Leningrad blockade
It is difficult to imagine that 68 years and one day ago for St. Petersburg Leningrad of our cultural capital came the days that were worse than those in its history and hopefully not.
During the blockade of Leningrad by the fascist German troops ( from September 8, 1941 to January 1944 ), according to official data, 641,000 citizens died of starvation (according to historians' estimates, at least 800 thousand people ), about 17,000 inhabitants died from bombings and shelling , about 34 thousand inhabitants were injured; by July 1942, the population of Leningrad was reduced to 1.05 million . people, as a result of intensive evacuation by January 1944 - up to 576 thousand people. 30 thousand industrial buildings, workshops and sites, 500 schools, 170 medical institutions were damaged. Many people lost their homes. Buildings such as the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, the Engineers' Castle, the Mining Institute, the Smolny Institute and the Academy of Arts were badly damaged.
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With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War on June 22, 1941, a strike in the direction of Leningrad was assigned to the group of German armies "North", which were supposed to destroy units of the Red Army in the Baltic States, seize the naval bases on the Baltic Sea and by 21 July seize Leningrad. On July 9, Pskov was captured, on July 10, German units broke through the front and, with the help of the 4th Panzer Army Group North, reached the Plus River and rushed towards Luga. On August 21, the Germans occupied the Chudovo station, thereby cutting the October Railway, and after 8 days took possession of Tosno. On August 30, the large railway junction Mga was seized. On September 8, 1941, when the Germans captured Shlisselburg, the 871-day blockade of Leningrad began .
2 million 544 thousand civilian population of the city (including about 400 thousand children ), 343 thousand residents of suburban areas, troops defending the city got into the environment. Food and fuel supplies were limited (only for 1-2 months).
Food cards were introduced: from October 1, workers and engineers began to receive 400 grams of bread per day, all the rest - 200 g each. Public transport stopped, because by the winter of 1941 - 1942 there were no fuel reserves or electricity left. Food stocks were rapidly declining, and in January 1942 only 200/125 grams of bread per day were accounted for per person. By the end of February 1942 in Leningrad more than 200 thousand people died of cold and hunger. But the city lived and fought: the factories continued to produce military products, theaters, museums worked.
In connection with the termination of communication with the Big Earth, the road through Lake Ladoga, which became the legendary “Dear Life”, acquired special significance. Water was delivered to Leningrad in September - November 1941, and when the lake froze, food, fuel and other goods began to be transported on the ice. According to the “Road of Life”, the residents of the city who were weakened by hunger were taken out: first of all, children, women with children, the sick, wounded and disabled, as well as students, workers of the evacuated factories and their families were evacuated.
On March 25, 1942, a decision was made to clear the city from debris of snow, ice, mud, sewage, corpses, and by April 15 the city was put in order by the forces of exhausted Leningraders and soldiers of the local garrison. In Leningrad, trams began to walk again.
In the following blockade winter of 1942–1943, the situation of besieged Leningrad improved significantly: public transport went, enterprises worked, schools opened, cinemas opened, water supply and sewerage operated, city baths worked, etc.
Initially, the defense of the city was headed by KE Voroshilov, and after his removal Zhukov, Kosygin was in charge of the business side, who actually replaced the first secretary of the Leningrad Regional Committee of the CPSU (B) comrade A.A. Zhdanov. It was Kosygin who organized the movement on the “Road of Life” and settled the differences of civil and military authorities.
The breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad began on the order of the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander on January 12, 1943 from the offensive of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts in cooperation with the Red Banner Baltic Fleet (CBF) south of Lake Ladoga. The narrow overhang separating the troops of the fronts was chosen to break the blockade. On January 18, the 136th Infantry Division and the 61st Tank Brigade of the Leningrad Front broke into Workers' Settlement No. 5 and merged with units of the 18th Infantry Division of the Volkhov Front. On the same day, units of the 86th Infantry Division and the 34th Ski Brigade liberated Shlisselburg and cleared the entire southern coast of Lake Ladoga from the enemy. In 18 days, the builders erected a ferry across the Neva in the pierced along the shore of the corridor and laid a railroad and a highway. The enemy blockade was broken.
By the end of 1943, the situation on the fronts changed radically and the Soviet troops were preparing for the final elimination of the blockade of Leningrad. On January 14, 1944, the forces of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, supported by the artillery of Kronstadt, began the final part of the operation to liberate Leningrad. By January 27, 1944, Soviet troops broke into the defense of the 18th German army, defeated its main forces and advanced 60 kilometers into the depths. The Germans began to retreat. With the liberation of Pushkin, Gatchina and Chudovo, the blockade of Leningrad was completely lifted.
The last time German aviation bombed Leningrad was on May 14, 1944.
