They lived in Leningrad throughout the blockade. Blockade in numbers. Terrible statistics from besieged Leningrad

Leningrad blockade- one of the most tragic and important episodes of the Great Patriotic War. The blockade began on September 8, 1941, its breakthrough was carried out on January 18, 1943, and the date of complete lifting of the blockade was January 27, 1944. The exit of German troops to Leningrad

The capture of Leningrad was an important part of the Barbarossa plan developed by the Nazi command. Hitler believed that such a seizure would bring both military and political benefits. Firstly, Germany would gain control of the Baltic coast, as well as the opportunity to destroy the Baltic Fleet and the troops defending the city. Secondly, Hitler believed that the capture of Leningrad would demoralize the Soviet command and population.

From the very beginning of the blockade, the Nazi command assumed the complete destruction of the city, not seeing any benefit for themselves in the existence of Leningrad and its inhabitants. The Soviet command did not consider the option of surrendering the city.

Even before the blockade began, attempts were made to evacuate the urban population. Initially, children were evacuated (many of them were sent to the Leningrad region and were returned as the fighting progressed). Subsequently, people were taken out of the city along an icy road across Lake Ladoga and with the help of aviation.

Marshal Zhukov played a decisive role in the defense of Leningrad. It was he who, as commander of the Leningrad front, managed to stop the German offensive on the Pulkovo Heights and prevent the enemy from entering the city.

Food problem

After this, the tactics of fighting by German troops changed. Their main goal was to destroy the city, and it was subjected to new attacks. In an effort to cause fires in Leningrad, the Germans subjected it to massive bombing. Thus, they managed to destroy large Badayevsky warehouses, where significant food supplies were stored. This made the prospect of famine a real possibility.

On September 8, 1941, land communications between Leningrad and the rest of the country were completely interrupted. The free sale of food was prohibited, and food distribution standards were reduced. The real famine in the city began by November. The most difficult period of the Leningrad blockade was the winter of 1941-1942.

During this period, the lowest standards for bread distribution were introduced (250 g for workers, 125 g for employees, dependents and children under 12 years of age). Added to the problem of hunger was the cold, the heating was turned off, and all transport in the city stopped. The winter turned out to be cold, and there were almost no thaws. Wood-burning stoves became the main means of heating; people went to ice holes on the Neva to get water. Gradually, deaths from starvation became widespread. The sudden death of passers-by on the streets has become common. Special funeral services picked up about a hundred corpses from the streets every day. Dystrophy became the main Leningrad disease. People fell from weakness and exhaustion. The besieged streets have their own sign: once someone falls, he never gets up again. Movement on the streets became extremely difficult, since transport did not work, and all the streets were covered with snow. The death toll has risen to thousands per day. The corpses lay for a long time on the streets and in apartments - there was almost no one to clean them up. The situation was aggravated by constant shelling and air raids.

In besieged Leningrad

During 1942, attempts were made numerous times to break the blockade, but none of them were successful. The only means of communication between Leningrad and the mainland was the ice road along Lake Ladoga - the “Road of Life”.

The situation in the city improved in the spring and summer of 1942 as the cold weather subsided. The number of street deaths decreased; vegetable gardens were installed in public gardens, boulevards and squares. The standards for bread distribution gradually increased. The first tram was launched, and effective measures were taken to prevent epidemics in the city.

As the food situation in the city improved, artillery shelling intensified and the number of bombings increased. The Leningrad radio network carried information about the raids to the population throughout the blockade. The famous Leningrad metronome was broadcast through it. Its fast rhythm meant an air raid warning, its slow rhythm meant a clear out. Subsequently, the metronome became a monument to the resistance of Leningraders.

In besieged, starving Leningrad, cultural life continued. With the exception of a few of the most difficult months, schools continued to operate and theater life continued. Dmitry Shostakovich's symphony, dedicated to Leningrad, was first played in the city during the siege and was broadcast by Leningrad radio. The radio itself was of great importance in supporting the spirit of Leningraders.

People at this time fought not only for survival, but also for the preservation of other values. Museum collections, architectural monuments, collections of major libraries, and the precious collection of seeds from the Institute of Plant Growing were saved by Leningraders during the siege.

Breaking the blockade

In January 1943, the operation of the Soviet troops "Iskra" was crowned with success. During it, on January 18, 1943, the blockade ring was broken and constant communication between Leningrad and the mainland was established. The final lifting of the blockade was carried out on January 27, 1944.

The Soviet fleet played a significant role during the blockade. He participated in the suppression of enemy artillery, the defense of the “Road of Life”, his personnel brigades were involved in ground battles.

According to the Nuremberg trials, 632 thousand people died during the siege, most of them died of starvation. Most of the dead Leningraders were buried at the Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery, where a monument to the siege was erected. Another siege memorial is the Moscow Victory Park: during the war there was a brick factory, in the ovens of which the bodies of the dead were cremated.

In 1965, Leningrad was one of the first to be awarded the title of hero city for the courage and heroism of its defenders.

