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In the early days of the war, when Soviet troops fought stubbornly in the western border regions, Leningrad was relatively far from the theater of operations. At this time, the enemy made only attempts to subject the city to bombardments from the air, but they were paralyzed by the city's air defense.
The first to open an account of the destroyed fascist aircraft near Leningrad was the anti-aircraft battery of junior lieutenant A. T. Pimchenkov, located in the area of \u200b\u200bPesochnaya station. On the night of June 23, she shot down a Yu-88 bomber.
The Leningrad pilots were also successful. Already on June 23, the pilot of the 158th Fighter Aviation Regiment, Lieutenant A. Chirkov, shot down an enemy He-111 bomber. A day later, a German bomber was shot down by Lieutenant P.A.Pokryshev, thus opening a long list of his brilliant aerial victories.
On June 28, in the Leningrad sky, the fellow soldiers A. Chirkov and P. A. Pokryshev, junior lieutenants P. T. Kharitonov and S. I. Zdorovtsev performed the feat. Having used up ammunition in air battles and not wanting to miss the enemy, they rammed and shot down an enemy bomber. On June 29, junior lieutenant M.P. Zhukov, trying to ram a German plane, drove it into Lake Pskov (11). On July 8, 1941, P. T. Kharitonov, S. I. Zdorovtsev and M. P. Zhukov were the first in the Great Patriotic War to be awarded the title of Hero by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Soviet Union.
On the distant approaches to the city, the Red Army and the Baltic Fleet fought against the advancing enemy, and the situation here, as on other fronts, was extremely difficult.
Troops of the North-Western Front, showing stubborn resistance to the enemy, could not stop its advance in the border zone and were forced to retreat under the onslaught of superior forces. On June 26, the enemy occupied the city of Daugavpils.
Fierce battles unfolded at the turn of the river. Western Dvina, where, in close cooperation with land units, actively operated soviet aviation... Bombarding accumulations of enemy personnel and equipment, she inflicted heavy losses on him. Despite the heroism shown by the Soviet troops, it was not possible to contain the enemy's onslaught on the line of the Western Dvina.
On July 4, Nazi troops captured Riga, the next day - Ostrov, and on July 9 - Pskov.
Thus, the troops of the fascist German army group "North", which had a significant advantage over the forces of our North-Western Front, by July 10 captured almost the entire Baltic region and invaded the Leningrad region.
The situation on the extreme right flank of the Soviet-German front was somewhat better. German and Finnish troops, which launched an offensive on the front from the Barents Sea to the Gulf of Finland on June 29, after fierce battles, by July 6, managed to penetrate our defenses only 25-30 km in some areas. Soviet soldiers, repelling enemy attacks, showed unprecedented courage and courage. So, the soldiers and officers of the 461st Infantry Regiment
2nd rifle division In ten days of fighting on the Karelian Isthmus, the 23rd Army under the command of Colonel V.A.Trubachev destroyed almost half of the enemy soldiers advancing on them. For courage and bravery Colonel V. A. Trubachev and machine gunner A. I. Zakhodsky were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
On July 5, the Headquarters ordered to build a defensive line on the Kingisepp-Tolmachevo-Ogareli-Babino-Kirishi front to cover Leningrad and the most important areas from the south-west until July 15, 1941 and further along the bank of the river. Volkhov, as well as a cut-off position on the Luga - Shimsk line and most firmly cover the directions Gdov - Leningrad, Luga - Leningrad, Shimsk - Leningrad.
In fact, the Military Council of the Northern Front began to deal with these issues in the very first days of the war. It was decided to build three defensive lines, attracting for this the population of Leningrad and the region. The main line is the entire length of the river. Lugi and further through Shimsk to the lake. Ilmen, with a developed and fortified foreland, which began at the river. Pluses. The second line is Peterhof - Krasnogvardeysk (Gatchina) - Kolpino. Third - Avtovo - District railway - st. Predportovaya - Middle Slingshot - with. Rybatskoe (12)
The construction of the Luga line of defense was especially difficult, since it was necessary to build very quickly defensive fortifications long distance and form the necessary grouping of troops. Only thanks to the dedication of the Leningraders who worked in the construction, the defensive lines were built here, although they had a number of shortcomings.
Luga defensive belt, stretching for 250 km from the Gulf of Finland to Lake. Ilmen, passed along the banks of numerous lakes and rivers - Luga, Oredezh and Sheloni. A huge number of various engineering structures were built on it, including 570 pillboxes and bunkers, 160 km of escarpments, 94 km of anti-tank ditches.
The forces intended to combat the Nazi forces on the newly created defensive line and united in the Luga operational group, by July 14 consisted of two rifle divisions (177th and 191st), two divisions of the Leningrad militia (1st and 2nd), Leningrad infantry and rifle-machine gun schools, 1st separate mountain rifle brigade and 41st rifle corps, transferred to the Northern Front from the 11th Army of the North-Western Front (13). The corps divisions that had withdrawn after heavy fighting to the Luga line needed replenishment and reinforcement. General KP Pyadyshev commanded the Luga task force.
Rifle divisions took up defensive positions on the line until July 9, that is, before the enemy approached, and divisions of the people's militia arrived during the period of battles with German troops that had begun here.
On July 10, 1941, the State Defense Committee formed the High Commands of the North-West, West and South-West directions for more operational leadership of the fronts. Marshal of the Soviet Union K.E. Voroshilov was appointed commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the North-West direction, A.A. Zhdanov, secretary of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), the Leningrad regional committee and city party committee, and General M.V. Zakharov, chief of staff. The troops of the Northern and Northwestern Fronts and the forces of the Baltic and Northern fleets were subordinated to the High Command of the Northwestern direction.
These measures played an important role in the struggle for Leningrad, especially in connection with the fact that on July 8, at a meeting at Hitler's headquarters, the troops of Army Group North were instructed to continue the offensive against Leningrad in cooperation with the Finnish army.
On July 10, the troops of the 4th Panzer Group of German troops from the line of the Velikaya and Cherekhi rivers resumed their offensive on Luga and Novgorod. On the Luga direction, units of the 41st motorized corps attacked, and on the Novgorod direction, the 56th motorized corps. Units of the Northwestern Front operating in the Luga direction, under pressure from superior enemy forces were forced to retreat and by the end of July 12 withdrew to the river. Plus, where, together with the advanced detachments of the Luga operational group, they stopped the enemy divisions.
An artillery group under the command of Colonel G. F. Odintsov played an important role in repelling the enemy offensive.
Stubborn defense soviet troops on the Luga direction forced the German command to change the direction of the main attack. Having secretly transferred part of the troops to the area southeast of Kingisepp, the Nazis crossed the river on the move. Luga and July 14 captured two bridgeheads on its right bank. However, thanks to the courage of the Soviet soldiers, the enemy's further advance in this sector was stopped. Soldiers of the 415th Signal Battalion of the 22nd Rifle Corps displayed exceptional heroism in the battles on the outskirts of Luga. On July 17, 20 soldiers, headed by the deputy political instructor of the radio station A.K. The bottom for several hours repelled the attacks of the enemy, who sought to capture the corps headquarters. A.K.Mery was wounded several times, but did not leave the battlefield. For her heroism, A.K.Mery was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Thus, thanks to the staunch defense of the Soviet troops, the plan of the Nazi command to break through on the march to Leningrad across the Duga and the Koporskoe plateau was thwarted.
Simultaneously with the fighting in this sector of the front, a critical situation arose on the left flank of the Luga defensive line. West of Shimsk, the 56th motorized corps of the 4th tank group of the fascist German army approached the defense line of the Soviet troops. In order to defeat these forces and alleviate the position of the Luga operational group, the troops of the 11th Army of the North-Western Front, commanded by General V.I. Morozov, carried out a counterattack in the area of \u200b\u200bSoltsy from 14 to 18 July: Soviet troops defeated 8 Panzer division and the rear of the 56th Motorized Corps, threw the enemy troops 40 km to the west and thereby for some time eliminated the threat of an enemy breakthrough to Novgorod.
