Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Most of those whose relatives were victims of the purge got to know about political persecution from the stories told by their relatives.  

MOSCOW, October 5, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey studying what Russians know about the history of their families and the relatives who were purged. The study was prepared in cooperation with the State Museum of GULAG’s History.

Most of Russians (93%) are interested in the family history, including every second (51%) who tried to find out more about the ancestors; a further 42% are fond of the family history but they do not make a detailed study. Respondents aged 25-34 and 35-44 (95% for each) show the highest levels of interest.

Russians find out about the family history most frequently from the stories told by the relatives (72%). A further 41% search for information in the open sources and online archives. Every third respondent (33%) tried to find relatives through social media.  And finally, 22% of respondents went to the state archives.

Russians are well aware of the political persecution in the 1920-1950s in the USSR (80%). At the same time, young respondents are least informed about the purges: half of those aged 18-24 (47%) have never heard of the Purge.

More than one-third (35%) say that they have victims of the purges in their families, including 14% of those who are well aware of their fate, 16% of those who know about their fate just in general, and 5% who do not know anything about the purged relatives. Every fifth (22%) is not aware if he/she has any relatives who were purged. Most of those whose relatives were purged got to know about it from the stories told by their relatives (91%); this share is 97% among residents of Moscow and St Petersburg. More than half of those who are aware of the relatives’ fate (58%) would like to know more about them. This share is higher among young respondents aged 18-24.  

The Museum of GULAG’s History emphasizes the importance of studying the family history; its Documentation Center helps people find the information about their relatives who were victims of the purges. The museum has various outreach programs related to the family history (workshops with school students, theatre performances, etc.). The Director Anastasia Patlay is preparing a special theatre performance as part of the Art Night event.

More details in <link wciom.ru/fileadmin/file/reports_conferences/2018/2018-10-05_Gulag.pdf - external-link-new-window>PPT file</link>.

The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on September 14, 2018. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. 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 in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

 

Are you personally interested/not interested in your family history?

 (closed-ended question, one answer % of total respondents)

 

Total respondents

Aged 18-24

Aged 25-34

Aged 35-44

Aged 45-59

Aged 60 and over

Very interested; I try to know more about the history of my ancestors

51

47

49

50

56

50

Generally interested but I do not make any detailed study

42

45

46

45

36

43

Likely not interested

5

8

5

5

6

5

Don’t know

2

0

0

0

2

2

Have you ever tried to search for information about your family, your ancestors in the following sources?

(closed-ended question, one answer per each line, % of total respondents)

 

I have tried

I have not tried

Don’t know

State archives

22

78

0

Open data sources/online archives

41

59

0

Talking to relatives, family friends about the family history

72

27

1

Searching for relatives through social media

33

67

0

Do you know/have you heard/is it the first time you hear that there was political persecution in the USSR in the 1920-1950s? (closed-ended question, one answer % of total respondents)

 

2017

2018

Yes, I have heard

73

80

It is the first time I hear about it

27

19

Don’t know

0

1

Do you know/have you heard/is it the first time you hear that there was political persecution in the USSR in the 1920-1950s? (closed-ended question, one answer % of total respondents) 2018

 

Total respondents 

Aged  18-24

Aged  25-34

Aged  35-44

Aged  45-59

Aged  60 and more

Yes, I have heard

80

53

69

81

89

88

It is the first time I hear about it

19

47

30

17

11

12

Don’t know

1

0

1

2

0

0

Was any member of your family a victim of the purges (the dispossessed, the exiles, the forcibly resettled and wrongly convicted persons? If yes, what do you know about their fate? (closed-ended question, one answer % of total respondents)

 

Total respondents

Moscow and St.Petersburg

Million cities

More than 500 ths

100–500 ths

Less than 100 ths

Rural area

Yes, there were victims of the purges in my family; I am well aware of their fate

14

10

14

14

18

13

11

Yes, there were victims of the purges in my family; I know about their fate in general

16

22

17

14

16

14

13

Yes, there were victims of the purges in my family; but I know nothing about their fate

5

3

3

9

7

6

5

No there were no victims of the purges in my family

43

44

46

43

36

44

49

I do not know if someone was purged

22

21

20

20

22

23

22

Don’t know

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

From what sources did you find out if someone was purged in your family?  

(closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who know they had relatives who were purged)

 

% of those who know that there were victims of the purges in their families

Moscow and St.Petersburg

Million cities

More than 500 ths

100–500 ths

Less than 100 ths

Rural area

Stories of friends, relatives

91

97

92

91

91

91

88

Historic archives

4

4

2

3

6

4

2

Internet, social media

3

2

4

6

3

2

3

Documents, mass media publications

2

1

2

2

1

3

1

Museum archives

1

1

1

1

2

2

0

Archives of Ministry of Internal Affairs and Federal Security Service

3

3

3

3

5

2

2

Other  

4

2

4

5

4

4

4

Don’t know

4

1

3

2

3

4

6

Would you like to know more about the fate of your relatives or the closed ones who were purged? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who had relatives who were purged but they are poorly aware of their fate)

 

% of those whose relatives were victims of the purges but they are poorly aware of their fate

Aged 18-24

Aged 25-34

Aged 35-44

Aged 45-59

Aged 60 and over

I’d rather yes

58

71

70

47

68

43

I’d  rather not

39

29

30

48

30

51

Don’t know

3

0

0

5

2

6

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

 

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