Special siege awards were established - the medal “For the Defense of Leningrad” and the badge “To a Resident of Siege Leningrad”.

Text prepared by Maria Shustrova

Literature:
Granin D., Adamovich A. Blockade book. St. Petersburg, 1994.
Matyushina O.K. Song about life. M., 1978.
Hass G. German occupation policy in the Leningrad region (1941-1944) No. 6, 2003

Before the blockade began, Hitler had been massing troops around the city for a month. The Soviet Union, in turn, also took action: ships of the Baltic Fleet were stationed near the city. 153 main caliber guns were supposed to protect Leningrad from the German invasion. The sky above the city was guarded by an anti-aircraft corps.

However, the German units went through the swamps, and by the fifteenth of August they formed the Luga River, finding themselves in the operational space directly in front of the city.

Evacuation - first wave

Some people were evacuated from Leningrad even before the blockade began. By the end of June, a special evacuation commission was launched in the city. Many refused to leave, inspired by optimistic statements in the press about the speedy victory of the USSR. The commission staff had to convince people of the need to leave their homes, practically agitating them to leave in order to survive and return later.

On June 26, we were evacuated across Ladoga in the hold of a ship. Three ships carrying small children sank when they were hit by mines. But we were lucky. (Gridyushko (Sakharova) Edil Nikolaevna).

There was no plan on how to evacuate the city, since the likelihood that it could be captured was considered almost impossible. From June 29, 1941 to August 27, about 480 thousand people were deported, approximately forty percent of them were children. About 170 thousand of them were taken to points in the Leningrad region, from where they again had to be returned to Leningrad.

They were evacuated along the Kirov Railway. But this route was blocked when German troops captured it at the end of August. The exit from the city along the White Sea-Baltic Canal near Lake Onega was also cut off. On September 4, the first German artillery shells fell on Leningrad. The shelling was carried out from the city of Tosno.

First days

It all started on September 8, when the fascist army captured Shlisselburg, closing the ring around Leningrad. The distance from the location of the German units to the city center did not exceed 15 km. Motorcyclists in German uniforms appeared in the suburbs.

It didn't seem like it for long then. It’s unlikely that anyone expected that the blockade would drag on for almost nine hundred days. Hitler, the commander of the German troops, for his part, hoped that the resistance of the hungry city, cut off from the rest of the country, would be broken very quickly. And when this did not happen even after several weeks, I was disappointed.

Transport in the city did not work. There was no lighting on the streets, no water, electricity or steam heating was supplied to the houses, and the sewage system did not work. (Bukuev Vladimir Ivanovich).

The Soviet command also did not foresee such a development of events. In the first days of the blockade, the leadership of the units that defended Leningrad did not report that Hitler’s troops were closing the ring: there was hope that it would be quickly broken. This did not happen.

The confrontation, which lasted more than two and a half years, claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. The blockade runners and the troops who did not allow German troops into the city understood what all this was for. After all, Leningrad opened the road to Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, where the ships of the USSR allies were unloaded. It was also clear to everyone that, by surrendering, Leningrad would have signed its own death sentence - this beautiful city simply would not exist.

The defense of Leningrad made it possible to block the path for the invaders to the Northern Sea Route and to divert significant enemy forces from other fronts. Ultimately, the blockade made a serious contribution to the victory of the Soviet army in this war.

As soon as the news that German troops had closed the ring spread throughout the city, its residents began to prepare. All the products were bought up in the stores, and all the money in the savings banks was withdrawn from the savings books.

Not everyone was able to leave early. When the German artillery began to conduct constant shelling, which happened already in the first days of the blockade, it became almost impossible to leave the city.

On September 8, 1941, the Germans bombed large Badayev food warehouses, and the three million population of the city was doomed to starvation. (Bukuev Vladimir Ivanovich).

These days, one of the shells set fire to the Badayevsky warehouses, where the strategic food supply was stored. This is what is called the cause of the famine that the remaining residents had to endure. But the documents, whose secrecy status was recently lifted, say that there were no large reserves.

It was problematic to preserve enough food for a city of three million during the war. No one in Leningrad prepared for such a turn of events, so food was brought into the city from outside. No one set the task of creating a “safety cushion”.

This became clear by September 12, when the audit of the food that was in the city was completed: the food, depending on its type, was only enough for a month or two. How to deliver food was decided at the very top. By December 25, 1941, bread distribution standards were increased.

The entry of food cards was done immediately - within the first days. The food standards were calculated based on the minimum that would not allow a person to simply die. Stores no longer simply sold groceries, although the black market flourished. Huge queues formed for food rations. People were afraid that they would not have enough bread.

Not prepared

The issue of providing food became the most pressing during the blockade. One of the reasons for such a terrible famine, experts in military history call the delay in the decision to import food, which was made too late.

one tile of wood glue cost ten rubles, then a tolerable monthly salary was around 200 rubles. They made jelly from glue; there was pepper and bay leaves in the house, and all this was added to the glue. (Brilliantova Olga Nikolaevna).