General E. Manstein, who then commanded the 56th corps, later wrote:
"It could not be said that the position of the body at this moment was very enviable."
The stubborn resistance of the Soviet troops on the Luga defensive line and the counter-attack in the area of \u200b\u200bSoltsy forced the German command to stop the offensive on Leningrad on July 19. Hitler ordered:
"The advance in the direction of Leningrad should be resumed only after the 18th Army comes into contact with the 4th Panzer Group, and its eastern flank will be provided with the forces of the 16th Army."
During the struggle on the distant approaches to Leningrad, the actions of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet (Commander - Vice Admiral V. F. Tributs, member of the Military Council - Divisional Commissar N. K. Smirnov, Chief of Staff - Rear Admiral Yu. A. Panteleev). Despite the enormous difficulties, the Baltic sailors helped the troops in repelling the offensive of the enemy army, together with the ground forces, they defended naval bases and islands, covered the sea approaches to Leningrad, and disrupted the enemy's sea communications.
Thus, through joint efforts ground forces, aviation and the navy, the offensive of the German fascist troops on Leningrad was suspended in all directions. The enemy began to regroup its forces and assets. This meant the collapse of the plan of the Hitlerite command to seize Leningrad.
4. City life: mobilization.
Leningraders learned about the attack of Nazi Germany on our country from the message of the Soviet government, broadcast on the radio at 12 o'clock. day 22 June. The alarming news stirred the entire population of the city: people gathered at the loudspeakers, where, in anticipation of new messages, they discussed what had happened, and hurried to the newsstands. The monstrous perfidy of the Nazis, who violated all agreements with the Soviet state and started the war without any warning, seemed incredible to many. Having interrupted their Sunday rest, Leningraders rushed to enterprises and institutions, to regional party committees and military commissariats. Thousands of people filled the carriages of trains moving from summer cottages to Leningrad.
With the outbreak of the war, the Regional and City Party Committees immediately launched a large organizational work. In Smolny, where they were located, on the night of June 22, 1941, A.A. Kuznetsov, secretary of the Leningrad City Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), informed the responsible party and Soviet workers of the city with the directive of the People's Commissar of Defense on a possible attack on June 22-23 by Nazi troops on the territory of a number of border military districts, including Leningrad. Here, in the early morning of June 22nd, the audience learned about the beginning of the war. The secretaries of the district party committees immediately went to their districts to summon the workers of enterprises and institutions to take the first urgent measures associated with the new alarming situation.
On June 22, under the leadership of party organizations, thousands of rallies and meetings of the working people of Leningrad were held. In the speeches of the Leningraders, they expressed their readiness to defend the socialist Motherland, arms in hand, to help the Red Army with selfless labor in its struggle against the Nazi invaders.
At one o'clock in almost all the shops of the Skorokhod factory, rallies and meetings were held. Old production workers, women, youth, party activists spoke at them. At a meeting of the cutting shop workers, an old communist, participant civil war V. Smirnov said: "I am old, unwell, but I am ready even now to go to the defense of the Motherland."
In the resolution of the rally held at the Shipyard. A.A. Zhdanov on June 22, 1941, it was said:
"At the first call of the party and government, we will change the machine to a rifle, join the ranks of the Red Army, which will deal a crushing blow to the enemy ... We are giving ourselves at the disposal of the party and government, and will fight for our Motherland to the last drop of blood."
The same resolutions were adopted on that day at the meetings of many thousands of the Kirov plant, the Krasny Vyborzhets plant and the collectives of hundreds of other enterprises and institutions of Leningrad.
The rallies and meetings showed the unity and solidarity of the working people of Leningrad, their dedication to the cause of socialism, firm determination and readiness to defend the fatherland from the fascist invaders.
On June 22, 1941, martial law was introduced in Leningrad, like in a number of other cities and regions of the country. All functions of state power in the matter of defense, order and security were transferred in these places to military councils or the command of military formations.
Although the mobilization of those liable for military service, announced by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, was supposed to begin on June 23, already at 12.30 pm on June 22, the first volunteers appeared in the regional military commissariats. Many came to the military registration and enlistment offices without waiting for summons. One of the first spouses I.S.Nesterov and M.N. Nesterov, a participant in the civil war L.F. Kupriyanova and others. All of them asked to send them to the Red Army. Mobilization in Leningrad took place in an orderly manner and with a high patriotic enthusiasm for the population. As the then military commissar of the city FF Rastorguev recalls, in the first two days of the war alone, about 100 thousand Leningraders, asking to send them to the active army, appeared with agendas and without agendas at the mobilization points deployed by military enlistment offices. Among them were old St. Petersburg workers, participants in the civil war, and young people and representatives of all strata of the urban population).
The military commissariats created several collection and delivery mobilization points in each district of the city. They were located in the premises of schools, clubs, houses of culture. There were also equipped children's rooms, post offices, canteens, buffets. The activities of the mobilization points took place in difficult and tense conditions, since the apparatus of the military registration and enlistment offices soon had to participate in the manning of the army of the people's militia and other volunteer formations.
The large volume of work, as well as the shortcomings that were revealed in the very first days in organizing the registration of persons liable for military service, control over the delivery of summons, the indiscriminateness of individual workers, in a number of cases led to a delay in mobilization work, violation of the terms of mobilization) Therefore, to provide assistance to the mobilization points, workers from the regional party committees were involved in their work. The city's Komsomol organization sent thousands of its activists here. Only the Moscow district committee of the Komsomol allocated 500-600 people a day to help the military registration and enlistment office for posting summons, on duty at checkpoints, escorting those mobilized to the station, conducting mass propaganda and cultural and educational work.
The draft commissions, created in a hurry from representatives of district party committees, district councils and military commissariats, did an enormous job in the first days of the war. They were faced with the task of not only mobilizing the reserve liable for military service and newly recruited into the army, but also sorting out tens of thousands of applications from volunteers with a request to send them to the front. Among them were people of different ages and professions who remained in reserve and were removed from the military register due to illness or age.
In the course of intense mobilization work, a significant part of which was carried out in the first days of the war, thousands of Leningraders went to the front. From June 23 to October 1, 1941, the district military commissariats of Leningrad and their points mobilized several hundred thousand people. Some of them were sent to volunteer formations, the rest to the Red Army (25).
The introduction of martial law, the beginning of the mobilization of those liable for military service, and a number of other priority measures aimed at strengthening the city's defenses dramatically changed the life of Leningrad. On the night of June 23, the first air raid was announced in the city. Since that time, the air raid signal has been announced on the radio almost daily, often several times. Leningraders, who did not turn off the radio, day or night, began to get used to the clear ticking of the metronome, which sounded in their apartments and at enterprises almost throughout the entire war.
The night sky of the city was cut by the beams of searchlights, in the evenings dozens of barrage balloons rose over Leningrad. The roar of patrol planes was heard in the air, covering the city. Troops were moving along the streets, cars with workers and employees who were leaving for the construction of defensive lines swept by.
At the very beginning of the war, few of the Leningraders imagined the full depth of the danger hanging over the country, over their city. Most counted on a quick defeat of the German fascist troops and an early end to the war. Meanwhile, the deteriorating situation on a huge front, in particular near Leningrad, demanded an early restructuring of the entire life and work of the city in accordance with wartime conditions. What was needed was exceptional efficiency and maneuverability in work, fast and precise implementation of the adopted decisions. In this regard, on July 1, the Regional and City Committees of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) created a Commission on the Defense of Leningrad under the chairmanship of the Secretary of the Central Committee, the Leningrad Regional and City Committees of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) A.A. Zhdanov. It included secretaries of the City Committee and the Regional Committee A. A. Kuznetsov and T. F. Shtykov, the chairman of the City Executive Committee of the City Center S. Popkov and the chairman of the Regional Executive Committee N. V. Soloviev. This commission, or the "big five", which possessed full power, essentially decided the most important issues on behalf of city and regional party and Soviet bodies (26). In all districts of the city, "troikas" were also created from the leading workers of the district committees of the party, who made operational decisions that had the force of decisions of the bureau of the district committee.
