Know, Soviet people, that you are descendants of fearless warriors!
Know, Soviet people, that the blood of great heroes flows in you,
Those who gave their lives for their homeland without thinking about the benefits!
Know and honor, Soviet people, the exploits of our grandfathers and fathers!
Documentary film “Ladoga” - 1943. About the battle for Leningrad:
By the beginning of 1943, the situation in Leningrad, surrounded by German troops, remained extremely difficult. The troops of the Leningrad Front and the Baltic Fleet were isolated from the rest of the Red Army. Attempts to relieve the siege of Leningrad in 1942 - the Lyuban and Sinyavin offensive operations - were unsuccessful. The shortest route between the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, between the southern coast of Lake Ladoga and the village of Mga (the so-called Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsky ledge, 12-16 km), was still occupied by units of the 18th German Army.
On the streets and squares of the second capital of the USSR, shells and bombs continued to explode, people died, buildings collapsed. The city was under constant threat of air raids and artillery shelling. The lack of land communications with the territory under the control of Soviet troops caused great difficulties in the supply of fuel and raw materials for factories, and did not allow meeting the needs of troops and civilians for food and basic necessities.
However, the situation of Leningrad residents in the winter of 1942-1943. it was still somewhat better than the previous winter. Electricity was supplied to the city through an underwater cable, and fuel was supplied through an underwater pipeline. The city was supplied with necessary products and goods along the ice of the lake - the Road of Life. In addition, in addition to the highway, an iron line was also built right on the ice of Lake Ladoga.
The commander of the 136th Infantry Division, Major General Nikolai Pavlovich Simonyak, at the observation post. The photo was taken during the first day of the operation to break the blockade of Leningrad (Operation Iskra).
By the end of 1942, the Leningrad Front under the command of Leonid Govorov included: 67th Army - commander Lieutenant General Mikhail Dukhanov, 55th Army - Lieutenant General Vladimir Sviridov, 23rd Army - Major General Alexander Cherepanov, 42- I Army - Lieutenant General Ivan Nikolaev, Primorsky Operational Group and 13th Air Army - Colonel General of Aviation Stepan Rybalchenko. The main forces of the LF - the 42nd, 55th and 67th armies, defended themselves at the line Uritsk, Pushkin, south of Kolpino, Porogi, the right bank of the Neva to Lake Ladoga. The 67th Army operated in a 30 km strip along the right bank of the Neva from Porogi to Lake Ladoga, having a small bridgehead on the left bank of the river, in the area of Moscow Dubrovka. The 55th Rifle Brigade of this army defended from the south the highway that ran along the ice of Lake Ladoga. The 23rd Army defended the northern approaches to Leningrad, located on the Karelian Isthmus.
Units of the 23rd Army were often transferred to other, more dangerous directions. The 42nd Army defended the Pulkovo line. The Primorsky Operational Group (POG) was located on the Oranienbaum bridgehead.
The actions of the LF were supported by the Red Banner Baltic Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Vladimir Tributs, who was based at the mouth of the Neva River and in Kronstadt. It covered the coastal flanks of the front, supported the ground forces with its aviation and naval artillery fire. In addition, the fleet held a number of islands in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, thereby covering the western approaches to the city. Leningrad was also supported by the Ladoga military flotilla. The air defense of Leningrad was carried out by the Leningrad Air Defense Army, which interacted with aviation and anti-aircraft artillery of the front and navy. The military highway on the ice of the lake and the transshipment bases on its shores were protected from Luftwaffe attacks by formations of the separate Ladoga air defense region.
By the beginning of 1943, the Volkhov Front under the command of Army General Kirill Meretsky included: the 2nd Shock Army, the 4th, 8th, 52nd, 54th, 59th Armies and the 14th Air Army. But the following took direct part in the operation: the 2nd Shock Army - under the command of Lieutenant General Vladimir Romanovsky, the 54th Army - Lieutenant General Alexander Sukhomlin, the 8th Army - Lieutenant General Philip Starikov, the 14th Air Army - General - Aviation Lieutenant Ivan Zhuravlev. They operated in a 300 km strip from Lake Ladoga to Lake Ilmen. On the right flank from Lake Ladoga to the Kirov Railway there were units of the 2nd Shock and 8th Armies.
The German command, after the failure of attempts to take the city in 1942, was forced to stop the fruitless offensive and order the troops to go on the defensive. The Red Army was opposed by the German 18th Army under the command of Georg Liederman, which was part of Army Group North. It consisted of 4 army corps and up to 26 divisions. The German troops were supported by the 1st Air Fleet of Air Force Colonel General Alfred Keller. In addition, on the northwestern approaches to the city opposite the 23rd Soviet Army there were 4 Finnish divisions from the Karelian Isthmus task force.
The Red Army tank landing force is moving towards a breakthrough!
A unique film about the siege of Leningrad. Chronicle of those years:
Red Army soldiers take position and prepare for battle - breaking the blockade of Leningrad
German defense
The Germans had the most powerful defense and dense grouping of troops in the most dangerous direction - the Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsky ledge (its depth did not exceed 15 km). Here, between the city of Mga and Lake Ladoga, 5 German divisions were stationed - the main forces of the 26th and part of the divisions of the 54th Army Corps. They consisted of about 60 thousand people, 700 guns and mortars, about 50 tanks and self-propelled guns. Each village was turned into a strong point, prepared for all-round defense; the positions were covered with minefields, barbed wire barriers and fortified with pillboxes. There were two lines of defense in total: the first included the structures of the 8th State District Power Plant, the 1st and 2nd Gorodki and the houses of the city of Shlisselburg - from the side of Leningrad, Lipka, Worker settlements No. 4, 8, 7, Gontovaya Lipka - from the side of the Volkhov Front , the second included workers’ settlements No. 1 and No. 5, Podgornaya and Sinyavino stations, workers’ settlement No. 6, and the Mikhailovsky village. The defensive lines were saturated with resistance units and had a developed network of trenches, shelters, dugouts, and fire weapons. As a result, the entire ledge resembled one fortified area.
The situation for the attacking side was aggravated by the wooded and swampy terrain in the area. In addition, there was a large area of Sinyavin peat mining, which was cut by deep ditches. The territory was impassable for armored vehicles and heavy artillery, and they were needed to destroy enemy fortifications. To overcome such a defense, powerful means of suppression and destruction were required, as well as a huge strain of forces and means of the attacking side.
On January 2, 1943, in order to break the blockade of Leningrad, the strategic offensive Operation Iskra began.
Girl from the besieged city - People of Legend (USSR 1985):
Plan and preparation of the operation. Shock groups of the Soviet army
Back in November 1942, the LF command presented its proposals to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief for preparing a new offensive near Leningrad. It was planned to carry out two operations in December 1942 - February 1943. During the “Shlisselburg Operation,” it was proposed that the forces of the LF, together with the troops of the Volkhov Front, break through the blockade of the city and build a railway along Lake Ladoga. During the “Uritskaya Operation” they were going to break through a land corridor to the Oranienbaum bridgehead. The headquarters approved the first part of the operation - breaking the blockade of Leningrad (directive No. 170696 of December 2, 1942). The operation was codenamed "Iskra", the troops were supposed to be in full combat readiness by January 1, 1943.