This happened due to the habit of hushing up and distorting facts so as not to “sow decadent sentiments” among residents and the military. If all the details about Germany's rapid advance had been known to the high command earlier, perhaps our casualties would have been much smaller.

Already in the first days of the blockade, military censorship was clearly operating in the city. Complaining about difficulties in letters to family and friends was not allowed - such messages simply did not reach the recipients. But some of these letters have survived. Like the diaries that some Leningraders kept, where they wrote down everything that happened in the city during the siege months. It was they who became the source of information about what happened in the city before the blockade began, as well as in the first days after Hitler’s troops surrounded the city.

Could the famine have been avoided?

The question of whether it was possible to prevent a horrific famine during the siege in Leningrad is still asked by historians and the survivors of the siege themselves.

There is a version that the country's leadership could not even imagine such a long siege. By the beginning of the autumn of 1941, everything in the city with food was the same as everywhere else in the country: cards were introduced, but the norms were quite large, for some people it was even too much.

The food industry operated in the city, and its products were exported to other regions, including flour and grain. But there were no significant food supplies in Leningrad itself. In the memoirs of the future academician Dmitry Likhachev, one can find lines that no reserves were made. For some reason, the Soviet authorities did not follow the example of London, where they actively stocked up on food. In fact, the USSR was preparing in advance for the fact that the city would be surrendered to fascist troops. The export of food stopped only at the end of August, after German units blocked the railway connection.

Not far away, on the Obvodny Canal, there was a flea market, and my mother sent me there to exchange a pack of Belomor for bread. I remember how a woman went there and asked for a loaf of bread for a diamond necklace. (Aizin Margarita Vladimirovna).

Residents of the city began to stock up on food themselves in August, anticipating hunger. There were queues outside the shops. But few managed to stock up: those pitiful crumbs that they managed to acquire and hide were very quickly eaten later, during the blockade autumn and winter.

How they lived in besieged Leningrad

As soon as the standards for issuing bread were reduced, the queues at bakeries turned into huge “tails”. People stood for hours. At the beginning of September, German artillery bombing began.

Schools continued to operate, but fewer and fewer children came. We studied by candlelight. Constant bombing made it difficult to study. Gradually, schooling stopped altogether.

During the blockade, I went to kindergarten on Kamenny Island. My mother worked there too. ...One day one of the guys told a friend his cherished dream - a barrel of soup. Mom heard and took him to the kitchen, asking the cook to come up with something. The cook burst into tears and told her mother: “Don’t bring anyone else here... there’s no food left at all. There is only water in the pan." Many children in our garden died of hunger - out of 35 of us, only 11 remained. (Alexandrova Margarita Borisovna).

On the streets you could see people who could barely move their feet: they simply didn’t have the strength, everyone walked slowly. According to the recollections of those who survived the siege, these two and a half years merged into one endless dark night, the only thought in which was to eat!

Autumn days of 1941

The autumn of 1941 was only the beginning of trials for Leningrad. Since September 8, the city was bombed by fascist artillery. On this day, the Badayevsky food warehouses caught fire from an incendiary shell. The fire was huge, the glow from it could be seen from different parts of the city. There were 137 warehouses in total, twenty-seven of them burned out. This is approximately five tons of sugar, three hundred and sixty tons of bran, eighteen and a half tons of rye, forty-five and a half tons of peas were burned there, and 286 tons of vegetable oil were lost, and the fire also destroyed ten and a half tons of butter and two tons of flour . This, experts say, would be enough for the city for only two or three days. That is, this fire was not the cause of the subsequent famine.

By September 8, it became clear that there was little food in the city: in a few days there would be no food. The Military Council of the Front was entrusted with managing the available reserves. Card regulations were introduced.

One day, our flatmate offered my mother meat cutlets, but my mother sent her away and slammed the door. I was in indescribable horror - how could I refuse cutlets with such hunger. But my mother explained to me that they were made from human meat, because there was nowhere else to get minced meat in such a hungry time. (Boldyreva Alexandra Vasilievna).

After the first bombing, ruins and shell craters appeared in the city, the windows of many houses were broken, and chaos reigned on the streets. Slingshots were placed around the affected areas to prevent people from going there, because an unexploded shell could get stuck in the ground. Signs were hung in places where there was a likelihood of being hit by shelling.

In the fall, rescuers were still working, the city was being cleared of rubble, and even houses that had been destroyed were being restored. But later no one was interested in this anymore.

By the end of autumn, new posters appeared - with advice on preparing for winter. The streets became deserted, only occasionally people passed by, gathering at the boards where advertisements and newspapers were posted. Street radio horns also became places of attraction.

Trams went to the final station in Srednyaya Rogatka. After September 8, tram traffic decreased. The bombings were to blame. But later the trams stopped running.

Details of life in besieged Leningrad became known only decades later. Ideological reasons did not allow us to speak openly about what was really happening in this city.

Leningrader's ration

Bread became the main value. They stood for rations for several hours.