During the same period, the work of the City and District Soviets of Working People's Deputies was reorganized. On July 1, 1941, the Bureau of the City Party Committee adopted a special resolution "On the procedure for resolving issues of the current economic nature." In accordance with this decree, four top executives (chairman, two of his deputies, secretary) were allocated from the Executive Committee of the Leningrad City Council, who were instructed to promptly consider and resolve issues of current economic activities (27)
“Usually at night,” N. A. Manakov, who was a member of this “four” as deputy chairman of the Leningrad City Executive Committee, wrote later, “... they considered topical issues that arose during the day and made decisions that had the force of decisions of the executive committee of the Leningrad Soviet and were carried out in life immediately. "
The same leadership principle was extended to the district Soviets of Working People's Deputies.
The restructuring of the activities of the party and Soviet bodies of Leningrad played an important role in the implementation of a number of urgent measures to strengthen the city's defenses in the first months of the Great Patriotic War... Among these measures, one of the main ones was the creation of units of the people's militia and other volunteer formations to provide direct armed assistance to the Red Army units that fought on the outskirts of Leningrad.
The attack of the German fascist invaders on the Soviet Union caused a wide wave of patriotic enthusiasm among the Soviet people that swept across the country. With the complication of the situation in the northwestern direction and the growing threat of the enemy approaching Leningrad, the working people of the city felt the need to take a direct part in the battles with the Nazis more and more.
“At the same time,” recalls FF Rastorguev about his conversation with AA Kuznetsov on June 23, 1941, “the question arose about the possibility of giving organized forms to the popular mass movement of Leningraders ... AA Kuznetsov promised to consult with A. A. Zhdanov. On the second day of the war, together with the head of the military department of the city party committee, I.A.Verkoglaz, I again met with Kuznetsov. After discussing the situation, it was decided, simultaneously with the planned mobilization, to begin the formation of the people's militia, in the spirit of the traditions of the Patriotic War of 1812 ”.
On June 27, 1941, the Military Council of the Northern Front and the City Party Committee decided to create a people's militia (DANO) to help the cadre units of the Leningrad Army. At the end of June, the Military Council and the LANO headquarters were organized. General A.I.Subbotin was appointed commander of the army, and the members of the Military Council were L.M. chief of staff - Colonel M.N. Nikitin. On July 2, 1941, at the first meeting of the Military Council, responsibilities for the formation of LANO were distributed among its members (30).
In all districts of the city, from June 30, direct work began on the formation of divisions of the people's militia. With the adoption of the decision to create the Leningrad army of the people's militia, the patriotic impulse of the Leningraders began to acquire specific organizational forms. Thousands of people now turned to the district commissions for the formation of the people's militia divisions, to the commissions for the selection of volunteers at the city's largest enterprises.
At the beginning of July 1941, at many factories, factories, offices and educational institutions rallies of thousands of workers were held. The working class of Leningrad declared its readiness to defend itself with arms in hand hometown... The resolution adopted at the workshop meetings of the Kirov plant on July 2, 1941, stated:
“At the first call of the party and government, we all, as one, will go to help the Red Army beat the fascist geeks. We will create powerful volunteer detachments to defeat fascism. "
The rallies, culminating in the adoption of resolutions on the creation of a people's militia and enrollment in its ranks, were held at the Metallichesky, Baltiysky, Bolshevik, Krasny Vyborzhets factories and hundreds of other enterprises in the city.
In these terrible days, the best features of the Soviet intelligentsia, together with the entire people, rose to defend the Motherland from the Nazi invaders with special force. Thousands of scientists, workers of literature and art, teachers and doctors applied for enrollment in the ranks of the people's militia. By the 5 th of 1941, 80 Leningrad writers joined the militia. The outstanding Soviet composer D. D. Shostakovich wrote in the newspaper Leningradskaya Pravda:
“I volunteered for the people's militia. Until these days, I knew only peaceful labor. Now I am ready to take up arms. I know that fascism and the end of culture, the end of civilization are unambiguous. Historically, the victory of fascism is absurd and impossible, but I know that you can save humanity from death only by fighting. "
The ardent desire of representatives of all strata of the population of working Leningrad to take an active part in the defense of the city found its expression in an ever-growing stream of applications asking to be enrolled in the people's militia.
In total, over 200 thousand applications were received in Leningrad from the city workers, asking to send them to the front. Strenuous organizational work was needed to select the required number of volunteers from this stream of applications and to form combat-ready detachments of the people's militia.
The commissions for the selection of volunteers created in the regions and at large enterprises had a responsible task: in the shortest possible time to select and send people fit for military service to the formed units, taking into account the interests of production. Many of these commissions, due to the large number of applications, had to work for 18-20 hours. per day.
Naturally, it was impossible to satisfy the desire of all applicants. Many of them could not be sent to the militia either due to their age or health reasons, others were needed to work in the defense industry, etc.
The selection of volunteers from among the applicants was accelerated. On the first day of the work of the commissions (June 30) in Leningrad, 10,890 volunteers were selected, by July 10 there were already 110 thousand (34).
The majority of the militia were workers from Leningrad. There were many volunteers from the intelligentsia and students, which is especially typical for areas with a large number of universities and research institutes (Vasileostrovsky, Kuibyshevsky, etc.).
In parts of the Leningrad Army of the People's Militia (LANO), one could meet many famous people Leningrad: Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, Honored Teacher of the Republic M.V. Kropacheva, University Professor K.F. Ogorodnikov, film director Pavel Armand and many others. The famous Soviet athletes L. Meshkov, E. Belkovsky, Y. Yakukhpov came to the militia. A lot of girls from the army were also enrolled, who later saved the lives of thousands of soldiers and commanders.
Communists and Komsomol members of Leningrad were in the forefront of patriots: about 20 thousand communists and 18 thousand members of the Komsomol joined the militia. Divisions, fighter regiments, artillery and machine-gun battalions, formed from the volunteers of Leningrad, comprised from 20 to 46% of the communists and Komsomol members.
The first three divisions of the people's militia of Leningrad were formed in an extremely short time. The 1st division of the people's militia was recruited mainly from the workers of the Kirov region. At the largest enterprise in this region - the renowned Kirovsky plant - already in the first days of the war, more than 15 thousand applications were filed with a request to be enrolled in the regional division of the people's militia. This made it possible to form two rifle regiments from the Kirovites, an artillery and a tank unit of the division. However, to do so would mean to deprive the plant of many skilled workers necessary for the production of defense products. Therefore, at the direction of the City Party Committee, it was decided to restrict itself to recruiting from the workers and employees of the Kirov plant the first rifle and artillery regiments of the division. The second rifle regiment formed the collective of the plant. AA Zhdanov, the third consisted mainly of workers of the Dzerzhinsky region. The commanders and commissars of divisions of the division were also selected from the workers of the enterprises who completed the unit. On July 5, 1941, units of the division were transferred to the barracks position and began to master military knowledge. At the same time, the organizational strengthening of the division was carried out. On July 10, the formation of the 1st division of the people's militia was completed. General F.P. Rodii was appointed commander of the division, regimental commissar Kostrikov was deputy for political affairs, and D.A. Podrezov was the head of the political department. The division consisted of three rifle and one artillery regiments, a reconnaissance battalion, and a communications battalion. The formed division was solemnly presented with the Red Banner of the Kirov Plant. Arriving on July 11 at the Batetskaya station, the fighters of the 1st division of the people's militia took up defensive positions in one of the sections of the Luga line and soon entered bloody battles with superior forces enemy.
