Russians keep the memory of the relatives who fought in the war and support the idea of protecting the war veterans against insults.
May 5, 2021. VCIOM presents the data of a survey about the family memory of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
Most of Russians (88%) prove that their relatives took part in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945: 43% of those surveyed know about that from the stories told by their family members and family archives; 38% do not know much about relatives’ participation in the war; 7% are aware that their family members fought in the war but know nothing about that. Besides that, 5% say that their relatives did not participate in the Great Patriotic War; 6% know nothing about that.
Russians aged 45-59 (51%), 60 and older (56%) and residents of Moscow and St Petersburg (51%) and respondents with higher and incomplete higher education diplomas (50%) show the highest level of knowledge of their family’s military history. Respondents aged 18-24 and 25-34 (24% and 26%, respectively) and Russians with incomplete secondary education (14%) and secondary education (32%) are less likely to learn anything from their relatives or family archives.
People (64%), ordinary soldiers (57%), general staff (42%), Joseph Stalin (39%), field officers (29%), the government (Council of People’s Commissars, 20%) and Russian winter (18%) played the crucial role in the victory.
Sixty-four percent of Russians support the proposal of the State Duma deputies to equate insulting veterans with the justification of the Nazi crimes; 28% oppose them. This idea is largely favored by Russians aged 45-59 (69%), 60 and older (67%).
Russian nationwide VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on April 30, 2021. A total of 1,600 of Russians aged 18 and older took part in the survey. Results are based on telephone interviews. Stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of Russian landline and mobile phone numbers was used. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Was there anyone among your family members who participated in the Great Patriotic War? If so, do you know any details about their life during the war years? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
Yes, I know a lot about them from the stories of my relatives, family archives (letters, photos] | 43 | 24 | 26 | 42 | 51 | 56 |
I know that my relatives fought in the war but I do not know any details | 38 | 48 | 46 | 37 | 37 | 32 |
Some of my relatives fought in the war but I do not know anything about them | 7 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 5 |
No one among my relatives fought in the war | 5 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 3 |
I do not know if anyone among my relatives fought in the war or not | 6 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
Don’t know | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Was there anyone among your family members who participated in the Great Patriotic War? If so, do you know any details about their life during the war years? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St Petersburg | Million-plus cities | 500-950 thousand inhabitants | 100—500 thousand | Less than 100 thousand | Rural area |
Yes, I know a lot about them from the stories of my relatives, family archives (letters, photos] | 43 | 51 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 42 | 41 |
I know that my relatives fought in the war but I do not know any details | 38 | 37 | 35 | 40 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
Some of my relatives fought in the war but I do not know anything about them | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
No one among my relatives fought in the war | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
I do not know if anyone among my relatives fought in the war or not | 6 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
Don’t know | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Was there anyone among your family members who participated in the Great Patriotic War? If so, do you know any details about their life during the war years? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents ) | |||||
| Total respondents | Incomplete secondary education | Secondary education (school, vocational school) | Specialized secondary education (technical school) | Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institution), higher education |
Yes, I know a lot about them from the stories of my relatives, family archives (letters, photos] | 43 | 14 | 32 | 43 | 50 |
I know that my relatives fought in the war but I do not know any details | 38 | 51 | 45 | 38 | 35 |
Some of my relatives fought in the war but I do not know anything about them | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
No one among my relatives fought in the war | 5 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
I do not know if anyone among my relatives fought in the war or not | 6 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 4 |
Don’t know | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
There are different points of view concerning why the Soviet Union won the Great Patriotic War. In your opinion, who played the crucial role in that victory? Any number of answers are possible (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
People | 64 |
Ordinary soldiers | 57 |
Generals, marshals, general staff | 42 |
Joseph V. Stalin | 39 |
Field officers | 29 |
Government (Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union) | 20 |
Russian winter | 18 |
Other (specify) | 11 |
Let us talk about the attitudes towards the Great Patriotic War veterans. Some people publicly humiliate the Great Patriotic War veterans, deliberately downplaying their role in the war. Are you likely to support or oppose the idea proposed by certain State Duma deputies to equate such insults with justification of the Nazi crimes? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
Likely to support | 64 | 51 | 59 | 65 | 69 | 67 |
Unlikely to support | 28 | 43 | 32 | 26 | 23 | 26 |
Don’t know | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 |