- Россия в Первой мировой войне (1914–1918)
- World War I (1914-1918)
The year of 2014 marks the centenary of World War I - a new type of war, which had acquired the features that later were common for the armed conflicts of the 20th century. These are: inseparability of the rear from the front, the total mobilization of the economics for military needs, information warfare on a national scale. Land battles enriched the science of war with tactics of tank attacks. At the sea was first deployed a submarine warfare, with attacks against civilian ships. In fact, during the war a new kind of armed forces developed – the air force, which became a full-fledged means of warfare. The Russian Empire in that war was part of the military and political alliance with France and Britain, which opposed the central powers - Germany and Austria-Hungary.
- Великая российская революция (1917–1922)
- 1917
In the year of the 100th anniversary of the revolution, the Presidential Library presents a special collection dedicated to the main events of 1917. It includes the archival materials, research works, sources of personal origin, printed press, and such illustrative sources as the photographs, postcards, maps, flyers and newsreels courtesy of Russian archives, libraries, museums and scientific centers.
- Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924)
The collection is devoted to the 150th anniversary of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin - the Russian revolutionist, politician, theorist of Marxism, Soviet statesman, creator of the first socialist state, first Chairman of Council of People's Commissars. It features his works, studies, archival documents and visual materials.
- Первые революционные преобразования большевиков
- All-Russian Constituent Assembly
The collection dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the convocation of the All-Russian Constituent Assembly included popular publications written in 1917 with the purpose of acquainting the country's population with the goals, tasks and features of the work of the assembly; materials of the assembly in the form of lists and certificates of delegates, verbatim record of the sole assembly, legislative projects that were discussed by the deputies; welcome telegrams of the public in connection with the opening of the assembly; documents that tell about the consequences and results of the assembly; as well as visual materials, depicting the assembly of January 5 (18) and its participants.
- Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA)
The collection includes decrees, military regulations, studies on the history of the creation of the Red Army and its participation in hostilities, the works of creators, documents on educational and cultural and educational activities, and jubilee materials.
- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The collection is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace between the RSFSR and the powers of the Quadruple Alliance of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, by which Russia's participation in the First World War ended. Transcripts of meetings of peace negotiations, essays by contemporaries and members of the Soviet delegation with a general analysis of the foreign policy of the RSFSR during the period under review, as well as photographs of negotiators, are presented.
- Гражданская война и ее последствия
- 1918
The collection covers key events of 1918: from the convocation and dissolution of the Constituent Assembly to the seizure of power by A. V. Kolchak in Omsk, the annulment of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk after the beginning of the revolution in Germany and the signing of the Compiègne Armistice, which ended the fighting during the World War I. The material is presented in thematic sections arranged in chronological order. The collection includes archival materials, research documents, sources of personal origin, photographs, postcards and newsreels.
- Идеология и культура Советской России периода Гражданской войны
- Komsomol in the national history
The collection, timed to coincide with the centenary of the All-Union Leninist Communist Youth League (the Komsomol), presents publications of the 1920s - 1940s, which cast light on the history of the Komsomol, its goals and basic activities; Komsomol periodicals, which came out during the Great Patriotic War, visual materials of the 1950s – 1990s, which show Komsomol members during different periods of the national history.
- Советский Союз в 1929–1941 гг.
- Sergei Kirov (1886-1934)
The collection is devoted to the 135th anniversary of Sergei Mironovich Kirov (Kostrikov) (1886-1934), the Soviet party leader and politician. The collection features speeches, reports and articles by Sergei Kirov published the 1920-1940s; biographical essays and memoirs about Kirov, issued after his death; materials from the Leningrad and central press of the 1930s-40s, archival documents from the Civil War period, as well as photographs and postcards with portraits of Sergei Kirov and memorable places associated with him.
- Культурное пространство советского общества в 1920–1930-е гг.
- Maxim Gorky (1868–1936)
The collection, timed to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Soviet Russian writer, playwright and public figure Maxim Gorky (A. M. Peshkov) (1868-1936), includes digital copies of books, periodicals, archival documents and graphic materials devoted to his life and work, as well as texts of his own works of art, articles and memoirs.
- Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893–1930)
The collection is timed to coincide with 125th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Mayakovsky – one of the greatest poets-pioneers, who in many ways determined the style of the poetry in 20th century. Vladimir Mayakovsky was also an artist, a playwright, a director, an editor of the literary LEF and Novy LEF magazines. The collection features digital copies of books, pamphlets, periodicals and other materials which contain Vladimir Mayakovsky’s works, the analysis of his writing, and the poet’s biography.