They baked bread from more than one flour. There was too little of it. Food industry specialists were tasked with coming up with what could be added to the dough so that the energy value of the food was preserved. Cotton cake was added, which was found in the Leningrad port. The flour was also mixed with flour dust that had grown over the walls of the mills, and dust shaken out of the bags where the flour used to be. Barley and rye bran were also used for baking. They also used sprouted grain found on barges that were sunk in Lake Ladoga.

The yeast that was in the city became the basis for yeast soups: they were also included in the ration. The flesh of the skins of young calves became the raw material for jelly, with a very unpleasant aroma.

I remember one man who walked around the dining room and licked everyone’s plates. I looked at him and thought that he would die soon. I don’t know, maybe he lost the cards, maybe he just didn’t have enough, but he’s already gotten to this point. (Batenina (Larina) Oktyabrina Konstantinovna).

On September 2, 1941, workers in hot shops received 800 grams of so-called bread, engineering specialists and other workers - 600. Employees, dependents and children - 300-400 grams.

From October 1, rations were halved. Those who worked in factories were given 400 grams of “bread.” Children, employees and dependents received 200 each. Not everyone had cards: those who failed to get them for some reason simply died.

On November 13, food became even scarcer. Workers received 300 grams of bread per day, others only 150. A week later, the norms dropped again: 250 and 125.

At this time, confirmation came that food could be transported by car on the ice of Lake Ladoga. But the thaw disrupted the plans. From the end of November to mid-December, food did not arrive in the city until strong ice was established on Ladoga. From December twenty-fifth, standards began to rise. Those who worked began to receive 250 grams, the rest - 200. Then the ration increased, but hundreds of thousands of Leningraders had already died. This famine is now considered one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the twentieth century.

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The great feat of the Soviet people during the Second World War should not be forgotten by posterity. Millions of soldiers and civilians brought the long-awaited victory closer at the cost of their lives; men, women and even children became a single weapon that was directed against fascism. Centers of partisan resistance, plants and factories, and collective farms operated in enemy-occupied territories; the Germans failed to break the spirit of the defenders of the Motherland. A striking example of perseverance in the history of the Great Patriotic War was the hero city of Leningrad.

Hitler's plan

Leningrad, according to Hitler, was a city-symbol of the power of the Soviets, the “cradle of the revolution,” which is why it was subject to complete destruction along with the civilian population. In 1941, the city was an important strategic point; many engineering and electrical plants were located on its territory. Due to the development of industry and science, Leningrad was a place of concentration of highly qualified engineering and technical personnel. A large number of educational institutions trained specialists to work in various sectors of the national economy. On the other hand, the city was geographically isolated and located at a great distance from sources of raw materials and energy. The geographic location of Leningrad also helped Hitler: its proximity to the country’s borders made it possible to quickly encircle and blockade. The territory of Finland served as a springboard for the basing of fascist aviation during the preparatory stage of the invasion. In June 1941, the Finns entered World War II on the side of Hitler. The Germans had to neutralize and destroy the then huge military and merchant fleet based in Germany, and use the advantageous sea routes for their own military needs.

Environment

The defense of Leningrad began long before the encirclement of the city. The Germans advanced rapidly; on the day, tank and motorized formations passed 30 km deep into the territory of the USSR in a northern direction. The creation of defensive lines was carried out in the Pskov and Luga directions. Soviet troops retreated with heavy losses, losing a large amount of equipment and leaving cities and fortified areas to the enemy. Pskov was captured on July 9, the Nazis moved to the Leningrad region along the shortest route. Their advance was delayed for several weeks by the Luga fortified areas. They were built by experienced engineers and allowed Soviet troops to hold back the enemy's onslaught for some time. This delay greatly angered Hitler and made it possible to partially prepare Leningrad for the Nazi attack. In parallel with the Germans, on June 29, 1941, the Finnish army crossed the border of the USSR, the Karelian Isthmus was occupied for a long time. The Finns refused to participate in the attack on the city, but blocked a large number of transport routes connecting the city with the “mainland”. The complete liberation of Leningrad from the blockade in this direction occurred only in 1944, in the summer. After Hitler’s personal visit to Army Group North and the regrouping of troops, the Nazis broke the resistance of the Luga fortified area and launched a massive offensive. Novgorod and Chudovo were captured in August 1941. The dates of the siege of Leningrad, which are ingrained in the memory of many Soviet people, begin in September 1941. The capture of Petrofortress by the Nazis finally cuts off the city from land routes of communication with the country; this happened on September 8. The ring has closed, but the defense of Leningrad continues.