We grieve and remember ...
During the blockade of Leningrad by the fascist German troops ( from September 8, 1941 to January 1944 ), according to official data, 641,000 citizens died of starvation (according to historians' estimates, at least 800 thousand people ), about 17,000 inhabitants died from bombings and shelling , about 34 thousand inhabitants were injured; by July 1942, the population of Leningrad was reduced to 1.05 million . people, as a result of intensive evacuation by January 1944 - up to 576 thousand people. 30 thousand industrial buildings, workshops and sites, 500 schools, 170 medical institutions were damaged. Many people lost their homes. Buildings such as the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, the Engineers' Castle, the Mining Institute, the Smolny Institute and the Academy of Arts were badly damaged.
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Environment of Leningrad
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War on June 22, 1941, a strike in the direction of Leningrad was assigned to the group of German armies "North", which were supposed to destroy units of the Red Army in the Baltic States, seize the naval bases on the Baltic Sea and by 21 July seize Leningrad. On July 9, Pskov was captured, on July 10, German units broke through the front and, with the help of the 4th Panzer Army Group North, reached the Plus River and rushed towards Luga. On August 21, the Germans occupied the Chudovo station, thereby cutting the October Railway, and after 8 days took possession of Tosno. On August 30, the large railway junction Mga was seized. On September 8, 1941, when the Germans captured Shlisselburg, the 871-day blockade of Leningrad began .
Leningrad blockade
2 million 544 thousand civilian population of the city (including about 400 thousand children ), 343 thousand residents of suburban areas, troops defending the city got into the environment. Food and fuel supplies were limited (only for 1-2 months).
Food cards were introduced: from October 1, workers and engineers began to receive 400 grams of bread per day, all the rest - 200 g each. Public transport stopped, because by the winter of 1941 - 1942 there were no fuel reserves or electricity left. Food stocks were rapidly declining, and in January 1942 only 200/125 grams of bread per day were accounted for per person. By the end of February 1942 in Leningrad more than 200 thousand people died of cold and hunger. But the city lived and fought: the factories continued to produce military products, theaters, museums worked.
In connection with the termination of communication with the Big Earth, the road through Lake Ladoga, which became the legendary “Dear Life”, acquired special significance. Water was delivered to Leningrad in September - November 1941, and when the lake froze, food, fuel and other goods began to be transported on the ice. According to the “Road of Life”, the residents of the city who were weakened by hunger were taken out: first of all, children, women with children, the sick, wounded and disabled, as well as students, workers of the evacuated factories and their families were evacuated.
On March 25, 1942, a decision was made to clear the city from debris of snow, ice, mud, sewage, corpses, and by April 15 the city was put in order by the forces of exhausted Leningraders and soldiers of the local garrison. In Leningrad, trams began to walk again.
In the following blockade winter of 1942–1943, the situation of besieged Leningrad improved significantly: public transport went, enterprises worked, schools opened, cinemas opened, water supply and sewerage operated, city baths worked, etc.
Initially, the defense of the city was headed by KE Voroshilov, and after his removal Zhukov, Kosygin was in charge of the business side, who actually replaced the first secretary of the Leningrad Regional Committee of the CPSU (B) comrade A.A. Zhdanov. It was Kosygin who organized the movement on the “Road of Life” and settled the differences of civil and military authorities.
Breakthrough and blockade lifting
The breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad began on the order of the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander on January 12, 1943 from the offensive of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts in cooperation with the Red Banner Baltic Fleet (CBF) south of Lake Ladoga. The narrow overhang separating the troops of the fronts was chosen to break the blockade. On January 18, the 136th Infantry Division and the 61st Tank Brigade of the Leningrad Front broke into Workers' Settlement No. 5 and merged with units of the 18th Infantry Division of the Volkhov Front. On the same day, units of the 86th Infantry Division and the 34th Ski Brigade liberated Shlisselburg and cleared the entire southern coast of Lake Ladoga from the enemy. In 18 days, the builders erected a ferry across the Neva in the pierced along the shore of the corridor and laid a railroad and a highway. The enemy blockade was broken.
By the end of 1943, the situation on the fronts changed radically and the Soviet troops were preparing for the final elimination of the blockade of Leningrad. On January 14, 1944, the forces of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, supported by the artillery of Kronstadt, began the final part of the operation to liberate Leningrad. By January 27, 1944, Soviet troops broke into the defense of the 18th German army, defeated its main forces and advanced 60 kilometers into the depths. The Germans began to retreat. With the liberation of Pushkin, Gatchina and Chudovo, the blockade of Leningrad was completely lifted.
The last time German aviation bombed Leningrad was on May 14, 1944.
We grieve and remember ...
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/69115/
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