At the same time, the formation of the 2nd (Moscow) and 3rd (Frunzenskaya) divisions of the people's militia took place. The 2nd division of the people's militia was recruited in the Moscow region. The 1st Infantry Regiment of the division consisted mainly of workers at the Electrosila plant; 2nd - factories "Skorokhod", "Proletarian Victory" No. 1 and 2; 3rd - from the volunteers of the Leninsky, Kuibyshevsky and Moscow districts. The artillery regiment, formed on the territory of the Lenmyasokombinat, was joined by workers of this enterprise, as well as students of the Institute and the Technical School of Aircraft Engineering. The division's political staff was staffed with workers from the district and city party and Soviet organizations. Colonel NS Ugryumov, Hero of the Soviet Union, was appointed commander of the division, PT Tikhonov, deputy commander for political affairs, and GS Krasovsky, head of the political department. On July 12, 1941, the formation of the division was completed. The next day she left Leningrad. On July 14, from Weimarn station, units of the division headed for the Luga defensive line.
By this time, the formation of the 3rd division of the people's militia was completed, staffed mainly from the workers of the Frunzensky and partly Vyborg districts. On the night of July 15, units of the division marched to the front, passing 25 km on the first day, they soon reached Kingisepp. At the end of July, the main forces of the division (two rifle and artillery regiments) were transferred to the Finnish border and took up defenses along the river. Tulokse.
Somewhat later, by order of the LANO Military Council, by the middle of July 1941, the 4th light infantry division of the people's militia was formed. Colonel P.I.Radygits became the commander of the division, and senior battalion commissar I.A.Stepanov became the commissar.
Simultaneously with the formation of the first divisions of the people's militia, work was carried out to recruit fourteen artillery and machine gun battalions to advance them to the distant and near approaches to Leningrad. Battalions, unlike divisions, were formed from the militias of one region and often entirely at the largest enterprises of the city from among the most prepared for military service volunteers.
The personnel of each battalion was equal to about a thousand people; the total number of all fourteen artillery bullets amounted to over 14 thousand people.
The morale of the all-volunteer militia divisions was high. It has already been noted that the militia came the best people all segments of the population of Leningrad. The units were firmly cemented by the communists and Komsomol members, who made up a significant part of the personnel. At the same time, the haste with which the people's militia units were created, the organizers' lack of the necessary experience in recruiting large military units, a number of objective reasons associated with a surprise attack by the enemy and insufficient preparation of the country for the start of the war - all this could not but affect the quality of the new formations.
The commanders of the divisions and subunits of the people's militia were not sufficiently trained to direct the hostilities. There were very few cadre commanders in the people's militia units. The overwhelming majority of militia commanders came from the reserve. Naturally, the lack of experience of the commanders of the units of the militia divisions affected in the very first battles with the enemy. The rank and file of the people's militia units, recruited in a matter of days, were also poorly prepared to participate in battles with the enemy's cadre units. In addition, some types of weapons and military equipment were lacking. The situation was relatively well with the rifles, which received the overwhelming majority of the militia. However, some of the rifles were of outdated designs or of foreign origin. As for light and heavy machine guns, all units of the people's militia were armed with them, but their number did not correspond to the norms of the staffing of personnel units. It should be noted that guards divisions the people's militia were somewhat better armed than the first three divisions, formed in an extremely short time. The people's militia units also had guns of various calibers, some of them worn out, and a certain amount of anti-tank weapons and mortars.
Despite significant shortcomings in the training of the people's militia units, these formations played their role and provided great assistance to the cadre units of the Red Army in the defense of the city from the Nazi invaders. Divisions, artillery and machine gun battalions and fighter regiments created from the militia provided the front with more than 135 thousand volunteer fighters
In addition to the divisions of the people's militia and artillery and machine gun battalions, in July - August 1941, other formations of Leningrad workers were created: partisan (or extermination) regiments and detachments, extermination and workers' battalions.
From about July 24-26, 1941, organized military training of workers began in all districts of the city. By August 10, military training was carried out in more than 900 organizations and covered more than 100 thousand people. At the Skorokhod factory, more than 90% of all men were trained. The team of the Admiralty Plant also achieved good results in military training. At the Kirov plant, training groups for tankers and tank destroyers were created. Plant them. Karl Marx organized training for grenade launchers and machine gunners, Vulcan for motorcyclists, and Krasnaya Zarya for signalmen.
Great contribution to the battle and physical fitness brought in by Soviet athletes. The leading role in this work belonged to the Institute of Physical Culture named after PF Lesgaft. Until the end of 1941, students and teachers of the institute trained over 200 thousand Leningraders in grenade throwing and hand-to-hand combat.
Despite the fact that military training in July - August 1941 took place in very difficult conditions and had shortcomings, its positive result was evident: Leningraders who attended classes at enterprises and institutions gave the front thousands of new fighters, whose combat training already required much less time than preparing untrained reserves.
5. Defense of Leningrad
Thus, in the plans of the Hitlerite command, Leningrad was given a special place. Considerable forces were concentrated to capture the city. In early July, the Nazis managed to capture almost the entire Baltic region and invade the Leningrad region. However, in the second half of July 1941, as a result of stubborn defensive battles of the Soviet ground forces, aviation and the navy, the offensive of the German fascist forces to Leningrad was stopped. The plan of the Hitlerite command to seize Leningrad on the move was thwarted.
The massive nature of the volunteer movement made it possible at the beginning of the Patriotic War to create units of many thousands, which provided, albeit at the cost of great sacrifices, significant assistance to the troops defending Leningrad.
As part of all volunteer formations, including the part of the people's militia itself, about 160 thousand fighters and commanders left Leningrad for the front. Taking into account the same mobilized by the regional military commissariats from June 23 to October 1, 1941, Leningrad gave the front 431 thousand people. A significant part of those who went to the front were communists and Komsomol members of the city. During the first three months of the war, the Leningrad party organization sent to the front, upon conscription and voluntarily, over 54 thousand communists. Party organizations in most parts of the city were reduced by almost half. The patriotic upsurge and the direct participation of Leningraders in the battles on the outskirts of the city played an important role in halting the German offensive against Leningrad.
Again war, again blockade ...
Maybe we can forget about them?
I sometimes hear:
"Do not,
no need to reopen the wounds ... "
And it may seem:
The words are right and convincing.
But even if it's true
Such a truth is not right.
I'm not worrying in vain
So that that war is not forgotten:
After all, this memory is our conscience.
We need it as a force.
The battle for Leningrad is perhaps the most heroic and tragic page not only of the Great Patriotic War, not only of the Second World War, but of the entire world history. Humanity does not know of another such example, when a huge city for almost 900 days was in the merciless ring of the enemy blockade and not only lived, but also courageously fought against the enemy.
Many books, songs, films have been written about the courage, perseverance, dignity of the defenders and residents of besieged Leningrad ...
Still walking through the horrors of war
We have experienced everything, and to the fullest,
The descendants will not believe anyone,
Someone will not believe, we should!
We must all believe, Leningraders,
And if necessary, having searched the whole world,
Learn the heroism, the courage to gain,
Let's open the veil of time, return to the past, try to restore the events of besieged Leningrad.
The times of siege are unprecedented times. You can go into them as into an endless labyrinth of sensations and experiences that today seem to be a dream or a play of imagination. Then it was life, it consisted of days and nights.
The war broke out suddenly, and everything peaceful disappeared somehow at once.
Once in different parts of the city there were sounds incomprehensible to the inhabitants. The first shells exploded.
Then they got used to them, they entered the life of the city, but in those first days they gave the impression of unreality.
Everything that happened was only the beginning of such tests, which the inhabitants of the city never dreamed of. And these tests have come!
The enemy insidiously used all means to strangle, destroy, crush the population of Leningrad, force them to surrender. The barbaric bombing and artillery shelling of the city lasted 18 hours, there was a severe famine and unprecedented cold in the winter of 1941-1942, city transport stopped, there was no electricity, fuel, water supply and sewerage.
But all the tragic confusion of those terrible days was dominated by a proud spirit of resistance, hatred of the enemy, readiness to fight on the streets and in homes to the last patron, to the last drop of blood.
Leningraders worked day and night to provide the fighting troops with everything they needed to conduct hostilities, did not leave the workshops for weeks, fainted from hunger, but did not leave their jobs. That was the unity of the army and the people, the unity of the country, unparalleled in the history of war.
Hitler failed to seize the city by storm, raze it to the ground and make it uninhabited. And then he bet on hunger.
