Ivo Mijnssen is Central and Eastern Europe Correspondent of the German language newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung. He is author of Back to Our Future! History, Modernity, and Patriotism According to Nashi, 2005–2013.
In this volume Ivo Mijnssen uses the thirteen 'Hero Cities' of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus as a lens to understand how Soveit officials shaped war memory through ritualized space. He argues that the designation of hero cities created an idealized narative of collective heroism which served the state's needs. . . . His accessible monograph contributes to the fields of Russian and Soviet history, architecture, and cultural memory studies in general. It serves as an excellent resource for shcolars and students interested in all aspects of Soviet war commemoration, celebration of Soviet holidays, and youth culture. -- Adrienne M. Harris * Modern Language Review *