The operation plan was outlined in more detail in Directive No. 170703 of the Supreme Command Headquarters of December 8. The troops of the LF and VF received the task of defeating the German group in the area of Lipka, Gaitolovo, Moskovskaya Dubrovka, Shlisselburg and, thus, lifting the complete blockade of Leningrad. By the end of January 1943, the Red Army was supposed to reach the line Moika River - Mikhailovsky - Tortolovo. The directive also announced the conduct of the “Mginsk operation” in February with the aim of defeating the German group in the Mga area and ensuring a strong railway connection between Leningrad and the country. Coordination of the fronts' actions was entrusted to Marshal Kliment Voroshilov.
Almost a month was allotted to prepare the operation. Much attention was paid to the interaction between the troops of the two fronts. In the rear, training fields and special camps were created to practice offensive actions of formations in wooded and swampy areas and storm the enemy’s layered defense. Units of the 67th Army practiced methods of crossing the Neva on ice and establishing a crossing for tanks and artillery. In the LF, at the direction of Govorov, artillery groups were formed: long-range, special purpose, counter-mortar and a separate group of guards mortar units. By the start of the operation, thanks to reconnaissance efforts, the command was able to get a fairly good idea of the German defenses. In December, a thaw occurred, so the ice on the Neva was weak, and the swampy terrain was difficult to access, therefore, at the suggestion of the commander of the Leningrad Fleet, Headquarters postponed the start of the operation to January 12, 1943. At the beginning of January, the State Defense Committee sent Georgy Zhukov to the Volkhov Front to reinforce it.
To carry out the operation, strike groups were formed within the LF and VF fronts, which were reinforced with armored tank, artillery and engineering formations, including from the Headquarters reserve. On the Volkhov Front, the basis of the strike group was Romanovsky’s 2nd Shock Army. It included, including the army reserve, 12 rifle divisions, 4 tank, 1 rifle and 3 ski brigades, a guards breakthrough tank regiment, 4 separate tank battalions: 165 thousand people, 2100-2200 guns and mortars, 225 tanks. The army was supported from the air by about 400 aircraft. The army received the task of breaking through the enemy’s defenses in a 12 km section from the village of Lipki on the shore of Lake Ladoga and to Gaitolovo, reaching the line of Workers’ Villages No. 1 and No. 5, Sinyavino, and then developing the offensive until connecting with the LF units. In addition, the troops of the 8th Army: 2 rifle divisions, a marine brigade, a separate tank regiment and 2 separate tank battalions, launched an auxiliary attack in the direction of Tortolovo, the village of Mikhailovsky. The advance of the 2nd Shock and 8th Army was supported by about 2,885 guns and mortars.
On the LF side, the main role was to be played by Dukhanov’s 67th Army. It consisted of 7 rifle divisions (one guards), 6 rifle, 3 tank and 2 ski brigades, 2 separate tank battalions. The offensive was supported by the artillery of the army, the front, the Baltic Fleet (88 guns with a caliber of 130-406 mm) - about 1900 guns, the 13th Air Army and naval aviation - about 450 aircraft and about 200 tanks. Units of the 67th Army were supposed to cross the Neva on a 12 km section between the Nevsky Piglet and Shlisselburg, concentrating their main efforts in the direction of Maryino and Sinyavino. The LF troops, having broken through the German defenses in the Moskovskaya Dubrovka, Shlisselburg sector, were supposed to connect with the VF formations at the line of Workers' Villages No. 2, 5 and 6, and then develop an offensive to the southeast and reach the line on the Moika River.
Both strike groups numbered about 300 thousand people, approximately 4,900 guns and mortars, about 600 tanks and more than 800 aircraft.
Sappers of the Volkhov Front, Red Army soldier A.G. Zubakin and Sergeant M.V. Kamensky (right) make passages in a wire fence in the Sinyavino area. The photo was taken during the first day of the operation to break the blockade of Leningrad (Operation Iskra).
Siege Leningrad. Shestakovich's 7th Symphony:
Beginning of the Offensive. January 12, 1943
On the morning of January 12, 1943, troops from two fronts simultaneously launched an offensive. Previously at night, aviation dealt a powerful blow to Wehrmacht positions in the breakthrough zone, as well as to airfields, control posts, communications and railway junctions in the enemy rear. Tons of metal fell on the Germans, destroying their manpower, destroying defensive structures and suppressing morale. At 9:30 in the morning, the artillery of two fronts began artillery preparation: in the offensive zone of the 2nd Shock Army it lasted 1 hour 45 minutes, and in the sector of the 67th Army - 2 hours 20 minutes. 40 minutes before the infantry and armored vehicles began to move, attack aircraft, in groups of 6-8 aircraft, struck pre-reconnaissance artillery and mortar positions, strongholds and communications centers.
At 11:50, under the cover of the “wall of fire” and the fire of the 16th fortified area, the divisions of the first echelon of the 67th Army went on the attack. Each of the four divisions—the 45th Guards, 268th, 136th, and 86th Rifle Divisions—were reinforced by several artillery and mortar regiments, an anti-tank artillery regiment, and one or two engineering battalions. In addition, the offensive was supported by 147 light tanks and armored cars, the weight of which could be supported by the ice. The particular difficulty of the operation was that the Wehrmacht’s defensive positions were along the steep, icy left river bank, which was higher than the right. The German fire weapons were arranged in tiers and covered all approaches to the shore with multi-layered fire. In order to break through to the other bank, it was necessary to reliably suppress German firing points, especially in the first line. At the same time, we had to be careful not to damage the ice on the left bank.
The assault groups were the first to make their way to the other side of the Neva. Their fighters selflessly made passages in the barriers. Behind them rifle and tank units crossed the river. After a fierce battle, the enemy’s defenses were breached in the area north of the 2nd Gorodok (268th Rifle Division and 86th Separate Tank Battalion) and in the Maryino area (136th Division and formations of the 61st Tank Brigade). By the end of the day, Soviet troops broke the resistance of the 170th German Infantry Division between the 2nd Gorodok and Shlisselburg. The 67th Army captured a bridgehead between the 2nd Gorodok and Shlisselburg, and construction began on a crossing for medium and heavy tanks and heavy artillery (completed on January 14). On the flanks the situation was more difficult: on the right wing, the 45th Guards Rifle Division in the “Neva patch” area was able to capture only the first line of German fortifications; on the left wing, the 86th Rifle Division was unable to cross the Neva at Shlisselburg (it was transferred to a bridgehead in the Maryino area to attack Shlisselburg from the south).
