The Problem of Retentioning the Historical Memory of Ivan Polzunov (1729–1766) in Russian Historiography

The inventor of the steam-atmospheric engine, Ivan Ivanovich Polzunov (1729-1766), is considered in modern Russian literature as an "iconic figure", as a person who selflessly contributed to the development of Russia.However, the process of preserving the historical memory of this figure has varied greatly between periods.The novelty of the study lies in the generalization of the results of the works of pre-revolutionary, Soviet and modern Russian historians, in identifying the features of the process of memorialization named after I.I.Polzunov in different periods.The study showed that the process of preserving the historical memory of Ivan Polzunov, which began in the pre-revolutionary period on the initiative of writers and local historians, took place mainly at the regional level and was distinguished by a few attempts at wider promotion.During the Soviet period, the popularization of the name of the inventor, which began in the 1940s, became widespread thanks to the "ideological order" and the ongoing state policy to consolidate in the public consciousness the images of "people from the bottom" and "pioneer inventors."At the present stage, the result of another "historiographical turn" based on versatile approaches has been the consolidation of the name of Ivan Polzunov as a "signature figure" in the history of the Altai region and Russia.