On August 30, the railway connection was interrupted, and the last thread, last hope The Road of Life, which runs through Lake Ladoga, came to the rescue.
The search for something suitable for food began. The flour sacks were shaken out at the mills, and the flour dust that had accumulated on them over the years was carefully collected from the walls. Under enemy fire, they dug potatoes, collected vegetables - everything, right down to the green cabbage leaf.
The bread ration has been drastically reduced. From November 20, workers began to receive 250g., And employees, dependents and children - 125g each of a rancid lumpy mass called bread.
I, as a frontier, will remember the evening:
I carried bread in my hand home,
And suddenly a neighbor met me.
"Change to a dress," he says.
You don't want to change - give it out of friendship,
The tenth day, as the daughter lies.
I don't bury - she needs a coffin,
They will make him for our bread.
Give it back, you yourself gave birth! "
And I said: "I won't give it up"
And she squeezed the poor hunk tighter.
“Give,” she asked, “you
Buried the child herself,
I brought flowers then
So that you decorate the grave. "
As if at the end of the earth
Alone, in the darkness, in a fierce battle
Two women - we walked side by side:
Two mothers, two Leningrad women.
And, possessed, she prayed
Long, bitterly, timidly.
And I had enough strength
Don't give up my bread for a coffin.
And I had the strength to lead
Her to herself, whispering gloomily:
"On, eat a piece,
Eat, I'm sorry
I'm not sorry for the living, don't think. "
Having lived December, January, February,
I repeat with a shiver of happiness:
"I'm not sorry for anything alive -
no tears, no joy, no passion. "
During the blockade, about 800 thousand Leningraders died of hunger. Death was reaping its terrible harvest.
I freeze in front of this window.
The blockade ice melted in her.
We are truly invincible.
Here are the toys of the siege days!
Airplanes made of cardboard
And a big rag bear.
Funny kitten on plywood
And the picture: "DEATH TO Fascists!"
The figures indicated
Silhouettes of the houses of relatives
Where every potbelly stove at night
A live spring beat out victories.
And over the city - bomb carriers,
But hawks beat them from above.
Tears froze in the blockade.
There were frosts on our shelves.
But in almost any apartment
(well, at least in any house!)
Someone just lived in a child's world,
Guiding this world with difficulty.
Someone Christmas toys
He made colored paper out of paper.
So, breaking the blockade ring,
The toys went into mortal combat!
Leningrad children became full-fledged defenders of the besieged city. Together with the adults, they prepared their city for defense: they covered the windows with strips of paper crosswise, freed attics and basements from old rubbish, and dug shelters to hide in them during artillery shelling.
Young Leningraders believed in inevitable victory. He did not know if they would survive, and on the pages of their diaries, they described life without corrections for what would happen.
On the banks of the Neva, in a museum building,
A very modest diary is kept.
It was written by Tanya Savicheva.
He attracts everyone who comes.
The Savichevs died. They all died. Only Tanya remained. "
Leningraders, having destroyed all the plans of their enemies, turned out to be incredibly hardy and strong in spirit. The grapes of national anger were ripening, and it already seemed that, not today or tomorrow, hatred for the fascists would splash out and with great force would fall upon them. The hearts of the Leningraders and the soldiers who defended the city lived in one thing: to break the blockade of Leningrad faster.
In early December 1942, the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief approved the proposals of the military councils of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts to conduct offensive operation in order to break the blockade. The operation was codenamed "Iskra". Having approved the plan of the operation, the Headquarters appointed two of its representatives to coordinate the actions of the front troops - Marshal of the Soviet Union K.E. Voroshilov, as well as General of the Army G.K. Zhukov, who infeature film "Blockade" based on the novel by Alexander Chakovsky
our famous countryman played so talentedMikhail Alexandrovich Ulyanov.
The immediate breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad began at 9:30 am on January 12, 1943 with artillery, and in the zone of the Volkhov front and with aviation training. At 11:45 a.m., when the artillery fire of the Leningrad Front reached its highest intensity, assault and obstacle groups descended on the ice of the Neva, and rushed swiftly to the opposite bank. The commander of the 268th Infantry Division (then Colonel, later General of the Army SN Shcheglov) wrote about it like this: “... the dead fell, and the wounded, those who could not stand on their feet, crawling, straining their last strength, tried to help their comrades ... It seemed that all the pain of Leningrad, all its hatred for the enemy bubbled in the hearts of these heroes, and there is no such force that could stop them. "
On January 18, the enemy grouping in Shlisselburg was destroyed. The German units remaining in the forests and swamps were captured or defeated, and the southern coast of Lake Ladoga was cleared of the enemy.
66 years separates us from the time when our troops finally lifted the blockade of Leningrad, which lasted from August 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944.
Siege Leningrad ... these are thousands, hundreds of thousands of the brightest examples of loyalty to the Fatherland. There are heroes who have become famous throughout the country,and our fellow countrymen, whom we are very proud of, because each of them bravely fulfilled his soldier's duty.
Peter Iosifovich Rubanov
During his service at the front, he was a submachine gunner, a mortarman, and a machine gunner.
The battle path of Pyotr Iosifovich also passed through the Leningrad Front. He remembers that the military units stood at the frontline without fail, giving no peace to the enemy, day or night.
Afanasy Grigorievich Konyaev
Petr Nikolaevich Kleschev
Was born in 1916. Lieutenant, platoon commander of the 48th artillery regiment. Veteran of war and labor, defender of the besieged Leningrad, Peter Nikolaevich Kleschev shares his memories. “I lived before being drafted into the army in the village of Kawaza, which is no longer in our region.
The service began when we, young guys, were sent to Omsk, and then to Barnaul to study as commanders. After six months of study and passing exams, he was awarded the rank of junior lieutenant, and then received a lieutenant at the front. They took us to the Chelyabinsk region, to the village of Cheberkul.
It was a hard time, we were driving in terrible conditions. I was enrolled in the 5th mortar brigade, which was replenished and replenished with soldiers. At the end of 1941 we were sent to defend Leningrad, and the Germans were already approaching Kaliningrad. At night they crossed the line, there were no casualties or wounded, and the first echelon came under fire. Cars were bombed in winter and ships were bombed in summer.
I still remember the borders on the Sinyavinsky swamps near the villages. The Germans held on to the Pulkovo Heights. We were species, at a glance, nowhere to hide. We saw enough of everything - peat bogs were burning, people fell into them and disappeared without a trace, even villages burned out. It was a terrible picture.
The entire Leningrad Region was liberated. He fought until the blockade was lifted. I, as a defender, then had the great honor to participate in the parade, to salute on the Champ de Mars. In the morning they lined us up at the station, sent us in formation. We walked and sang: "There is a people's war, a holy war ...". People were crying.
Tens of thousands of Leningraders took to the streets and squares of their rebellious city. The hour of the fireworks has come. Silence broke the first volley. The sky was lit up with a thousand rockets and searchlights. The general jubilation was boundless.
Although there was a victory in Leningrad, the war was not over for us soldiers. Again the front, bloody battles ... went beyond the borders of Russia. They surrounded 30 German divisions in East Prussia. In the morning they gave artillery barrage and the Germans surrendered by hanging a white flag. Later he liberated Estonia, the islands of Dago and Ezel.
They are no longer alive - participants in those hostilities. The ranks of the veterans of the Great Patriotic War are thinning. But time has no power over the bright human memory, which are worthy of those who have not lived to this day. There are thousands of them - defenders and residents of the besieged city, who died in that war and died later. Let us honor their memory.
Love for the Fatherland, great Russia, moved the defenders of the city on the Neva and its inhabitants, as one who stood up to defend their city. This is the main philosophical lesson of the Leningrad epic of courage, this is the golden formula given to all of us as a legacy by the front-line generation of compatriots.
72 years have passed, and more will pass, but the feat of Leningrad will forever remain in our memory and in the history of Russia.