In the offensive zone of the 2nd shock (went on the offensive at 11:15) and the 8th army (at 11:30), the offensive developed with great difficulty. Aviation and artillery were unable to suppress the main enemy firing points, and the swamps were impassable even in winter. The most fierce battles took place at the points of Lipka, Workers' Village No. 8 and Gontovaya Lipka; these strong points were located on the flanks of the breaking through forces and even when completely surrounded they continued the battle. On the right flank and in the center - the 128th, 372nd and 256th rifle divisions were able to break through the defenses of the 227th Infantry Division by the end of the day and advance 2-3 km. The strongholds of Lipka and Workers' Village No. 8 could not be taken that day. On the left flank, only the 327th Infantry Division, which occupied most of the fortification in the Kruglaya grove, was able to achieve some success in the offensive. The attacks of the 376th Division and the forces of the 8th Army were unsuccessful.
The German command, already on the first day of the battle, was forced to bring operational reserves into battle: formations of the 96th Infantry Division and the 5th Mountain Division were sent to help the 170th Division, two regiments of the 61st Infantry Division (“Major General Hüner’s group ") were introduced into the center of the Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsky ledge.
Leningrad in the struggle (USSR, 1942):
Leningrad Front- commander: lieutenant general (since January 15, 1943 - colonel general) L.A. Govorov
Volkhov Front- Commander: General of the Army K.A. Meretskov.
Fights January 13 - 17
On the morning of January 13, the offensive continued. The Soviet command, in order to finally turn the situation in its favor, began to introduce the second echelon of the advancing armies into battle. However, the Germans, relying on strongholds and a developed defense system, offered stubborn resistance, and the battles became protracted and fierce.
In the offensive zone of the 67th Army on the left flank, the 86th Infantry Division and a battalion of armored vehicles, supported from the north by the 34th Ski Brigade and the 55th Infantry Brigade (on the ice of the lake), stormed the approaches to Shlisselburg for several days. By the evening of the 15th, the Red Army soldiers reached the outskirts of the city, the German troops in Shlisselburg found themselves in a critical situation, but continued to fight stubbornly.
In the center, the 136th Infantry Division and the 61st Tank Brigade developed an offensive in the direction of Workers' Village No. 5. To secure the left flank of the division, the 123rd Infantry Brigade was brought into the battle; it was supposed to advance in the direction of Workers' Village No. 3. Then, to secure the right flank, the 123rd Infantry Division and a tank brigade were brought into battle; they advanced in the direction of Rabochy Settlement No. 6, Sinyavino. After several days of fighting, the 123rd Infantry Brigade captured Workers' Village No. 3 and reached the outskirts of villages No. 1 and No. 2. The 136th Division made its way to Workers' Village No. 5, but could not immediately take it.
On the right wing of the 67th Army, attacks by the 45th Guards and 268th Rifle Divisions were still unsuccessful. The Air Force and artillery were unable to eliminate the firing points in the 1st, 2nd Gorodoki and 8th State District Power Plant. In addition, German troops received reinforcements - formations of the 96th Infantry and 5th Mountain Rifle Divisions. The Germans even launched fierce counterattacks, using the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion, which was armed with Tiger I heavy tanks. Soviet troops, despite the introduction of second echelon troops into battle - the 13th Infantry Division, 102nd and 142nd Infantry Brigades, were unable to turn the situation in this sector in their favor.
In the zone of the 2nd Shock Army, the offensive continued to develop more slowly than that of the 67th Army. German troops, relying on strongholds - Workers' settlements No. 7 and No. 8, Lipke, continued to offer stubborn resistance. On January 13, despite the introduction of part of the second echelon forces into the battle, the troops of the 2nd Shock Army did not achieve serious success in any direction. In the following days, the army command tried to expand the breakthrough in the southern sector from the Kruglaya grove to Gaitolovo, but without significant results. The 256th Rifle Division was able to achieve the greatest success in this direction; on January 14, it occupied Workers' Village No. 7, Podgornaya station and reached the approaches to Sinyavino. On the right wing, the 12th Ski Brigade was sent to help the 128th Division; it was supposed to go across the ice of Lake Ladoga to the rear of the Lipka stronghold.
On January 15, in the center of the offensive zone, the 372nd Infantry Division was finally able to take Workers' Villages No. 8 and No. 4, and on the 17th they reached village No. 1. By this day, the 18th Infantry Division and the 98th Tank Brigade of the 2nd UA had already been there for several days fought a stubborn battle on the outskirts of Workers' Village No. 5. It was attacked from the west by units of the 67th Army. The moment of unification of the two armies was close...
As a result of the January battles of 1943, it was possible to clear the southern coast of Lake Ladoga from the enemy. Between Lake Ladoga and the front line a formation was formed corridor 8-11 km wide, through which within 17 days a railway and a road were built.
The blockade was completely lifted January 27, 1944 as a result of the Leningrad-Novgorod strategic offensive operation.
The siege of Leningrad lasted from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. During this time, 107 thousand aerial bombs were dropped on the northern capital, and about 150 thousand shells were fired. According to various sources, during the years of the blockade, from 400 thousand to 1 million people died. In particular, the figure of 632 thousand people appeared at the Nuremberg trials. Only 3% of them died from bombing and shelling, the remaining 97% died from starvation.
The light cruiser "Kirov" salutes in honor of the lifting of the siege of Leningrad!
Leningrad. Firework. Breaking the siege of Leningrad (January 27, 1944):
TASS DOSSIER. On January 27, every year in the Russian Federation the Day of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the fascist blockade (1944) is celebrated. It was originally established by the federal law “On the Days of Military Glory (Victory Days) of Russia” dated March 13, 1995 and was called the Day of Lifting the Siege of the City of Leningrad (1944). On November 2, 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a federal law, according to which the date became known as the Day of the complete liberation of the city of Leningrad by Soviet troops from the blockade of its fascist German troops (1944). The new name of the holiday caused dissatisfaction among the townspeople, especially veterans and siege survivors, since, in their opinion, it did not reflect the role and contribution of the civilian population in the defense of the city. On December 1, 2014, Putin signed the law “On Amendments to Article 1 of the Federal Law “On Days of Military Glory and Memorable Dates of Russia,” which established the current name of the date as January 27.
Siege of Leningrad
Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) is the only large city in world history that was able to withstand an almost 900-day encirclement.
The capture of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 was one of the most important strategic and political tasks of the German command. During the Battle of Leningrad (July - August 1941), German troops broke through the Mga station, occupied Shlisselburg on September 8 and cut off Leningrad from the rest of the USSR by land. Subsequently, the Germans occupied the Leningrad suburbs - Krasnoye Selo (September 12), Pushkin (September 17), Strelna (September 21), Peterhof (September 23); Soviet troops managed to hold Kronstadt and the Oranienbaum bridgehead. The Finnish allies of the Germans, advancing on the Karelian Isthmus and in the Northern Ladoga region, blocked a number of routes (Kirov Railway, White Sea-Baltic Canal, Volga-Baltic Waterway) for the supply of goods to Leningrad and stopped approximately on the line of the Soviet-Finnish border of 1918-1940 .