- St. Petersburg and Russian Avant-Guard
Collection, developed jointly by the Presidential Library and the State Russian Museum, is dedicated to the G-20 summit in Russia. The collection includes general research on the history of Russian avant-garde, exhibition catalogs and albums covering this art phenomenon, works on some of its representatives. Of particular interest are materials that characterize the spirit of the age. Among them there are newsreels showing Petrograd in the first quarter of the 20th century, rare postcards depicting mass celebrations decoration in the avant-garde style, autobiographic text of V. V. Kandinsky (1918) and the libretto of the opera "Victory over the Sun" by A. Kruchenykh ( 1913).
- Pitirim Sorokin (1889–1968)
The collection is timed to coincide with the 130th anniversary of the birth of Pitirim Sorokin - a prominent Russian sociologist and culturologist. He was born on February 4, 1889 into a family of a craftsman in a village in Vologda Governorate. He died on February 10, 1968 in Massachusetts, the USA. Pitirim Sorokin became the founder of integral sociology, made a significant contribution to the development of the theory of social mobility. He published more than 30 books.
- Внешняя политика СССР в 1920–1930-е гг.
- World War II in archival documents (collection of digitized archival documents, film and photo materials)
On September 4, 2025, the Сollection of digitized archival documents, film and photo materials World War II in Archival Documents, posted on the Presidential Library portal was replenished with 250 new documents from federal and departmental archives of Russia, which cover the events of the period from June 25 1945.
- Первый период войны (июнь 1941 — осень 1942 г.)
- World War II in archival documents (collection of digitized archival documents, film and photo materials)
On September 4, 2025, the Сollection of digitized archival documents, film and photo materials World War II in Archival Documents, posted on the Presidential Library portal was replenished with 250 new documents from federal and departmental archives of Russia, which cover the events of the period from June 25 1945.
- Memory of the Great Victory
The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) is part of the World War II (1939-1945) and one of the key events in Russian and world history of the 20th century. Joint efforts of the Soviet Union and the anti-Hitler coalition enabled to overcome the offensive of fascism. The collection commemorating the great victory includes first-hand accounts of veterans of the World War II and the Great Patriotic War, responses to the war of their great grandchildren, research works and archival materials, photographs and documentary newsreels, war-time newspapers and propaganda editions, songs and music of the war years.
- Defence and Siege of Leningrad
The collection was created in 2014 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from Nazi occupation. It contains a vast array of various sources, including official documents, newspapers, cards, flyers, memos, periodicals, postcards, photographs, and newsreels. Electronic copies of materials from personal archives of St. Petersburg citizens are particularly valuable to the collection. These include photos, certificates, interviews, drawings, and personal records of citizens during the siege. In November 2018, the Presidential Library launched a major project to collect and digitize family archives related to the city's siege.
- Победа СССР в Великой Отечественной войне. Окончание Второй мировой войны (1944 – сентябрь 1945 г.
- Memory of the Great Victory
The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) is part of the World War II (1939-1945) and one of the key events in Russian and world history of the 20th century. Joint efforts of the Soviet Union and the anti-Hitler coalition enabled to overcome the offensive of fascism. The collection commemorating the great victory includes first-hand accounts of veterans of the World War II and the Great Patriotic War, responses to the war of their great grandchildren, research works and archival materials, photographs and documentary newsreels, war-time newspapers and propaganda editions, songs and music of the war years.
- Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905
A series of turbulent events of the 20th century began for Russia from a war far in the east. Japan, which unleashed the war, blockaded and besieged Port Arthur, the main base of Russian naval forces in the Pacific. The defense and the subsequent surrender of the fortress became a tragic symbol of the war. Military setbacks, the largest of which were the overland Battle of Mukden and the Tsushima Naval Battle, the name of which became common, were one of the causes of the revolution of 1905-1907 forcing the Russian part to agree to a compromise and sign a peace treaty. The local war turned for Russia into the loss of the entire Navy and the loss of strategic positions in the Far East.
- 1945: From the War to the Post-War World
1945 was a watershed in the 20th century history: the end of the World War II marked the beginning of political, military, strategic, economic and ideological changes that have led to a new world order. The collection, which tells about the events of that period, includes studies, archival materials, newspaper and magazine chronicle, photos and cartoons (117 units in total).