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Paper short abstract

The paper analyzes how First World War cemeteries in the Kaliningrad Region become contested heritage. Based on a survey and expert interviews, this paper demonstrates how these sites polarize notions of ownership, belonging, and responsibility in a region shaped by layered histories.

Paper long abstract

This paper examines the dynamics of First World War funerary heritage in Russia's Kaliningrad Region, a territory with complex history. The German military cemeteries and memorials in the area are not mere relics; they are actively engaged and contested within contemporary heritage discussions. Based on a quantitative survey of local residents and in-depth interviews with heritage professionals, this study investigates how these sites are utilized in public narratives of identity and historical responsibility.

Results indicate that cemeteries serve as objects of care, tourism resources, geopolitical symbols, and sometimes as unwanted inheritances. For some residents, they are a valued part of the region's multicultural landscape, while for others, they represent domination and foreignness, raising questions about whose past is being preserved. Experts highlight the gap between professional heritage preservation principles and the moral and political negotiations necessary to maintain sites that many do not consider "their own."

By tracing these dynamics, the paper shows how claims over funerary heritage polarize community perspectives while being framed as essential obligations of a civilized society. This study emphasizes that the funerary landscapes of the Great War in Kaliningrad are continuously shaped and contested through processes of consumption, negotiation, and resistance.