On September 8, 1941, the siege of Leningrad began, which lasted 872 days. The directive from the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht, Adolf Hitler, “The Future of the City of St. Petersburg” dated September 22, 1941, stated: “... The Fuhrer decided to wipe St. Petersburg from the face of the earth. (...) In this war, waged for the right to exist, we are not interested in preserving at least part of the population..." On September 10, Luftwaffe pilots managed to bomb the Badayevsky warehouses, as a result of which the city lost significant food supplies. Gradually, the city's fuel and water supplies dried up, and the supply of light and heat stopped. In the fall of 1941, famine began. A rationing system for supplying citizens with food was introduced. By November 20, 1941, the norms for the distribution of bread for workers dropped to 250 g per day, for the rest of the population - to 125 g.
During the siege, more than 107 thousand incendiary and high-explosive bombs and over 150 thousand artillery shells were dropped on Leningrad, and about 10 thousand houses and buildings were destroyed.
Despite the siege, over 200 enterprises continued to operate in the city, including seven shipyards that produced 13 submarines. The industry of besieged Leningrad produced 150 samples of military products. In total, during the years of the siege, Leningrad enterprises produced about 10 million shells and mines, 12 thousand mortars, 1.5 thousand aircraft, 2 thousand tanks were manufactured and repaired. Despite the bombing, even in the winter of 1941-1942 there were performances and musical performances in the city. In March 1942, trams began running around the city again, and on May 6, the first football match was held at the Dynamo stadium on Krestovsky Island.
"Road of Life"
The supply of the besieged city from September 1941 to March 1943 was carried out along the only military-strategic transport route passing through Lake Ladoga. During navigation periods, transportation was carried out along the water route, and during the freeze-up period - along the ice road using vehicles. The ice route, called the “Road of Life” by Leningraders, came into operation on November 22, 1941. Ammunition, weapons, food, fuel were transported along it, the sick, wounded and children were evacuated, as well as equipment from factories and factories. In total, during the operation of the highway, about 1 million 376 thousand people were evacuated along it, and 1 million 615 thousand tons of cargo were transported.
Removing the blockade
On January 12, 1943, troops of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts began an operation code-named Iskra, the goal of which was to defeat a group of German troops south of Lake Ladoga and restore connections between Leningrad and the mainland.
On January 18, 1943, the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts, with the support of the Baltic Fleet, in the area of the Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsky ledge broke the blockade ring and restored the city’s land connection with the mainland. On the same day, the fortress city of Shlisselburg was liberated and the entire southern coast of Lake Ladoga was cleared of the enemy. Within 17 days, railways and roads were built through the resulting corridor, and already on February 7, the first train arrived in Leningrad.
On January 14, 1944, troops of the Leningrad, Volkhov and 2nd Baltic fronts began the Leningrad-Novgorod strategic offensive operation. By January 20, Soviet troops defeated the enemy's Krasnoselsko-Ropshinsk group. On January 27, 1944, Leningrad was completely liberated. In honor of the victory, a salute of 24 artillery salvoes from 324 guns rang out in the city. This was the only fireworks display (1st degree) during all the years of the Great Patriotic War that was not held in Moscow.
By the end of the blockade, no more than 800 thousand residents remained in the city out of 3 million who lived in Leningrad and its suburbs before the start of the blockade. According to various sources, from hunger, bombing and artillery shelling, from 641 thousand to 1 million Leningraders died. Almost 34 thousand people were injured, 716 thousand residents were left homeless. In total, 1.7 million people were evacuated along the “Road of Life” and by air in 1941-1942.
Perpetuation of memory
In December 1942, the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad" was established. It was awarded to 1.5 million people, including residents of the city and participants in the battles for its liberation. Over 350 thousand soldiers and officers of the Leningrad Front were awarded orders and medals, 226 of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In total, in the northwestern direction (Leningrad, Volkhov and Karelian fronts), 486 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (of which eight people were awarded twice).
On May 1, 1945, in the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Joseph Stalin, Leningrad was named among the first hero cities.
On April 20, 1944, the exhibition “Heroic Defense of Leningrad” opened in the premises of the former Leningrad Handicraft Museum. On January 27, 1946, it was transformed into a museum (now the State Memorial Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad).
On May 8, 1965, Leningrad was officially awarded the title of “Hero City”; it was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
In 1989, by decision of the executive committee of the Leningrad City Council, the sign “Resident of besieged Leningrad” was established.
Every year on January 27, Russia celebrates the Day of the Complete Liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi Siege.
According to information from the administration of St. Petersburg, as of January 2017, 102.4 thousand residents and defenders of the besieged city lived in the city (8.8 thousand people awarded the medal “For the Defense of Leningrad” and 93.6 thousand people awarded sign "Resident of besieged Leningrad"). About 30 thousand more blockade survivors lived in other cities and countries.
For the Wehrmacht command, the capture of the city on the Neva was not only of great military and strategic importance. In addition to the capture of the entire coast of the Gulf of Finland and the destruction of the Baltic Fleet, far-reaching propaganda goals were also pursued. The fall of the cradle of the Revolution would have caused irreparable moral damage to the entire Soviet people and would have significantly undermined the morale of the armed forces. The Red Army command had an alternative: withdraw the troops and surrender the city without a fight. In this case, the fate of the residents would have been even more tragic. Hitler intended to wipe the city off the face of the earth in the literal sense of the word.
Leningrad was finally surrounded by German and Finnish troops on September 8, 1941. The siege of Leningrad lasted 872 days. In addition to the military formations of the army and navy, more than three million people were under siege - Leningraders and refugees from the Baltic states and neighboring regions. During the siege, Leningrad lost more than 600 thousand civilians, of whom only three percent died from bombing and artillery shelling, the rest died from exhaustion and disease. More than one and a half million people were evacuated.
Attempts to break the blockade in 1942
Even in the most difficult days of the war, attempts were made to break the encirclement. In January 1942, the Soviet army launched an offensive to connect the blockaded city with the “Main Land” near the village of Lyubtsy. The next attempt was made in August - October in the direction of the village of Sinyavino and Mga station. These operations to break the blockade of Leningrad were unsuccessful. Although the Sinyavin offensive failed, this maneuver thwarted the Wehrmacht’s next plans to capture the city.
Strategic prerequisites
The defeat of Hitler's group of troops on the Volga radically changed the balance of strategic forces in favor of the Soviet army. Under the current conditions, the High Command decided to carry out an operation to release the northern capital. The operational event involving the forces of the Leningrad, Volkhov fronts, the Baltic Fleet and the Ladoga Flotilla received the code name ''Iskra''. The liberation of Leningrad from the blockade, although partial, was made possible thanks to serious miscalculations of the German command. Hitler's headquarters underestimated the importance of accumulating reserves. After fierce fighting in the Moscow direction and the south of the country, two tank divisions and a significant part of the infantry formations were withdrawn from Army Group North to partially compensate for the losses of the central group. By the beginning of 1943, near Leningrad, the invaders did not have large mechanized formations to counter the possible advance of the Soviet army.