Blockade

The attempt to quickly capture Leningrad failed completely. Hitler cannot pull forces away from the encircled city and transfer them to the central direction - to Moscow. Quite quickly, the Nazis found themselves in the suburbs, but, having encountered powerful resistance, they were forced to strengthen themselves and prepare for protracted battles. On September 13, G.K. Zhukov arrived in Leningrad. His main task was the defense of the city; Stalin at that time recognized the situation as almost hopeless and was ready to “surrender” it to the Germans. But with such an outcome, the second capital of the state would have been completely destroyed along with the entire population, which at that time amounted to 3.1 million people. According to eyewitnesses, Zhukov was terrifying in those September days; only his authority and iron will stopped the panic among the soldiers defending the city. The Germans were stopped, but kept Leningrad in a tight ring, which made it impossible to supply the metropolis. Hitler decided not to risk his soldiers; he understood that urban battles would destroy most of the northern army group. He ordered the mass extermination of the inhabitants of Leningrad to begin. Regular artillery shelling and aerial bombing gradually destroyed urban infrastructure, food warehouses, and energy sources. German fortified areas were erected around the city, which excluded the possibility of evacuating civilians and supplying them with everything they needed. Hitler was not interested in the possibility of surrendering Leningrad; his main goal was the destruction of this settlement. At the time of the formation of the blockade ring, there were many refugees in the city from the Leningrad region and surrounding areas; only a small percentage of the population managed to evacuate. A large number of people gathered at the stations, trying to leave the besieged northern capital. Famine began among the population, which Hitler called his main ally during the capture of Leningrad.

Winter 1941-42

January 18, 1943 - breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad. How far this day was from the autumn of 1941! Massive shelling and food shortages led to massive deaths. Already in November, the limits for issuing food on cards for the population and military personnel were cut. The delivery of everything necessary was carried out by air and through which the Nazis shot through it. People began to faint from hunger, the first deaths from exhaustion and cases of cannibalism, which were punishable by execution, were recorded.

With the advent of cold weather, the situation became significantly more complicated; the first, most severe, winter was approaching. The siege of Leningrad, the “road of life” are concepts inseparable from each other. All engineering communications in the city were disrupted, there was no water, no heating, no sewage system, food supplies were running out, and city transport did not function. Thanks to qualified doctors who remained in the city, mass epidemics were avoided. Many people died on the street on the way home or to work; most Leningraders did not have enough strength to carry their deceased relatives on sleds to the cemetery, so the corpses lay on the streets. The created sanitary teams could not cope with so many deaths; not everyone was able to be buried.

The winter of 1941-42 was significantly colder than average meteorological indicators, but there was Ladoga - the road of life. Cars and convoys drove across the lake under constant fire from the invaders. They carried food and necessary things to the city, and in the opposite direction - people exhausted by hunger. The children of besieged Leningrad, who were evacuated across the ice to different parts of the country, still remember all the horrors of the freezing city to this day.

According to the food card, dependents (children and the elderly) who could not work were allocated 125 grams of bread. Its composition varied depending on what the bakers had available: shakes from bags of corn grits, flaxseed and cotton meal, bran, wallpaper dust, etc. From 10 to 50% of the ingredients included in the flour were inedible , cold and hunger became synonymous with the concept of “siege of Leningrad”.

The road of life that passed through Ladoga saved many people. As soon as the ice cover gained strength, trucks started driving across it. In January 1942, city authorities had the opportunity to open canteens in enterprises and factories, the menu of which was compiled specifically for exhausted people. In hospitals and established orphanages, they provide enhanced nutrition, which helps to survive the terrible winter. Ladoga is the road of life, and this name that the Leningraders gave to the crossing is completely true. Food and essential goods were collected for the siege survivors, as well as for the front, by the entire country.

Feat of the residents

In a dense ring of enemies, fighting cold, hunger and constant bombing, Leningraders not only lived, but also worked for victory. Factories in the city produced military products. The cultural life of the city did not freeze in the most difficult moments; unique works of art were created. Poems about the siege of Leningrad cannot be read without tears; they were written by participants in those terrible events and reflect not only the pain and suffering of people, but also their desire for life, hatred of the enemy and fortitude. Shostakovich's symphony is imbued with the feelings and emotions of Leningraders. Libraries and some museums were partially open in the city; at the zoo, exhausted people continued to care for the unevacuated animals.

Without heat, water or electricity, workers stood at their machines, investing the last of their vitality into victory. Most of the men went to the front or defended the city, so women and teenagers worked in the factories. The city's transport system was destroyed during massive shelling, so people walked several kilometers to work, in a state of extreme exhaustion and with no roads cleared of snow.

Not all of them saw the complete liberation of Leningrad from the siege, but their daily feat brought this moment closer. Water was taken from the Neva and burst pipelines, houses were heated with potbelly stoves, burning the remains of furniture in them, leather belts and wallpaper glued with paste were chewed, but they lived and resisted the enemy. wrote poems about the siege of Leningrad, lines from which became famous and were carved on monuments dedicated to those terrible events. Her phrase “no one is forgotten and nothing is forgotten” today is of great importance for all caring people.

