The invention provides a method for performing read and write operations in a passive matrix-addressed memory array of memory cells comprising an electrically polarizable material exhibiting polarization remanence, in particular an electret or ferroelectric material, wherein a logical value stored in a memory cell is represented by an actual polarization state in the memory cell, a degree of polarization in the polarizable material is limited during each read and write cycle to a value defined by a circuit device controlling the read and write operations, with said value ranging from zero to an upper limit corresponding to saturation of the polarization and consistent with predetermined criterta for a reliable detection of a logic state of a memory cell. An apparatus for performing write and read operations in a passive matrix-addressed memory array encompassed by the apparatus and comprising memory cells containing an electrically polarizable material exhibiting polarization remanence, in particularly afer roelectric material, comprises circuitry which adjusts an application of voltages for addressing the memory cells in order to limit a degree of polarization change in the polarizable material during each read and write cycle to value defined by a circuit controlling said read and write operations.