgia of the “First Great Patriotic War” in Tsarist Russia: Constructing Imperial Memory for Political Power

In late 19th-century Russia, the Tsarist regime harnessed the memory of the First Great Patriotic War (1812) to reinforce national identity and legitimize the monarchy. This paper examines how the imperial state utilized historical representations, memorials, and political rhetoric to craft a nostalgic narrative of triumph and heroism that affirmed state power and created a cohesive national identity. Commemorations of the victory over Napoleon were more than acts of remembrance; they were political rituals reinforcing the Russian monarch’s centrality as the embodiment of national unity. Tsar Nicholas I and his successors portrayed the victory as divine intervention, consolidating Russia’s role as the protector of European order. This narrative was further reinforced by monuments like the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg, symbolizing military glory and divine favor.

The state sought to suppress alternative interpretations of the war, particularly those that acknowledged non-elite contributions, such as in Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Tolstoy’s portrayal of the war as a collective effort, contrasting with the imperial narrative of tsarist heroism, criticized the monarchy’s manipulation of war memory for political purposes. The state controlled the narrative through censorship and laws against historical revisionism, criminalizing deviations from the official version to bolster autocratic legitimacy and suppress revolutionary movements.

This paper explores how the nostalgic evocation of the 1812 War served as a tool of political power, shaping national identity and excluding dissent. It also examines Tolstoy’s challenge to the imperial narrative, reframing the war in a more complex, humanistic light. The use of war memory in the 1812 War shares parallels with how Putin invokes the Second Great Patriotic War today, using triumphant historical narratives to justify military actions and consolidate political control, highlighting the enduring power of historical narratives in shaping national identity.