Children

The most terrible aspect of any war is its indiscriminate choice of victims. Hundreds of thousands of children died in the occupied city, many died in evacuation, but those who remained participated in the approach of victory along with adults. They stood at the machines, collecting shells and cartridges for the front line, stood guard at night on the roofs of houses, defusing incendiary bombs that the Nazis dropped on the city, and raised the spirit of the soldiers holding the defense. The children of besieged Leningrad became adults the moment the war came. Many teenagers fought in regular units of the Soviet army. It was the hardest for the little ones, who had lost all their relatives. Orphanages were created for them, where the elders helped the younger ones and supported them. An amazing fact is the creation of the children's dance ensemble by A. E. Obrant during the blockade. The guys were gathered all over the city, treated for exhaustion, and rehearsals began. This famous ensemble gave more than 3,000 concerts during the blockade; it performed on the front lines, in factories and in hospitals. The young artists’ contribution to the victory was appreciated after the war: all the guys were awarded medals “For the Defense of Leningrad.”

Operation Spark

The liberation of Leningrad was a top priority for the Soviet leadership, but there were no opportunities for offensive actions and resources in the spring of 1942. Attempts to break the blockade were made in the fall of 1941, but they did not yield results. The German troops fortified themselves quite well and were superior to the Soviet army in terms of weapons. By the fall of 1942, Hitler had significantly depleted the resources of his armies and therefore made an attempt to capture Leningrad, which was supposed to free up the troops located in the northern direction.

In September, the Germans launched Operation Northern Lights, which failed due to a counterattack by Soviet troops trying to lift the blockade. Leningrad in 1943 was a well-fortified city, built by the citizens, but its defenders were significantly exhausted, so breaking the blockade from the city was impossible. However, the successes of the Soviet army in other directions made it possible for the Soviet command to begin preparing a new attack on the fascist fortified areas.

On January 18, 1943, the breaking of the blockade of Leningrad marked the beginning of the liberation of the city. Military formations of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts took part in the operation; they were supported by the Baltic Fleet and the Ladoga Flotilla. Preparations were carried out for a month. Operation Iskra was developed since December 1942; it included two stages, the main of which was breaking the blockade. The further advance of the army was to completely remove the encirclement from the city.

The start of the operation was scheduled for January 12, at which time the southern shore of Lake Ladoga was covered with strong ice, and the surrounding impassable swamps froze to a depth sufficient for passage. The Shlisselburg ledge was reliably fortified by the Germans due to the presence of bunkers. Tank battalions and mountain rifle divisions did not lose their ability to resist after a massive artillery barrage by Soviet artillery. The fighting became protracted; for six days the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts broke through the enemy’s defenses, moving towards each other.

On January 18, 1943, the breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad was completed, the first part of the developed Iskra plan was completed. As a result, the encircled group of German troops received an order to leave the encirclement and join forces with the main forces, which occupied more advantageous positions and were additionally equipped and fortified. For residents of Leningrad, this date became one of the main milestones in the history of the siege. The resulting corridor was no more than 10 km wide, but it made it possible to lay railway tracks to fully supply the city.

Second phase

Hitler completely lost the initiative in the northern direction. The Wehrmacht divisions had a strong defensive position, but could no longer take the rebellious city. Soviet troops, having achieved their first success, planned to launch a large-scale offensive in a southern direction, which would completely lift the blockade of Leningrad and the region. In February, March and April 1943, forces of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts attempted to attack the Sinyavskaya enemy group, which were called Operation Polar Star. Unfortunately, they failed; there were many objective reasons that did not allow the army to develop an offensive. Firstly, the German group was significantly reinforced with tanks (Tigers were used for the first time in this direction), aviation and mountain rifle divisions. Secondly, the line of defense created by that time by the Nazis was very powerful: concrete bunkers, a large amount of artillery. Thirdly, the offensive had to be carried out on territory with difficult terrain. The swampy terrain made moving heavy guns and tanks much more difficult. Fourthly, when analyzing the actions of the fronts, obvious command errors were identified, which led to large losses of equipment and people. But a start had been made. The liberation of Leningrad from the siege was a matter of careful preparation and time.

Removing the blockade

The main dates of the siege of Leningrad are carved not only on the stones of memorials and monuments, but also in the heart of each participant. This victory was achieved through the great bloodshed of Soviet soldiers and officers and millions of deaths of civilians. In 1943, significant successes of the Red Army along the entire length of the front line made it possible to prepare an offensive in the northwestern direction. The German group created the “Northern Wall” around Leningrad - a line of fortifications that could withstand and stop any offensive, but not Soviet soldiers. The lifting of the siege of Leningrad on January 27, 1944 is a date that symbolizes victory. For this victory, a lot was done not only by the troops, but also by the Leningraders themselves.

Operation “January Thunder” began on January 14, 1944, it involved three fronts (Volkhov, 2nd Baltic, Leningrad), the Baltic Fleet, partisan formations (which were quite strong military units at that time), the Ladoga Military Fleet with aviation support. The offensive developed rapidly; the fascist fortifications did not save Army Group North from defeat and a shameful retreat in a southwestern direction. Hitler was never able to understand the reason for the failure of such a powerful defense, and the German generals who fled from the battlefield could not explain. On January 20, Novgorod and surrounding territories were liberated. Full January 27 became the occasion for festive fireworks in the exhausted but unconquered city.

