Abstract

The author of this article performed historical and philosophical reconstruction of the concepts of historical memory by F. R. Ankersmit and A. Assmann. This allowed us to define historical memory as social, to show that it is inherent in a certain social community and functions within certain social frameworks, organizing the everyday experience of individuals. Historical memory is the most important element of culture, serving as the basis for the creation of values and meanings and their transmission to future generations. Historical memory sets up a unified space-time continuum of social being of an individual as well as of a social group, influencing the development of a person and society. The author of this article argues the idea of dialectical nature of historical memory, its dynamic implementation between two poles: remembering and oblivion. The article reveals both destructive and constructive role of forgetting in the construction of historical memory. The positivity of oblivion is manifested in the fact that it, on the one hand, is a filter of memory, and on the other hand, a marker of the event, the oblivion of which is always to be remembered. The overall conclusion of the article is that historical memory is the result of social construction. The dialectical relationship between historical memory and oblivion is a creative process that opens up the possibility for individuals to be involved in the history of their people.