Betting Plans
Operation Iskra was conceived in the fall of 1942. At the end of November, the headquarters of the Leningrad Front proposed to Headquarters to prepare a new offensive and break through the enemy ring in two directions: Shlisselburg and Uritsky. The Supreme High Command decided to focus on one, the shortest one, in the Sinyavino-Shlisselburg area.
On November 22, the command presented a plan for counter actions of the concentrated forces of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts. The operation was approved, and no more than a month was allotted for preparation. It was very important to carry out the planned offensive in winter: in the spring, swampy areas became impassable. Due to the thaw that began at the end of December, the breaking of the blockade was postponed by ten days. The code name for the operation was proposed by I.V. Stalin. Half a century ago, V. I. Ulyanov, when creating the press organ of the Bolshevik Party, named the newspaper “Iskra” with the intention that the flame of revolution would ignite from a spark. Stalin thus drew an analogy, suggesting that an operational offensive maneuver would develop into a significant strategic success. General leadership was entrusted to Marshal K. E. Voroshilov. To coordinate actions, Marshal G.K. Zhukov was sent to the Volkhov Front.
Preparations for the offensive
During December, the troops intensively prepared for battle. All units were one hundred percent staffed with personnel and equipment, and up to 5 sets of ammunition were accumulated for each unit of heavy weapons. During the siege, Leningrad was able to provide the front with all the necessary military equipment and small arms. And for sewing uniforms, not only specialized enterprises were involved, but also citizens who had sewing machines for personal use. In the rear, sappers reinforced existing bridges and built new ones. To ensure access to the Neva, about 50 kilometers of roads were built.
Particular attention was paid to the training of fighters: they had to be taught to fight in the forest in winter and attack a fortified area equipped with strongholds and long-term firing points. In the rear of each formation, training grounds were set up, simulating the conditions of the areas of the proposed offensive. To break through the engineering, special assault groups were created. Passages were arranged. All commanders, including company commanders, were provided with updated maps and photographic diagrams. Regrouping was carried out exclusively at night or in bad weather. Front-line reconnaissance activities intensified. The location of the enemy's defensive installations was accurately established. Staff games were organized for the command staff. The final phase was conducting live-fire exercises. Disguise measures, the spread of misinformation, and the strictest observance of secrecy have borne fruit. The enemy learned of the planned offensive in just a few days. The Germans did not have time to further strengthen dangerous areas.
Balance of power
Formations of the Leningrad Front consisting of the 42nd, 55th, 67th armies held the defense of the city from the inner south-eastern side of the ring on the Uritsk - Kolpino line, the right bank territories of the Neva - to Ladoga. The 23rd Army conducted defensive operations from the northern side on the Karelian Isthmus. The military aviation forces consisted of the 13th Air Army. Breaking the blockade was ensured by 222 tanks and 37 armored vehicles. The front was commanded by Lieutenant General L. A. Govorov. The infantry units were supported from the air by the 14th Air Army. 217 tanks were concentrated in this direction. The Volkhov Front was commanded by Army General K. A. Meretskov. In the direction of the breakthrough, using reserves and regrouping forces, it was possible to achieve a superiority of manpower by four and a half times, artillery by seven times, tanks by ten times, and aviation by two times. The density of guns and mortars on the Leningrad side was up to 146 units per 1 km of front. The offensive was also supported by artillery from ships of the Baltic Fleet and the Ladoga Flotilla (88 guns with a caliber ranging from 100 to 406 mm) and naval aviation aircraft.
In the Volkhov direction, the density of guns ranged from 101 to 356 units per kilometer. The total number of strike forces on both sides reached 303 thousand soldiers and officers. The enemy besieged the city with twenty-six divisions of the 18th Army (Army Group North) and the formation of four Finnish divisions in the north. Our troops, breaking the blockade, had to attack the heavily fortified Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsky area, which was defended by five divisions with seven hundred guns and mortars. The Wehrmacht group was commanded by General G. Lindemann.
Battle of the Shlisselburg salient
On the night of January 11-12, aviation from the Volkhov Front and the 13th Air Army of the Leningrad Front launched a massive bomb attack on predetermined targets in the planned breakthrough area. On January 12, at half past nine in the morning, artillery preparation began. The shelling of enemy positions lasted two hours and ten minutes. Half an hour before the start of the attack, attack aircraft carried out raids on fortified defensive structures and artillery batteries of the Germans. At 11.00, the 67th Army from the Neva and units of the Second Shock and Eighth Armies of the Volkhov Front began their offensive. The infantry attack was supported by artillery fire, creating a wall of fire one kilometer deep. The Wehrmacht troops resisted fiercely, and the Soviet infantry advanced slowly and unevenly.
Over two days of fighting, the distance between the attacking groups was reduced to two kilometers. Only six days later, the advancing formations of the Soviet army managed to unite in the area of workers’ villages No. 1 and No. 5. On January 18, the city of Shlisselburg (Petrokrepost) was liberated and the entire territory adjacent to the shore of Ladoga was cleared of the enemy. The width of the land corridor ranged from 8 to 10 kilometers in various sections. On the day the blockade of Leningrad was broken, the city’s reliable land connection with the “Mainland” was restored. The combined group of the 2nd and 67th armies tried unsuccessfully to build on the success of the offensive and expand the bridgehead to the south. The Germans were bringing up reserves. From January 19, within ten days, the German command transferred five divisions and a large amount of artillery to dangerous areas. The offensive in the Sinyavino area faltered. In order to hold the conquered lines, the troops went on the defensive. A positional war began. The official end date for the operation is January 30th.
Results of the offensive
As a result of the offensive of the Soviet troops, parts of the Wehrmacht army were thrown back from the shore of Ladoga, but the city itself still remained in the front-line zone. Breaking the blockade during Operation Iskra showed the maturity of the military thought of the senior command staff. The defeat of an enemy group in a thoroughly fortified area by a coordinated joint strike from outside and outside became a precedent in the Russian art of war. The armed forces have gained serious experience in conducting offensive operations in wooded areas in winter conditions. Overcoming the enemy's layered defensive system showed the need for thorough planning of artillery fire, as well as the rapid movement of units during the battle.
Losses of the parties
The loss figures indicate how bloody the battles were. The 67th and 13th armies of the Leningrad Front lost 41.2 thousand people killed and wounded, including irretrievable losses amounting to 12.4 thousand people. The Volkhov Front lost 73.9 and 21.5 thousand people, respectively. Seven enemy divisions were defeated. German losses amounted to more than 30 thousand people, irrevocable - 13 thousand people. In addition, the Soviet army received about four hundred guns and mortars, 178 machine guns, 5,000 rifles, a large amount of ammunition, and one and a half hundred vehicles as trophies. Two of the newest T-VI Tiger heavy tanks were captured.
