“I remember”: how to correctly record and preserve the memories of WWII veterans on the official website

In the era of digital technology, preserving the living memory of the Great Patriotic War becomes not only a moral duty, but also a technical challenge. Platform “I remember”** (memoirs.ru) is a unique project that has been collecting, systematizing and publishing the memories of veterans, home front workers and children of war for more than 20 years. However, many users face difficulties: how to format the text correctly, what formats are supported, how to avoid errors when downloading materials?

This article will help you understand all the nuances of working with the site - from account registration to publication of rare archival documents linked to the geolocation of events. We will take a detailed look at the technical requirements for audio, video and text files, talk about moderation rules and give advice on how to make a veteran’s story as useful as possible for historians and descendants. We will pay special attention to issues authenticity And verification information - key criteria for inclusion of material in state archives.

How to register on the “I Remember” website and confirm your account

The first step to preserving memories is creating a personal account on the platform. Go to the official website memoirs.ru and press the button Registration in the upper right corner. The system will offer two options:

• 📧 Via email — you will need to indicate a valid address and confirm it using the link in the letter.
• 📱 Through State Services — quick authorization for users with a confirmed account on the government services portal (suitable for identity verification).

After registration, the system will ask you to fill out a profile. It is important to indicate here real data, as they will be used to link your publications to archival holdings. Please note:

⚠️ Attention: If you are publishing memories on behalf of a veteran, be sure to upload a scan identity document (passport, veteran’s ID) in the section Personal account → Verification. Without this, materials will not be accepted into the main archive.

To speed up the moderation process, we recommend attaching to your profile:

• 📄 Scan of a veteran’s ID (if you are publishing his story).
• 📎 Photo of a document confirming kinship (if you are a descendant and are publishing a family history).
• 📍 Geotags of places associated with events (can be added later when publishing).

Technical requirements for materials: what can be loaded and what cannot

The platform supports several content formats, but each has strict requirements. Failure to comply with them is the main reason for moderators to reject materials.

Material type	Supported Formats	Limitations	Recommendations
Text memories	.docx, .pdf, .rtf	Up to 50,000 characters, no formatting (except paragraphs)	Use a font Times New Roman, 12 pt, line spacing 1.5
Audio recordings	.mp3, .wav, .ogg	Up to 200 MB, bitrate not lower than 128 kbps	Remove background noise in Audacity before loading
Video interview	.mp4, .mov, .avi	Up to 1 GB, resolution no lower 720p	Shoot in landscape orientation, with good lighting
Photos/documents	.jpg, .png, .tiff	Up to 50 MB per file, resolution no lower 1500×1000 px	Scan documents in color, 300 dpi

Pay special attention file metadata. Before downloading:

1. Rename the file using the pattern: Last Name_First Name_Year of Birth_Type of Material (For example, Ivanov_Peter_1923_Video.mp4).
2. Specify the creation date in the file properties (must match the date the interview was recorded).
3. Add geotags for photos (you can use Google Photos).

The structure of an ideal story: how to arrange memories for an archive

Platform moderators give preference to materials that not only contain facts, but are also structured according to historical standards. Here are the essential elements of a good story:

1. Introductory part:
   • 🆔 Veteran’s full name, date of birth, rank (if any).
   • 📍 Place of birth and residence at the time of the war.
   • 🔹 Brief description of pre-war life (1-2 paragraphs).
2. Main part:
   • 📅 Chronological order of events (with exact dates if possible).
   • 🎖️ Mention of awards, combat operations, units/formations in which he served.
   • 🗣️ Direct speech from a veteran (if the recording is oral) or quotes from diaries.
3. Conclusion:
   • 🏡 Post-war fate (where he lived, worked).
   • 📚 Sources of confirmation (archival documents, testimonies of colleagues).

An example of a correctly formatted fragment:

[1943 год, Сталинградский фронт]
«Нам приказали держать рубеж возле высоты 102.0. Взвод был почти полностью уничтожен — осталось двое из двадцати пяти. Я тогда впервые увидел «Катюши» в действии...»
— из воспоминаний сержанта Иванова П.С., 1923 г.р., 62-я армия.

⚠️ Attention: If the story mentions specific military operations or geographical features, be sure to check their modern names in the directory on the website. For example, the “village of Kryukovo” in 1941 is the current Zelenograd microdistrict. Such clarifications increase the historical value of the material.

How to add geolocation and link memories to a war map

One of the unique features of the “I Remember” site is the ability to link a story to interactive map of military operations. This allows historians to analyze events in a spatial context. To add geotags:

1. When publishing material, find the block Memory card.
2. Enter the name of the settlement or coordinates in the search bar (for example, 55.7558° N, 37.6173° E for Moscow).
3. Select label type:
   • 🏠 Place of birth/residence
   • ⚔️ Battlefield
   • 🏥 Hospital/infirmary
   • 🚂 Evacuation route

Add a short description (up to 200 characters) and save.

For accuracy use military maps of the General Staff (their scans are in the section Archives → Maps on the website). For example, if a veteran mentions “the left bank of the Dnieper near the village of Glukhovka,” check the 1943 map—the border may have shifted.