Memory

The date of the liberation of Leningrad is a holiday for all residents of the once united Land of the Soviets. There is no point in arguing about the significance of the first breakthrough or the final liberation; these events are equivalent. Hundreds of thousands of lives were saved, although it took twice as many to achieve this goal. The breaking of the blockade of Leningrad on January 18, 1943 gave residents the opportunity to contact the mainland. The city's supply of food, medicine, energy resources, and raw materials for factories has resumed. However, the main thing was that there was a chance to save many people. Children, wounded soldiers, exhausted by hunger, sick Leningraders and defenders of this city were evacuated from the city. 1944 brought the complete lifting of the blockade, the Soviet army began its victorious march across the country, victory was near.

The defense of Leningrad is an immortal feat of millions of people; there is no justification for fascism, but there are no other examples of such perseverance and courage in history. 900 days of hunger, backbreaking work under shelling and bombing. Death followed every resident of besieged Leningrad, but the city survived. Our contemporaries and descendants should not forget about the great feat of the Soviet people and their role in the fight against fascism. This would be a betrayal of all those who died: children, old people, women, men, soldiers. The hero city of Leningrad must be proud of its past and build its present regardless of all the renamings and attempts to distort the history of the great confrontation.

On January 27th we celebrate the breakthrough Siege of Leningrad, which allowed in 1944 to end one of the most tragic pages of world history. In this review we have collected 10 ways that helped real people survive the siege years. Perhaps this information will be useful to someone in our time.

During the Siege of Leningrad it was incredibly difficult for families with children, especially the youngest. Indeed, in conditions of food shortages, many mothers in the city stopped producing breast milk. However, women found ways to save their baby. History knows several examples of how nursing mothers cut the nipples on their breasts so that the babies would receive at least some calories from the mother's blood.

By the way, in Leningrad after the war, two monuments were erected to cats from the so-called “meowing division”, which made it possible to cope with the invasion of rodents that were destroying the last food supplies.

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The siege of Leningrad lasted 872 days from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. According to the documents of the Nuremberg trials, during this time 632 thousand people out of 3 million pre-war population died from hunger, cold and bombing.

But the Siege of Leningrad is far from the only example of our military and civil valor in the twentieth century. On the site website You can also read about during the Winter War of 1939-1940, about why the fact of its breakthrough by Soviet troops became a turning point in military history.

During the Great Patriotic War, Leningrad suffered the fate of the first Soviet city to be captured by Hitler's troops. An invader has never set foot in this city - Leningraders are preparing to fight! In this regard, militia groups are being formed. Our troops took on an unequal battle - they went into battle and died... They died in order to at least briefly stop the enemy’s advance. The main thing is to gain time and create defensive lines. Here, on the construction work of the last line of defense, about half a million people worked every day.

Hitler's plans

The siege of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War lasted 872 days and cost the lives of almost a million people. Over the years, some historians have wondered whether it was possible to eliminate the invasion of this nightmare. And most often they come to the conclusion that, apparently, not. Hitler pursued and longed to tear off this tidbit of the Baltic Fleet.

Residents of Leningrad believed in a quick victory and refused to leave the city! Martial law has been declared in the city. You can get to the front line by tram. Everyone is ready to fight to the end!

On a sunny day on September 8, 1941, the rumble of German Junkers was heard in the sky over Leningrad. About 6 thousand bombs hit the city. Leaflets with mocking text were also dropped from planes: “Today we bomb you, and tomorrow you will bury yourself.” Thus began the first tests... Tests that the world had not yet known, tests in which it was easier to die than to stay alive.

The planes flew so low that the black crosses on the gray-green wings were clearly visible. The target of the German bombers was food. The fire was enormous, melted sugar spread in streams and was absorbed into the ground. 168 fire engines were brought in to extinguish the warehouse. The fight against the giant fire lasted for five hours. About 40 premises burned down, containing 3 thousand tons of flour and 2.5 thousand tons of sugar. The very next day, Leningraders flocked to Kievskaya Street, where food was burned. The fire in the warehouses provoked panic. Grocery store shelves are empty. Rumors spread throughout the city: “Famine is coming soon.”

To date, it has been documented that the burned food would only last for a few days. What caused the terrible blockade famine? Historians are still arguing about this. One thing is obvious: Leningrad, like any large city, was supplied, as they say, on wheels. Once under siege, it immediately lost all vital arteries. The country's leadership did not expect that events would develop so rapidly.

The city held on! In September, the Nazis broke through the defenses. The German invaders cut the railways and soon came to the blockade ring closed. From that moment on, the great blockade of Leningrad began.

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin sent General Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov to Leningrad, since the situation was critical. The Germans sealed off the city, so that even from the front line they could see the domes of the cathedrals. Zhukov collects all reserves and removes sailors from the ships. Having taken about 50 thousand fighters, he launches a counterattack. "Stand or Die!" - the general orders.