Major victory
Operation Iskra to break the blockade achieved the desired results. Within seventeen days, a highway and a railway line thirty-three kilometers long were built along the shore of Lake Ladoga. On February 7, the first train arrived in Leningrad. A stable supply to the city and military units was restored, and the supply of electricity increased. Water supply has been restored. The situation of the civilian population, industrial enterprises, and formations of the front and the Baltic Fleet improved significantly. In subsequent years, more than eight hundred thousand civilians were evacuated from Leningrad to rear areas.
The liberation of Leningrad from the siege in January 1943 became a key moment in the defense of the city. Soviet troops in this direction finally seized the strategic initiative. The danger of a connection between German and Finnish troops was eliminated. On January 18 - the day the blockade of Leningrad was broken - the critical period of isolation of the city ended. The successful completion of the operation had great ideological significance for the people of the country. Not the largest battle of the Second World War attracted the attention of the political elite overseas. US President T. Roosevelt congratulated the Soviet leadership on the military success, and sent the city residents a letter in which he recognized the greatness of the feat, their unbending perseverance and courage.
Museum of the Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad
Along the entire line of confrontation, memorials were erected in memory of the tragic and heroic events of those years. In 1985, in the Kirov district of the region, near the village of Maryino, a diorama “Breaking the Siege of Leningrad” was opened. It was in this place that on January 12, 1943, units of the 67th Army crossed the Neva across the ice and broke through the enemy defenses. is an artistic canvas measuring 40 by 8 meters. The canvas depicts the events of the attack on German defenses. In front of the canvas, a subject plan, 4 to 8 meters deep, recreates three-dimensional images of fortified positions, communication passages, and military equipment.
The unity of the composition of the painting canvas and volumetric design creates a stunning effect of presence. On the very bank of the Neva there is a monument “Breaking the Blockade”. The monument is a T-34 tank mounted on a pedestal. The combat vehicle seems to be rushing to join the troops of the Volkhov Front. Wartime equipment is also on display in the open area in front of the museum.
The final lifting of the blockade of Leningrad. 1944
The complete lifting of the siege of the city occurred only a year later as a result of the large-scale Leningrad-Novgorod operation. The troops of the Volkhov, Baltic and Leningrad fronts defeated the main forces of the 18th Army of the Wehrmacht. January 27 became the official day for the almost 900-day blockade to be lifted. And 1943 was recorded in the historiography of the Great Patriotic War as the year of breaking the siege of Leningrad.
The siege of Leningrad is one of the most terrible and difficult pages in the history of our country.
January 27- Day of the complete liberation of Leningrad by Soviet troops from the blockade of it by Nazi troops (1944)
16 long months residents of the northern capital were waiting for liberation from the fascist encirclement.
In 1941 Hitler launched military operations on the outskirts of Leningrad in order to completely destroy the city.
In July - September 1941, 10 divisions of the people's militia were formed in the city. Despite the most difficult conditions, the industry of Leningrad did not stop its work. Assistance to the blockade survivors was carried out on the ice of Lake Ladoga. This transport route was called the “Road of Life”. On January 12-30, 1943, an operation was carried out to break the blockade of Leningrad ( "Spark").
September 8, 1941 the ring around the important strategic and political center has closed.
January 12, 1944 At dawn, artillery cannonade thundered. The first blow dealt to the enemy was extremely strong. After two hours of artillery and air preparation, the Soviet infantry moved forward. The front was broken through in two places, five and eight kilometers wide. Later, both sections of the breakthrough were connected.
January 18 The blockade of Leningrad was broken, the Germans lost tens of thousands of their soldiers. This event meant not only a major failure of Hitler's strategic plans, but also his serious political defeat.
January 27 As a result of the offensive operations of the Leningrad, 20th Baltic and Volkhov fronts, with the support of the Baltic Fleet, the main forces of the enemy group of forces "North" were defeated and the blockade of Leningrad was completely lifted. The front line moved away from the city by 220-280 kilometers.
The defeat of the Nazis near Leningrad completely undermined their positions in Finland and other Scandinavian countries.
During the blockade, about 1 million inhabitants died, including more than 600 thousand from hunger.
During the war, Hitler repeatedly demanded that the city be razed to the ground and its population completely destroyed.
However, neither shelling and bombing, nor hunger and cold broke its defenders.
Beginning of the blockade
Soon after the start of World War II Leningrad found itself in the grip of enemy fronts. The German Army Group North (commanded by Field Marshal W. Leeb) was approaching it from the southwest; The Finnish army (commander Marshal K. Mannerheim) targeted the city from the northwest. According to the Barbarossa plan, the capture of Leningrad was supposed to precede the capture of Moscow. Hitler believed that the fall of the northern capital of the USSR would bring not only a military gain - the Russians would lose the city, which is the cradle of the revolution and has a special symbolic meaning for the Soviet state. The Battle of Leningrad, the longest of the war, lasted from July 10, 1941 to August 9, 1944.
In July-August 1941 German divisions were stopped in the battles on the Luga line, but on September 8 the enemy reached Shlisselburg and Leningrad, which was home to about 3 million people before the war, was surrounded. To the number of those caught in the blockade, we must add approximately 300 thousand more refugees who arrived in the city from the Baltic states and neighboring regions at the beginning of the war. From that day on, communication with Leningrad became possible only by Lake Ladoga and by air. Almost every day Leningraders experienced the horror of artillery shelling or bombing. As a result of the fires, residential buildings were destroyed, people and food supplies were killed, incl. Badaevsky warehouses.
At the beginning of September 1941 Stalin recalled Army General G.K. from near Yelnya. Zhukov and told him: “You will have to fly to Leningrad and take command of the front and the Baltic Fleet from Voroshilov.” Zhukov's arrival and the measures he took strengthened the city's defenses, but it was not possible to break the blockade.
The Nazis' plans for Leningrad
Blockade, organized by the Nazis, was aimed specifically at the extinction and destruction of Leningrad. On September 22, 1941, a special directive noted: “The Fuhrer decided to wipe out the city of Leningrad from the face of the earth. It is planned to surround the city with a tight ring and, through shelling from artillery of all calibers and continuous bombing from the air, raze it to the ground... In this war, waged for the right to exist, we are not interested in preserving at least part of the population.” On October 7, Hitler gave another order - not to accept refugees from Leningrad and to push them back into enemy territory. Therefore, any speculation - including those spread today in the media - that the city could have been saved if it had been surrendered to the mercy of the Germans should be classified either as ignorance or a deliberate distortion of historical truth.
Food situation in the besieged city
Before the war, the metropolis of Leningrad was supplied, as they say, “on wheels”; the city did not have large food reserves. Therefore, the blockade threatened a terrible tragedy - famine. On September 2, we had to strengthen the food saving regime. From November 20, 1941, the lowest norms for the distribution of bread on cards were established: workers and engineers - 250 g, employees, dependents and children - 125 g. First-line soldiers and sailors - 500 g. Massive death of the population began.