How to find the exact coordinates of old settlements?

Use the service RetroMap — he superimposes modern maps on pre-war and war ones. To search by archival names, use the directory “Administrative-territorial division of the USSR” (available in PDF on the “Memory of the People” website).

Moderation and publication: how long to wait and why the material may be rejected

The processing time for materials depends on their type:

• 📄 Text memories — 3-7 days.
• 🎤 Audio/video — 7-14 days (transcription required).
• 📎 Archival documents — up to 21 days (authentication).

Main reasons for deviation:

Problem	How to fix
Lack of supporting documents	Add a scan of a veteran's ID or an archival certificate
Poor recording quality (noise, inaudible)	Process the file in Audacity or rewrite
Plagiarism or copy-paste from open sources	Add unique details (names, dates, personal observations)
Violation of the chronology of events	Check dates with official sources (e.g. "Memory of the People")

If your material is rejected, a notification with the reason will appear in your personal account. You will have 30 days to revise. After re-downloading, the material is reviewed in priority.

How to find memories of a specific veteran or unit

The “I Remember” website has powerful search functionality, but not everyone knows how to use it. Here is the algorithm for an exact search:

1. Use advanced search (button next to the main search bar).
2. Specify known parameters:
   • 🆔 Last name, first name, patronymic (in whole or in part).
   • 📅 Year of birth (±5 years).
   • ⚔️ Name of the unit/division (for example, 15th Guards Rifle Division).
   • 🏅 Award sheet (if the award number is known).

Filter your results by material type (Video, Text, Photo).

If your search does not return any results:

• 🔍 Check for alternative spellings of the last name (for example, Ivanov/Ivanov).
• 📧 Write to support (support@memoirs.ru) indicating all known data - they will check unpublished archives.
• 📖 Study related materials: the names of other soldiers are often mentioned in the memories of colleagues.

To search by geography use the interactive map:

1. Open section Memory card.
2. Zoom in on the region of interest.
3. Click on the tags and a list of memories associated with the location will open.

How to help the project: volunteering and crowdsourcing

The “I Remember” platform exists thanks not only to government support, but also to the help of volunteers. Here's how you can contribute:

• 📝 Transcription of audio recordings:

  Many interviews with veterans were recorded on tape or digital voice recorders but not transcribed. In the section Help the project → Transcription You can select a record and format it in text form.

• 🗺️ Geotagging:

  Help connect memories to the map, especially if you have knowledge about specific locations (for example, the sites of the battles near Leningrad).

• 🔍 Search for archival documents:

  If you have access to regional archives, you can search and download scans of award sheets, orders or diaries mentioned in the memories.

• 📢 Dissemination of information:

  Share the project with local media, libraries, or veterans' organizations. The more people learn about the platform, the more memories will be saved.

For active participation, volunteers receive:

• 📜 Access to closed archival collections.
• 🏆 Project participant certificate (can be used in a portfolio).
• 🤝 Opportunity to communicate with professional historians.

⚠️ Attention: If you are helping with the digitization of someone else's memories (for example, records from a family archive), be sure to obtain written consent from the veteran or his heirs for publication. Without this, materials will not be accepted.

FAQ: answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to publish the memoirs of a veteran if he has already died?

Yes, but this will require:

1. Scan of the death certificate.
2. A document confirming your relationship (if you are an heir) or the consent of the heirs.
3. Any archival materials confirming the authenticity of the story (photos, awards, letters).

Such publications undergo additional verification, which may take up to 30 days.

What should I do if my relative’s memories are already on the site, but they are incomplete?

You can:

• Add to an existing publication using a button Suggest edits (it appears under the material after authorization).
• Contact the moderator via the feedback form, indicating the publication ID and your additions.
• Publish new material with a tag Addition to memories [full name] and a link to the original.

In the latter case, the materials will be linked to each other automatically.

Can I download memories from the site for personal use?

Yes, but with restrictions:

• Text materials can be copied in full, indicating the source (Source: memoirs.ru, publication ID [XXXX]).
• Audio/video files are available for online listening, but downloading is only permitted for scientific purposes (support request required).
• Photos and scans of documents can be downloaded in low resolution (up to 800px on the larger side). For high resolution, approval from the administration is required.

Commercial use of any materials is prohibited.

How can I check if my relative’s memoirs have been published under a different name?

Use the following methods:

1. Search by date of birth (±1 year) and duty station (name of division/regiment).
2. Check by awards: enter the award certificate number in the search bar (format: N-L 123456).
3. Contact Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense with a request about the veteran’s combat path - they can suggest where else his memories could be preserved.

If you find a duplicate, please report it via the form Violation/Error under the publication.

What if a veteran does not want his last name to be 公開na?

In such cases, the platform provides several options:

• Anonymization: last name is replaced by Veteran [only year of birth is indicated], but the materials are still available to researchers.
• Limited access: Memories are published only for registered users (for example, historians or relatives).
• Delayed publication: materials will be made public 30 years after the death of the veteran (indicated in the consent).

To do this, select the option when loading Restrict access and indicate the reason in a comment for the moderator.