One of the most tragic pages of the Great Patriotic War is considered the blockade of Leningrad.History has preserved many facts testifying to this terrible ordeal in the life of the city on the Neva.Leningrad was surrounded by fascist invaders nearly 900 days (September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944).Of the two and a half million people living in the northern capital before the war, during the siege just starved to death more than 600 000 people, several tens of thousands of citizens were killed by the bombing.In spite of the catastrophic food shortages, extreme cold, lack of heat and electricity, Leningrad courageously stood up to the fascist onslaught and did not give the enemy the city.
About the besieged city through the decades
In 2014 in Russia marked the 70th anniversary of the siege of Leningrad.Today, as a few decades ago, the Russian people highly honor the feat of the residents of the city on the Neva.About the besieged Leningrad written a large number of books, filmed many documentaries and feature films.About the heroic defense of the city talk to pupils and students.To better imagine the situation of people caught up in the Nazi troops surrounded Leningrad suggest you familiarize yourself with the events related to his deposition.
Siege of Leningrad: interesting facts about the importance of the city to the invaders
to capture Soviet land from the Nazis developed a plan Barbarossa.In accordance with the Nazis were planning a few months to win the European part of the USSR.City on the Neva during the occupation of the Soviet Union played an important role, because Hitler believed that if Moscow - is the heart of the country, then Leningrad - its soul.The Fuhrer was convinced that once the northern capital will fall under the onslaught of the German fascist troops, morale of the huge state weakens, and then it will be possible to easily win.
Despite the resistance of our troops, the Nazis managed to significantly move into the country and surround the city on the Neva River from all sides.September 8, 1941 went down in history as the first day of the blockade of Leningrad.That's when all the land routes out of the city were cut, and he was surrounded by the enemy.Daily Leningrad was subjected to shelling, but did not give up.
Northern Capital was in the besieged ring almost 900 days.In the history of humanity, it was the long and terrible siege of the city.Despite the fact that before the blockade of the residents were evacuated from Leningrad, there remained a large number of citizens.The share of these people fell terrible suffering, and not all of them managed to survive until the liberation of his native city.
Horror
Regular hunger strikes - it's not the worst thing that has gone through Leningrad during the war.Stock products in the besieged city was not enough, and that led to a terrible famine.To import food from other settlements prevented the blockade of Leningrad.Interesting facts left the citizens of this period: the local population fell into the hungry fainting in the street, cannibalism is no surprise.Every day more and more recorded deaths from starvation, dead bodies lay on the streets of the city, and there was no one to clean up.
Since the beginning of the blockade of Leningrad began issuing ration cards, which you can get bread.Since October 1941 daily bread ration for workers was 400 g per person and for children under 12 years of age, dependents and servants - 200 g But it did not save the citizens from starvation.Food stocks declined rapidly, and by November 1941, the daily portion of bread were forced to be reduced to 250 grams for workers and up to 125 grams for the other categories of citizens.Due to lack of flour, he was halfway out of the inedible impurities was black and bitter.The people of Leningrad did not complain, because for them a piece of the bread was the only escape from death.But hunger is not lasted 900 days of the siege of Leningrad.Already in early 1942, daily allowance of bread rose, and he became more qualitative.In mid-February 1942 to the city on the Neva River was first issued in rations frozen mutton and beef.Gradually, the food situation in the northern capital was stabilized.
Abnormal winter
But hunger is not only the townspeople remembered the blockade of Leningrad.The history includes the fact that the winter of 1941-1942 was unusually cold.Frosts in the city were from October to April and were much stronger than in previous years.In some months, the thermometer fell to -32 degrees.Aggravates the situation and heavy snowfall: in April 1942, the height of the drifts was 53 cm.
Despite the abnormally cold winter, due to lack of fuel in the city failed to run district heating, there was no electricity, the water supply was cut off.To somehow warm housing, Leningrad used the wood stove: they burned everything that could burn - books, rags, old furniture.Exhausted by hunger, people can not stand the cold and died.The total number of citizens who died from exhaustion and cold, by the end of February 1942 exceeded 200 thousand people.
By "way of life" and a life surrounded by the enemy
Unless there was a complete lifting of the blockade of Leningrad, the only way by which the inhabitants were evacuated and supplied the city was Ladoga.In winter it ferried trucks and horse-drawn carts, and in the summer, the clock went to the barge.The narrow road, it is not protected from aerial bombardment, was the only link with the world of the siege of Leningrad.The locals called Lake Ladoga "way of life", because if it does not, the victims of the Nazis would be disproportionately.
lasted about three years, the blockade of Leningrad.Interesting facts of this period indicate that, despite the catastrophic situation in the city continued life.In Leningrad, even during the famine produced military equipment, it was opened theaters and museums.The morale of the citizens supported the famous writers and poets, who regularly appears on radio.By the winter of 1942-1943 the situation in the northern capital was not so critical as before.Despite regular bombing, life in Leningrad stabilized.Earned factories, schools, theaters, baths, managed to restore the water supply, the city has started to go public transportation.
Interesting facts about St. Isaac's Cathedral and cats
On the last day of the siege of Leningrad, he was subjected to regular shelling.Shells, bulldoze many buildings in the city, party overflew St. Isaac's Cathedral.It is not known why the Nazis did not touch the building.There is a theory that they used his high dome as a landmark for the shelling of the city.The basement of the cathedral served Leningrad repository for valuable museum pieces, so they managed to preserve intact until the end of the war.
not only the Nazis were a problem for the citizens, lasted until the blockade of Leningrad.Interesting facts show that in the northern capital of a huge number of divorced rat.They destroyed those meager food stocks that were in the city.In order to save the population of Leningrad from starvation, for it "road of life" from the Yaroslavl region was ferried 4 car clouded cats, considered the best rat-catchers.Pets adequately coped with their mission and gradually destroyed rodents, rescuing people from the next famine.
deliverance of the city from the enemy forces
Liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade occurred January 27, 1944.Soviet troops after a two-week offensive the Nazis managed to throw from the city.But despite the defeat, the invaders are still about half precipitated northern capital.Finally, push the enemy from the city was only after the Vyborg and Svir-Petrozavodsk offensive operations conducted by the Soviet troops in the summer of 1944.
memory of the siege of Leningrad
January 27, Russia celebrates the day when there was a full lifting of the blockade of Leningrad.In this memorable date of the country's leaders, church ministers and ordinary citizens come to Piskarevskoe cemetery in St. Petersburg, where in mass graves lie the remains of hundreds of thousands of Leningrad who died of starvation and shelling.900 days of the siege of Leningrad will forever remain a black page in the country's history, and will remind people about the inhuman crimes of fascism.