On January 27, 1944, Leningrad was completely liberated from the Nazi blockade. The courage of the inhabitants of the northern capital turned out to be stronger than the enemy attacks. Leningraders spent 871 days in the most difficult conditions, dying of hunger and freezing right on the streets, but did not let the enemy in and defended the city. the site tells about heroism ordinary peoplewho died for the peaceful life of their descendants.
Hero climbers
Every day the Nazis bombed besieged Leningrad. Sometimes the shelling did not stop day and night. The high spiers of historic buildings and the domes of the churches of the Northern capital served as landmarks for the enemy guns. All these structures had to be disguised - upholstered with wooden boards or painted over. A group of 30 mountain climbers was sent to complete this task. When they painted over the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral with gray paint, they hit 40-degree frosts. Climbers wielded brushes at night, at an altitude of over 122 meters. All of them could leave the city during the evacuation, but they did not - they wanted to protect other residents of Leningrad. Thanks to the fearlessness of the climbers, the architectural monuments of the Northern capital were not destroyed, and thousands of lives were saved.Music of the besieged city
In the first months after the beginning of the blockade, composer Dmitry Shostakovich created his Seventh Symphony, which he called "Leningrad", or "Blockade". "Our struggle against fascism, our coming victory over the enemy, my native Leningrad ...", - he wrote on the score. The premiere of the symphony in Leningrad took place on August 9, 1942 in the Great Philharmonic Hall. There were no empty seats. The music was heard by all Leningraders: the symphony was broadcast on all city loudspeakers and radios. The sounds of music also reached the enemy who was besieging the city. Even then it was clear: the spirit of the Leningradians could not be broken. According to the recollections of the residents of the Northern capital, this concert at the Philharmonic instilled in them confidence and gave them strength to withstand the test of the blockade.
Seeds for the future
The besieged Leningrad did not begin to leave 13 employees of the Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry, which is located on St. Isaac's Square. They stayed behind to preserve the huge stock of crops. Oats, rice, millet, barley, peanuts, and almonds were stored in the buildings of the institute. All this would have been more than enough for the employees of the institute who remained in the city, but for all the years of the blockade, they did not touch a single bag of grain. They were weakening, although the grain was two steps away - stretch out your hand! The main task of the staff was to restore agriculture after the war - and the people of Leningrad had no doubt that the Soviet Union would win - the grain was therefore inviolable. During the blockade, three employees of the institute - keepers of rice, oats and oilseeds - died of starvation right at their workplaces. The grain they saved helped the Soviet Union quickly return to normal life after the war.
The road of life
A few days after the beginning of the blockade, on September 12, 1941, the Road of Life opened - a transport highway across Lake Ladoga. It was through it that residents of the besieged city were evacuated and food was delivered to Leningrad. In the summer, a fascist shell could hit the "lorry", and in winter the car also risked falling through the ice, but the drivers did not stop in front of danger. In a year and a half of work, the Roads of Life transported more than 1 million 615 thousand tons of cargo and evacuated more than 1 million 376 thousand people.Football during the blockade
The first blockade winter became the most difficult for Leningraders. But she did not break the spirit of the inhabitants of the Northern capital. In the spring, on May 31, 1942, the first football match took place in the city - between Dynamo and the team of the Leningrad Metal Plant. Due to the bombing, the game had to be interrupted several times, and the halves were reduced to 30 minutes. Despite the difficulties, the match was finished before the final whistle. Football players who entered the field and played full force, declared to the whole city: "Leningrad is alive!"
Blockade tram
At the beginning of the first blockade winter, the electricity supply in Leningrad was cut off. The city was completely de-energized. At the cost of incredible efforts in March 1942, the tram traffic was “revived”. The tram ran in the city throughout the blockade. The wagons carried not only passengers, but also the wounded, food, raw materials and fuel for factories. The blockade tram became a symbol of besieged Leningrad: thanks to it, it was clear that the city was alive.
Leningrad theater
A year after the beginning of the blockade, on October 18, 1942, a theater named after V.F. Komissarzhevskaya. It appeared at the most terrible time, when hundreds of people died every day at home and on the streets - from hunger and cold. The first performance was a production based on the play by Konstantin Simonov "Russian People" about courage soviet intelligence officers... The artists who played on the stage were themselves exhausted and exhausted, but the viewer could not see this: the actors tried, as never before, so that Leningraders would forget about their grief at least for a couple of hours. Until now, some pensioners call the theater named after Komissarzhevskaya Blockade.
Fearless girls
The girls who remained in besieged Leningrad made an invaluable contribution to the Victory. Yesterday's schoolgirls, 18-year-old girls, voluntarily joined the 34th separate engineering battalion of mines and tank destroyers. During the blockade, the "girl's team", as the battalion was called in the city, stretched kilometers of communication wires and defused thousands of shells.Hammer woman
With the outbreak of the war, the husband of Tatyana Yakovleva, a worker at the Metal Plant, went to the front. The woman decided to become a steam hammer driver instead of her husband. She mastered this specialty and got down to work. When one of the shop's hammers died of hunger, Tatiana began to work for him to fulfill an urgent order for the front. After taking a shift as a hammer, a 50-year-old woman replaced a heater who could no longer work. After three shifts, the Leningrad woman forgot herself for a short sleep, and then again took up the hammer. Throughout the war, she worked at the factory for two.
Boy's feat
To extinguish incendiary bombs on the roofs of buildings in besieged Leningrad, attendants worked, who always had to be on the alert. When the bomb fell on the roof of the house, the duty officer quickly took it with iron tongs and threw it into a specially prepared barrel of water, covered it with sand. In some cases, bombs were dropped down to the ground - and extinguished already there. Among those on duty was a teenager Pavel Lovygin.
Once, during his shift, two incendiary bombs hit the roof at once. They burned through the iron roof and ended up in the attic. There was little time. Pavel grabbed the bombs by the stabilizers and threw them into the barrel. From shell fragments, the ceiling in the attic caught fire. The teenager began to extinguish them when two more bombs hit the roof. Paul received severe burns and fell, but, overcoming the pain, got up and put out all the bombs. After being treated in the hospital, he went on duty again. For courage and heroism, the teenager was awarded a government award.
Today I want to talk about many, many heroes.
How well do you know your native St. Petersburg? How many and which streets are named after the heroes of the war? I tried to collect the most complete list of streets named after the heroes of the war.
I apologize in advance to the relatives of the heroes and readers for not being able to publish here a photo of every hero and every street. For the brevity of the description of the life and feat of the hero. In the current form of a blog, such a publication is almost impossible. But all the data about the heroes, about the streets named after them, are on the Internet. You can open it.
Renaming and renaming of streets in Leningrad was carried out by resolutions of the executive committee of the Leningrad City Council, which were often accustomed to significant dates. Therefore, I will arrange the street mentions in chronological order.
The first names in honor of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War appeared in Leningrad on the fifth anniversary of the lifting of the blockade, January 27, 1949.
1. Grafova Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Junior Lieutenant Igor Aleksandrovich Grafov was one of the first to cross the Narva River. When repelling the seventh counterattack, he died in hand-to-hand combat.
2. Zaitsev Street. Major General Panteleimon Aleksandrovich Zaitsev supervised the construction of defensive structures around Leningrad, commanded a people's militia division, and took part in lifting the blockade. When crossing the Narva River, he was seriously wounded and died of his wounds.
3. Sevastyanov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, senior lieutenant Alexei Tikhonovich Sevastyanov fought as a fighter pilot. He made the first night bomber ramming over Leningrad. Died near the village of Rakhya in 1942 during the defense of the Road of Life.
4. Commissar Smirnov Street. Battalion commissar Nikolai Alekseevich Smirnov died heroically in September 1941 during the defense of the Pulkovo Heights.
In July 1950, four streets in Leningrad were named after the pilots - Heroes of the Soviet Union.
1. Street Gastello. Hero of the Soviet Union Captain Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello sent his burning bomber into the enemy column.
2. Gubin Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Sergeant Nazar Petrovich Gubin was killed in a fiery ram in the plane of Ivan Chernykh.
3. Kosinova Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Lieutenant Semyon Kirillovich Kosinov was killed in a fiery ram in the plane of Ivan Chernykh.