In December, 53 thousand people died, in January 1942 - about 100 thousand, in February - more than 100 thousand. The preserved pages of the diary of little Tanya Savicheva do not leave anyone indifferent: “Grandmother died on January 25. ... “Uncle Alyosha on May 10... Mom on May 13 at 7.30 in the morning... Everyone died. Tanya is the only one left." Today, in the works of historians, the numbers of dead Leningraders vary from 800 thousand to 1.5 million people. Recently, data on 1.2 million people has increasingly appeared. Grief came to every family. During the battle for Leningrad, more people died than England and the United States lost during the entire war.
"Road of Life"
The salvation for the besieged was the “Road of Life” - a route laid on the ice of Lake Ladoga, along which, from November 21, food and ammunition were delivered to the city and the civilian population was evacuated on the way back. During the period of operation of the “Road of Life” - until March 1943 - 1,615 thousand tons of various cargo were delivered to the city by ice (and in the summer on various ships). At the same time, more than 1.3 million Leningraders and wounded soldiers were evacuated from the city on the Neva. To transport petroleum products along the bottom of Lake Ladoga, a pipeline was laid.
Feat of Leningrad
However, the city did not give up. Its residents and leadership then did everything possible to live and continue to fight. Despite the fact that the city was under severe blockade conditions, its industry continued to supply the troops of the Leningrad Front with the necessary weapons and equipment. Exhausted by hunger and seriously ill, workers carried out urgent tasks, repairing ships, tanks and artillery. Employees of the All-Union Institute of Plant Growing preserved the most valuable collection of grain crops.
Winter 1941 28 employees of the institute died of starvation, but not a single box of grain was touched.
Leningrad dealt significant blows to the enemy and did not allow the Germans and Finns to act with impunity. In April 1942, Soviet anti-aircraft gunners and aircraft thwarted the German command's operation "Aisstoss" - an attempt to destroy from the air the ships of the Baltic Fleet stationed on the Neva. Counteraction to enemy artillery was constantly improved. The Leningrad Military Council organized a counter-battery fight, which resulted in a significant reduction in the intensity of shelling of the city. In 1943, the number of artillery shells that fell on Leningrad decreased by approximately 7 times.
Unparalleled self-sacrifice ordinary Leningraders helped them not only defend their beloved city. It showed the whole world where the limits of Nazi Germany and its allies were.
Actions by the leadership of the city on the Neva
Although Leningrad (as in other regions of the USSR during the war) had its own scoundrels among the authorities, the party and military leadership of Leningrad basically remained at the height of the situation. It behaved adequately to the tragic situation and did not at all “get fat,” as some modern researchers claim.
In November 1941 The secretary of the city party committee, Zhdanov, established a strictly fixed, reduced food consumption rate for himself and all members of the military council of the Leningrad Front. Moreover, the leadership of the city on the Neva did everything to prevent the consequences of a severe famine. By decision of the Leningrad authorities, additional food was organized for exhausted people in special hospitals and canteens. In Leningrad, 85 orphanages were organized, accepting tens of thousands of children left without parents.
In January 1942 A medical hospital for scientists and creative workers began operating at the Astoria Hotel. Since March 1942, the Leningrad City Council allowed residents to plant personal vegetable gardens in their yards and parks. The land for dill, parsley, and vegetables was plowed even near St. Isaac's Cathedral.
Attempts to break the blockade
Despite all the mistakes, miscalculations, and voluntaristic decisions, the Soviet command took maximum measures to break the siege of Leningrad as quickly as possible. Were undertaken four attempts to break the enemy ring.
First– in September 1941; second– in October 1941; third- at the beginning of 1942, during a general counter-offensive, which only partially achieved its goals; fourth– in August–September 1942
The siege of Leningrad was not broken then, but Soviet sacrifices in offensive operations of this period were not in vain. Summer-autumn 1942 the enemy failed to transfer any large reserves from Leningrad to the southern flank of the Eastern Front. Moreover, Hitler sent the command and troops of Manstein’s 11th Army to take the city, which otherwise could have been used in the Caucasus and near Stalingrad.
Sinyavinsk operation 1942 The Leningrad and Volkhov fronts were ahead of the German attack. Manstein's divisions intended for the offensive were forced to immediately engage in defensive battles against the attacking Soviet units.
"Nevsky Piglet"
The heaviest battles in 1941-1942. took place on the “Nevsky Piglet” - a narrow strip of land on the left bank of the Neva, 2-4 km wide along the front and only 500-800 meters deep. This bridgehead, which the Soviet command intended to use to break the blockade, was held by Red Army units for about 400 days.
A tiny piece of land was at one time almost the only hope for saving the city and became one of the symbols of the heroism of the Soviet soldiers who defended Leningrad. The battles for the Nevsky Piglet claimed, according to some sources, the lives of 50,000 Soviet soldiers.
Operation Spark
And only in January 1943, when the main forces of the Wehrmacht were pulled towards Stalingrad, the blockade was partially broken. The course of the unblocking operation of the Soviet fronts (Operation Iskra) was led by G. Zhukov. On a narrow strip of the southern shore of Lake Ladoga, 8-11 km wide, it was possible to restore land communications with the country.
Over the next 17 days, railroads and roads were built along this corridor.
January 1943 became a turning point in the Battle of Leningrad.
The final lifting of the siege of Leningrad
The situation in Leningrad has improved significantly, but the immediate threat to the city continued to remain. In order to finally eliminate the blockade, it was necessary to push the enemy back beyond the Leningrad region. The idea of such an operation was developed by the Supreme Command Headquarters at the end of 1943. Forces of the Leningrad (General L. Govorov), Volkhov (General K. Meretskov) and 2nd Baltic (General M. Popov) fronts in cooperation with the Baltic Fleet, Ladoga and Onega flotillas The Leningrad-Novgorod operation was carried out.
Soviet troops went on the offensive on January 14, 1944. and already on January 20 Novgorod was liberated. On January 21, the enemy began to withdraw from the Mga-Tosno area, from the section of the Leningrad-Moscow railway that he had cut.
January 27 To commemorate the final lifting of the siege of Leningrad, which lasted 872 days, fireworks thundered. Army Group North suffered a heavy defeat. As a result of the Leningrad-Novgorod war, Soviet troops reached the borders of Latvia and Estonia.
The importance of the defense of Leningrad
Defense of Leningrad had enormous military-strategic, political and moral significance. Hitler's command lost the opportunity to most effectively maneuver strategic reserves and transfer troops to other directions. If the city on the Neva had fallen in 1941, then German troops would have united with the Finns, and most of the troops of the German Army Group North could have been deployed south and struck the central regions of the USSR. In this case, Moscow could not have resisted, and the whole war could have gone according to a completely different scenario. In the deadly meat grinder of the Sinyavinsk operation in 1942, Leningraders saved not only themselves with their feat and indestructible fortitude. Having pinned down the German forces, they provided invaluable assistance to Stalingrad and the entire country!
