Victory Banner Over the Reichstag

Reviews / Votes

Centering on the concept of 'authoritarian repetition,' this remarkable study of the ritualization of historical memory constitutes a significant contribution to the growing field of memory studies. * CHOICE * The Victory Banner over the Reichstag makes an important and timely contribution to current reassessments of Soviet war memory. Scholars of Soviet film and television will find the analysis of visual evidence and film archives particularly illuminating, but anybody interested in the memory of World War II and the symbolic politics of Soviet socialism will learn much from this extensively researched and accessibly written study. * Russian Review * The breadth of the research is impressive and the book presents a well-argued narrative of the construction of the Soviet and post-Soviet symbolism of victory. It is well illustrated with interesting and lively vignettes. * SCRSS Digest * A short review cannot do justice to this informative book, easily one of the top two titles in Soviet film and television studies of the past decade. It is original (even genre-bending), well researched, and beautifully written, plus the history is impeccable. * Historical Journal of Film, Radio, and Television * Dynamically written and deploying a staggering range of sources, both visual and written, both published and unpublished, this absorbing and original study of the continuing, contested evolution of the cult of the Victory Banner raised over Berlin sheds vital new light on the way in which the Soviet Union of the war years has evolved into the Russia of today. -- Julian Graffy, professor emeritus, University College London There is nothing more central to Russian historical memory than World War II. By focusing on the powerful symbol of the Victory Banner, Jeremy Hicks adds new depth and nuance to our understanding of this crucial subject. Ranging from documentaries to video games, the book is full of insightful interpretation and fascinating discoveries. -- Stephen Lovell, King's College London