4. Savushkina Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Captain Alexander Petrovich Savushkin, navigator of the 11th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment flew 300 sorties, destroyed 18 enemy aircraft in 50 air battles. Killed in a plane crash in May 1943 while ferrying a new aircraft.
In December 1952, military leaders were immortalized in honor of Stalin's birthday
1. Vatutin Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, General of the Army Nikolai Fedorovich Vatutin during the Great Patriotic War, consistently led the troops of the Voronezh, South-Western and 1st Ukrainian fronts. Stalingrad, Kursk, Kiev, Korsun-Shevchenko operation ... Died on February 29, 1944 in an ambush by the UPA.
2. Chernyakhovsky Street. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, General of the Army Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky commanded the Central Front, later the 3rd Belorussian Front. Killed in East Prussia in February 1945.
seven defenders of Leningrad
1. Boytsov Lane. Hero of the Soviet Union, senior lieutenant Igor Mikhailovich Boytsov, when breaking the blockade of Leningrad, called fire on his dying battery.
2. Brinko Lane. Hero of the Soviet Union Lieutenant Pyotr Antonovich Brinko defended the skies of Leningrad as deputy commander of the aviation squadron of the 13th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 61st Fighter Aviation Brigade of the Baltic Fleet Air Force. Received the title of Hero for ramming with the preservation of his aircraft. He died on September 14, 1941 near Strelna.
3. Grivtsova Lane. Hero of the Soviet Union, Private Alexander Ivanovich Grivtsov, distinguished himself during the liberation of Narva. On the ice of the river, he transported an artillery battery on a trailer and then supplied it with shells. He died there.
4. Efimov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Captain Matvey Andreevich Efimov defended the skies of Leningrad as a fighter pilot. Killed in action in January 1943.
5. Potapov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Senior Lieutenant Alexander Semenovich Potapov fought in the sky of Leningrad as an attack pilot. The flight commander of the 57th Assault Aviation Regiment of the 8th Bomber Aviation Brigade of the Baltic Fleet Air Force, Alexander Potapov, died on the first day of Operation Iskra to break the blockade of Leningrad, January 12, 1943. This happened in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Sinyavinsky Heights.
6. Smolyachkova Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, Private Feodosiy Artemyevich Smolyachkov, because of his unconscious age, left as a militia. Repeatedly went to the rear of the enemy as a scout, then became the pioneer of sniper movement on the Leningrad front. 125 killed enemies. He died in January 1942.
7. Ushkovskaya Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Private Dmitry Konstantinovich Ushkov went through the entire blockade as a rifleman, often performing the duties of a sapper. On June 13, 1944, when bloody battles began on the Karelian Isthmus, when the enemy's defenses were breached at Mustolovskie heights, corporal Ushkov closed the embrasure of the enemy bunker with his body.
and seven more people, whose names have become symbols of resistance to the enemy
1. Alexander Matrosov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Private Alexander Matveevich Matrosov on February 27, 1943, in a battle near the village of Chernushki, closed the embrasure of the bunker.
2. Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya street. Hero of the Soviet Union, the partisan, the first female Hero, Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya graduated from the Central sabotage and reconnaissance school. After successfully completing the second mission, she fell into the hands of the enemy and was hanged after brutal torture.
3. Konstantin Zaslonov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, commander of the Orsha partisan brigade, Konstantin Sergeevich Zaslonov, died in battle in November 1942.
4. Liza Chaikina Street. Liza Chaikina was a fighter of the secret military unit 9903. After joining the partisans, she carried out propaganda work among the population. In November 1941, she was captured and shot.
5. Sergey Tyulenin Lane. Hero of the Soviet Union, partisan Sergei Gavriilovich Tyulenin was the leader of the group and a member of the headquarters of the underground organization "Young Guard". In January 1943, he died during torture in the dungeons of the Gestapo, where he got on the denunciation of a traitor.
6. Talalikhin lane. Hero of the Soviet Union, junior lietegant Viktor Vasilyevich Talalikhin on August 7, 1941 made the world's first night aircraft. Killed in action in October 1941.
7. Ulyana Gromova Lane. Hero of the Soviet Union, member of the headquarters of the Young Guard organization Ulyana Matveyevna Gromova was executed in January 1943 after severe torture.
195?
1. Shcherbakov Street. Colonel General Aleksandr Sergeevich Shcherbakov was a Soviet statesman and party leader. During the war, he headed the Main Political Directorate of the Soviet Army, was the Deputy People's Commissar of Defense and headed the Soviet Information Bureau.
1955.
1. Marshal Govorov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Marshal of the Soviet Union Leonid Aleksandrovich Govorov led the defense of Leningrad from April 1942 and liberated Karelia. He was distinguished by his personal courage.
2. Tipanova Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, Private Alexander Fedorovich Tipanov in January 1944, the goal at the Pulkovo Heights repeated the feat of Matrosov.
In the early 60s, the thematic principle names in new districts (never, however, strictly observed): the names in each district should be devoted to the same topic. For the theme of the Great Patriotic War, they chose the South-West - the newly built up part of the Kirovsky and (later) Krasnoselsky regions from Dachnoye to Sosnovaya Polyana. The choice was not accidental - this area was cut in two by the line of defense, passing along the Dudergofka River, and here subsequently the Belt of Glory and the Front Edge of Defense squares arose.
1962.
1. Zina Portnova Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, a young partisan Zinaida Martynovna Portnova was shot after long torture. She and her sister poisoned more than a hundred fascists in the dining room. During interrogation by the Gestapo, she managed to get hold of the investigator's pistol. From it, she shot him and two more fascists.
Many names related to the military theme appeared in the city in 1964-1965 in preparation for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Victory.
1964.
1. Ermak street. Hero of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant Vladimir Ivanovich Ermak, while cleaning his service weapon, fired an involuntary shot and hit a soldier. The Tribunal of the Leningrad Front demoted him and sent him to the penal battalion. On July 19, 1943, Vladimir Yermak conducted reconnaissance in force in the Sinyavin area. For the sake of completing the assigned task, he closed the embrasure of the enemy bunker with his chest, repeating the feat of Alexander Matrosov.
2. Gegeral Simonyak Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Guards Lieutenant-General Nikolai Pavlovich Simonyak for three wars has gone from private to corps commander. He defended Leningrad, participated in the operations "Iskra", "Neva-2".
3. Leni Golikov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Lenya Golikov is a legendary pioneer partisan. Killed in action in January 1943 at the age of 16.
4. Pilyutov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Pyotr Andreevich Pilyutov, participating in the rescue of the Chelyuskinites, came up with the idea of \u200b\u200btaking them out in boxes from spare parachutes tied under the wings. During the war he flew as a fighter. Accompanying 9 transport boards with evacuated people, he entered into battle with a superior enemy over Ladoga. Shot down two henkels, but he was shot down too. Miraculously survived 21 injuries. Made 1945 combat missions!
5. Street of the partisan German. Hero of the Soviet Union, the commander of the partisan brigade Alexander Viktorovich German was the leader partisan movement Leningrad region. He died in battle in September 1943 while leaving the encirclement of the punishers.
6. Street border guard Garkavy. The outpost of Major Alexei Dmitrievich Garkavy was one of the first to meet the enemy in June 1941 in Karelia. Then he fought on the Leningrad front. In October 1941, Major Garkavy died heroically on the Nevsky Ptachka.
7. Submariner Kuzmin Street. Lieutenant-Commander Pavel Semenovich Kuzmin - commander of the pl. Shch-408. In May 1943, near Vindho Island in the Gulf of Finland, during a forced ascent, the boat entered an unequal battle. Having sunk two enemy boats, she received serious damage. The captain preferred to give up the boat.
8. Soldier Korzun Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Private Andrei Grigorievich Korzun fought in the artillery. On November 5, 1943, he was wounded by a shell splinter, another splinter set fire to artillery charges. They could detonate shells and Korzun decided to extinguish the fire. When he crawled to the charges of strength, there was no longer even to take off his overcoat, and he extinguished the fire himself. It cost him his life.