The feat of the defenders of Leningrad, who defended their city under the most difficult trials, inspired the entire army and country, and earned deep respect and gratitude from the states of the anti-Hitler coalition.
In 1942, the Soviet government established the “Russia”, which was awarded to about 1.5 million defenders of the city. This medal remains in the memory of the people today as one of the most honorable awards of the Great Patriotic War.
Hello to all lovers of facts and events. Today we will briefly tell you interesting facts about the siege of Leningrad for children and adults. The defense of besieged Leningrad is one of the most tragic pages of our history and one of the most difficult events. The unprecedented feat of the residents and defenders of this city will forever remain in the memory of the people. Let us briefly talk about some unusual facts related to those events.
The harshest winter
The most difficult time during the entire siege was the first winter. She seemed very stern. The temperature dropped repeatedly down to -32 °C. The frosts were prolonged, the air remained cold for many days. Also, due to a natural anomaly, the city never experienced the usual thaw during almost the entire first winter. The snow continued to lie for a long time, making life difficult for the townspeople. Even by April 1942, the average thickness of its cover reached 50 cm. The air temperature remained below zero almost until May.\
The siege of Leningrad lasted 872 days
No one still can believe that our people held out for so long, and this is taking into account the fact that no one was ready for this, since at the beginning of the blockade there was not enough food and fuel to hold out normally. Many did not survive the hunger and cold, but Leningrad did not succumb. And after 872 it was completely liberated from the Nazis. During this time, 630 thousand Leningraders died.
Metronome – the heartbeat of the city
To promptly notify all city residents about shelling and bombing on the streets of Leningrad, the authorities installed 1,500 loudspeakers. The sound of the metronome has become a real symbol of the living city. A quick report of the rhythm meant the approach of enemy aircraft and the imminent start of the bombing.
A slow rhythm signaled the end of the alarm. The radio worked 24 hours a day. By order of the leadership of the besieged city, residents were forbidden to turn off the radio. It was the main source of information. When the announcers stopped broadcasting the program, the metronome continued its countdown. This knock was called the heartbeat of the city.
One and a half million evacuated residents
During the entire blockade, almost 1.5 million people were evacuated to the rear. This is about half the population of Leningrad. Three major waves of evacuation were carried out. Approximately 400 thousand children were taken to the rear during the first stage of evacuation before the siege began, but many were then forced to return back, since the Nazis occupied these places in the Leningrad region where they took refuge. After the blockade ring was closed, the evacuation continued across Lake Ladoga.
Who besieged the city
In addition to the direct German units and troops that carried out the main actions against the Soviet troops, other military formations from other countries also fought on the side of the Nazis. On the northern side, the city was blocked by Finnish troops. Italian formations were also present at the front.
They served torpedo boats operating against our troops on Lake Ladoga. However, the Italian sailors were not particularly effective. In addition, the Blue Division, formed from Spanish Phalangists, also fought in this direction. Spain was not officially at war with the Soviet Union, and there were only volunteer units on its side at the front.
Cats who saved the city from rodents
Almost all domestic animals were eaten by residents of besieged Leningrad already in the first winter of the siege. Due to the lack of cats, rats have proliferated terribly. Food supplies were under threat. Then it was decided to get cats from other regions of the country. In 1943, four carriages arrived from Yaroslavl. They were filled with smoky-colored cats - they are considered the best rat catchers. The cats were distributed to residents and after a short time the rats were defeated.
125 grams of bread
This was the minimum ration that children, employees and dependents received during the most difficult period of the siege. The workers received 250 grams of bread; 300 grams were given to members of fire brigades who extinguished fires and fire bombs, and to school students. 500 grams were received by fighters on the front line of defense.
Siege bread consisted largely of cake, malt, bran, rye and oatmeal. It was very dark, almost black, and very bitter. Its nutritional properties were not enough for any adult. People could not last long on such a diet and died en masse from exhaustion.
Losses during the siege
There is no exact data on the dead, however, it is believed that at least 630 thousand people died. Some estimates put the death toll as high as 1.5 million. The greatest losses occurred in the first winter of the siege. During this period of time alone, more than a quarter of a million people died from hunger, disease and other causes. According to statistics, women turned out to be more resilient than men. The share of the male population in the total number of deaths is 67%, and women 37%.
Pipeline underwater
It is known that to ensure the city's fuel supply, a steel pipeline was laid along the bottom of the lake. In the most difficult conditions, with constant shelling and bombing, in just a month and a half, more than 20 km of pipes were installed at a depth of 13 meters, through which oil products were then pumped to supply fuel to the city and the troops defending it.
"Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony"
The famous “Leningrad” symphony was first performed, contrary to popular belief, not in the besieged city, but in Kuibyshev, where Shostakovich lived in evacuation in March 1942... In Leningrad itself, residents were able to hear it in August. The Philharmonic was filled with people. At the same time, the music was broadcast over the radio and loudspeakers so that everyone could hear it. The symphony could be heard by both our troops and the fascists besieging the city.
The problem with tobacco
In addition to problems with food shortages, there was an acute shortage of tobacco and shag. During production, a variety of fillers began to be added to tobacco for volume - hops, tobacco dust. But even this could not completely solve the problem. It was decided to use maple leaves for these purposes - they were best suited for this. Schoolchildren collected fallen leaves and collected more than 80 tons of them. This helped make the necessary supplies of ersatz tobacco.
The zoo survived the siege of Leningrad
It was a difficult time. Leningraders were literally dying of hunger and cold; there was no help to come from. People could not even really take care of themselves, and naturally, they had no time for the animals who were at that time awaiting their fate in the Leningrad Zoo.
But even in this difficult time, there were people who were able to save the unfortunate animals and prevent them from dying. Shells were exploding on the street every now and then, the water supply and electricity were turned off, and there was nothing to feed or water the animals. Zoo employees urgently began transporting the animals. Some of them were transported to Kazan, and some to the territory of Belarus.
Naturally, not all the animals were saved, and some of the predators had to be shot with their own hands, since if they had somehow gotten free from the cages, they would have become a threat to the residents. But nevertheless, this feat will never be forgotten.
Be sure to watch this documentary video. After watching it, you will not remain indifferent.
Shame on the song
Quite a popular video blogger Milena Chizhova was recording a song about Susi-Pusi and her teenage relationships and for some reason inserted the line “Between us there is the blockade of Leningrad.” This act outraged Internet users so much that they immediately began to dislike the blogger.
After she realized what a stupid thing she had done, she immediately deleted the video from everywhere. But nevertheless, the original version is still floating around the Internet, and you can listen to an excerpt of it.
For today, these are all the interesting facts about the siege of Leningrad for children and more. We tried to talk about them briefly, but it is not so easy. Of course, there are many more of them, because this period left an important historical mark on our country. The heroic deed will never be forgotten.
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