Defensive activity of Leningrad

How can you allow the enemy into Leningrad? How to imagine Russia without during the Great Patriotic War was perfectly planned in engineering terms. On the approach to Leningrad, the Luga defensive line, which was 175 km long and 12 km deep, held well. This defensive structure was built by the residents of Leningrad in the first month after the start of the war. The city of Leningrad was subjected to hurricane shelling during the war. Air defense units are doing everything to repel enemy raids. In this they are helped by 60 thousand volunteers from self-defense groups - men and women. The defenders are conducting heavy barrage fire, so there are fewer casualties from the artillery fire than might be expected.

Back in August 1941, the German Army North replenished its ranks of military equipment, receiving it from the Army Center. Now overtaking Leningrad, it was equipped with new tanks and dive bombers. With the help of this force, the Nazis still managed to defeat the defenses of the Luga line and encircle the defending troops.

The hunger pangs of Leningraders

In September, the city began to experience a clear shortage of food. According to the working norm, it was possible to receive 500 g of bread, according to the dependent norm - 250 g. For employees and children, a limit of 300 g of bread was established. In October the situation worsened. Fake cards have appeared on the market. They caused confusion during the distribution of food. At the suggestion of the first secretary of the Leningrad city party committee, Andrei Zhdanov, a decision was made to re-register for the month of October. This meant not only replacing some paper sheets with others, but also lowering the norm for issuing bread.

The work card was a kind of incentive to life. It guaranteed the right to receive bread. But even this norm did not always save from hunger. According to a certificate from the NKVD Directorate for the Leningrad Region, before the start of the war, on average, up to 3 thousand people died every month. In October 1941, the death rate was already 6,199 people. In besieged Leningrad, the grain quota begins to decline rapidly. In November 1941, dependents, who were mainly old people and children, could only count on 125 grams of bread.

Hunger

The winter of 1941 arrived, and it was extremely harsh. During this period of time, the city's water supply freezes. Therefore, the Neva River becomes the only source of water. In addition, the city has exhausted all fuel reserves and transport has stopped. Firewood has become the most expensive! Famine set in in the besieged city - the most terrible test that Leningrad experienced during the Great Patriotic War.

125 grams of bread with cellulose and mill dust is a blockade ration. Mortality from hunger became widespread. In such conditions, a bread card became the only condition for preserving life. Until December 1941, instead of lost cards, it was still possible to receive new cards in return. However, cases of theft and abuse have become more frequent. Hungry Leningraders often resorted to deception, thus trying to get additional food. The issuance of duplicates has been stopped. From now on, losing a piece of paper with an ink stamp meant death. In December, about 53 thousand people died from hunger. Leningrad was plunging into the cold darkness of numbness.

More than 600 thousand people died of starvation during the siege. They died on the street, at work, at home, in hallways - they didn’t have time to bury them... It is impossible to convey the suffering of the Leningraders. But they not only tried to survive, they worked. How could hungry, exhausted people work? This will forever remain an incomprehensible secret that Leningrad kept during the Great Patriotic War (photo in the article).

Siege bread

Leningrad told a lot during the Great Patriotic War. During the blockade, the bread recipe changed several times. Only one thing remained unchanged - the content of flour. It never exceeded 60%. The remaining 40% consisted of impurities and additives. The decision to add additives was made by management due to the lack of flour. The central laboratory at Lenkhlebprom was instructed to develop special technologies for baking bread with possible additives. Additional ingredients typically included bran, soybean flour and food grade cellulose.

Leningrad does not lose heart

During the Great Patriotic War, the city of Leningrad did not bother to give up and surrender even for a moment. Residents sought to recreate their former life! Spring has finally arrived. Along with joy there was also anxiety; an epidemic was expected, but, fortunately, it did not happen - the city was awakening. In the spring of 1942, tram traffic resumed in the besieged city. This vision seemed like some kind of fresh breath of new life, but it was not yet that desired and calm life, but still.

All to fight hunger! Vegetable gardens are springing up right in the city; not a single piece of land is empty. Goebbels declared that the city is dead! Meanwhile, in a besieged and hungry city - a football match! The world has never seen anything like this before. The Military Council of the Leningrad Front decided to hold a football match. The task was set - to find football players in Leningrad and at the front who were capable of playing a series of matches. Despite the obvious difficulties, we still managed to gather the players. The city lived with football!

Mind-blowing trials did not break the will of Leningraders; they did not just exist - they lived, hoped and created. In besieged Leningrad, composer Dmitri Shostakovich creates his most famous 7th symphony, and it is performed for the first time in a besieged city.

End of the blockade

Many cities and countries on earth disappeared, turned into dust by the conquerors. There are monuments in Russia - symbols of invincibility, one of them is Leningrad. During the Great Patriotic War, only captured Germans entered Leningrad. The siege of Leningrad has been broken! What helped people survive? Every Leningrader felt the wounds inflicted on his homeland as if they were his own, and everyone brought Victory closer as best he could.