9. Tambasov Street. Sergeant Major of the 1st Class of the battleship "October Revolution" Ivan Ivanovich Tambasov. April 16, 1943 "Oktyabrskaya
the revolution "was on the Neva, in Leningrad itself, and long-range artillery
fired at the enemy. On the deck of the Soviet ship, one of the
hard shells. The fire that engulfed the deck flooring threatened artillery
cellar. Preventing the possibility of explosion and death of the cruiser, Ivan
Tambasov began to throw shells overboard. The last of them exploded at
in his hands.
1965.
1. Belousov Street. Major-artilleryman Vitaly Fedorovich Belousov went through the entire war from Leningrad to almost Berlin. He died on April 30, 1945 from wounds, liberating the village of Kushkov, 50 km from Berlin.
2. Ivan Chernykh Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, junior lieutenant Ivan Sergeevich Chernykh sent his burning plane into the enemy column. The entire crew perished with him.
3. Karbysheva Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Lieutenant General Dmitry Mikhailovich Karbyshev is a prominent scientist and head of engineering in the army. While inspecting the construction of new fortifications, he was caught by the war. Coming out of the encirclement with battles, he was captured. He went through several death camps and on February 18, 1945, in Mauthausen, he was brutally killed by pouring water in the cold, like many prisoners of this camp.
4. Labutin Street. Pavel Ivanovich Labutin joined the militia, received the specialty of a sapper. On September 13, 1942, together with a group of scouts, he went for the "language". The group was discovered and a fight ensued. Saving the lives of his comrades, he covered the embrasure of the bunker. Instead of a Hero awarded the order Of the Red Banner.
5. Oskalenko Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Senior Lieutenant Dmitry Efimovich Oskalenko - fighter flight commander. Killed in action in September 1942 near Nevskaya Dubrovka.
6. Pastorov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union artillery captain Yuri Viktorovich Pastorov died heroically near Narva in March 1944.
7. Sergei Margo Street. The worker of the Karl Marx plant, Sergei Voldemarovich Margo, volunteered for the front in June 1941 and died in the same year.
8. Tankman Khrustitsky Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Colonel Vladislav Vladislavovich Khrustitsky commanded a tank brigade. She took an active part in the opera Iskra. He died in battle during the breakthrough of the Northern Wall at the Volosovo station.
9. Krasutsky Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, Captain Evgeny Ivanovich Krassutsky volunteered. On February 8, 1944, Krasutsky's battalion was the first to cross the Dnieper in the Nikopol region. On February 14, Krasutsky was seriously wounded and died of his wounds.
Later, outside the Southwest, titles dedicated to the Great Patriotic War appeared only from time to time.
1968.
1. Pokrysheva Street. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Major Major Pyotr Afanasyevich Pokryshev fought as a fighter pilot. ended the war with a serious injury received during the test of the aircraft. For the twice injured Hero, aircraft designer Alexander Yakovlev bought a specially prepared Yak-9 for the prize awarded to him, on which Pokryshev fought until the end of the Great Patriotic War. then headed the Leningrad airport.
1969.
1. Burtsev Street. In December 1941, a reconnaissance company under the command of political instructor Fyodor Mkhailovich Burtsev, having destroyed the guards, freed more than 200 Soviet prisoners of war from the camp. He died in January 1942.
2. Street Gribaleva. Sergeant Valentina Aleksandrovna Gribaleva fought as a tank driver from Leningrad to Germany. She died in battle on the western bank of the Oder River in February 1945.
3. Kharchenko Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, partisan Mikhail Semenovich Kharchenko showed heroism when delivering a convoy with food (200 carts) from residents of the partisan region of the Pskov region to besieged Leningrad. Killed in action in 1942.
1971.
1. Geerala Khrulev street. Lieutenant General Andrei Viktorovich Khrulev went from the capture of Winter Palace to Berlin. He met the war as the chief intendant of the Red Army. Then he was appointed Deputy People's Commissar of Defense and Head of Logistics, and later People's Commissar of Railways.
1974.
1. Marshal Zakharov Street. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Marshal of the Soviet Union Matvey Vasilievich Zakharov during the war led
the headquarters of the Kalinin, Steppe, 2nd Ukrainian and Trans-Baikal fronts.
2. Marshal Kazakov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Marshal of Artillery Vasily Ivanovich Kazakov developed the tactics of conducting an artillery war - "artillery offensive", "double barrage", "massive
artillery strike. ”He led the artillery of the 1st Belorussian Front, was present at the signing of the act of surrender, created and led the air defense of the Ground Forces.
The jubilee of the 30th anniversary of Victory in 1975 passed almost unnoticed for urban toponymy.
1975.
1. Voroshilov Street. Kliment Efremovich Voroshilov - statesman, party and military leader.
2. Zdorovtsev Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, junior lietegant Stepan Ivanovich Zdorovtsev was one of the first to receive this title for an air ram on June 28, 1941. Simultaneously with their fellow soldiers, fighters P. Kharitonov and M. Zhukov, who also committed a ram. Killed on July 9, 1941 in battle.
3. Marshal Zhukov Avenue. Four times Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov is known as the person who signed the surrender of Germany. In addition, in 1941 he established the defense of Leningrad, transformed Western front, who, thanks to this, inflicted the first serious defeat on the enemy near Moscow.
In the late 70s - early 80s, interest in the theme of the Great Patriotic War steadily declined.
1977.
1. Galstyan Street. Major General Beniamin Oganesovich Galstyan in the Great Patriotic War was the military commissar of the Neva operational group of forces, and then was appointed a member of the Military Council of the 42nd Army. On December 4, 1942 B. Galstyan died from a direct hit of an enemy shell into the dugout.
1978.
1. Olga Bergolts Street. Poetess Olga Bergolts became the voice of besieged Leningrad.
1979.
1. Kuznetsov Avenue. Alexey Alexandrovich Kuznetsov was one of the city's party leaders. It was he who, on June 22, 1941, in the absence of Zhdanov, held an emergency meeting of the party activists who worked out urgent measures for the defense of Leningrad.
2. Richard Sorge Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Richard Sorge is a legendary Soviet illegal spy. After three years of torture in a Japanese counterintelligence prison, he was executed on November 7, 1944.
1980.
1. Street Moldagulova. Hero of the Soviet Union corporal Aliya Nurmukhametovna Moldagulova is one of the most famous snipers of the Great Patriotic War. She died in battle in 1944 near Novosokolniki. 75 killed enemies.
1982.
1. Kosygin Avenue. Alexei Nikolaevich Kosygin is a prominent party and Soviet leader. During the war years, he was authorized by the State Defense Committee for the supply and evacuation of Leningrad. His merit is the Dooga of Life. He spent the first blockade winter in the besieged city.
A certain surge of interest in the military topic occurred during the years of perestroika.
1987.
1. Dmitry Ustinov Street. Dmitry Fedorovich Ustinov - Soviet military, party and statesman... During the war, he was People's Commissar of the Armed Forces of the USSR.
2. Marshal Novikov Street. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Chief Marshal Aviation Alexander Alexandrovich Novikov during the war, commanded the aviation of the Northern and Leningrad military districts, and in the spring of 1942 became the deputy people's commissar of defense for aviation, the commander of the Soviet Army Air Force.
1990.
1. Marinesco street. Hero of the Soviet Union 3rd Rank Captain Alexander Ivanovich Marinesko sank the transport "Wilgel Gustlov" in one cruise to the S-13, and 11 days later "General von Steuben". Their total tonnage amounted to one-sixth of everything that was sunk in the Baltic during the war years. On "Gustlov" 918 cadets-submariners went to the bottom. For his numerous "sins" Marinesco half-strength the Hero only in 1990.
In the 90s, the names associated with the Great Patriotic War were almost not assigned - largely due to the almost complete cessation of new construction. The situation has changed somewhat only in recent years.
Since 2006,
2006.
1. Kolobanovskaya street. Lieutenant Colonel Zinovy \u200b\u200bGrigorievich Kolobanov on August 19, 1941, during the Kingisepp-Luga defensive operation, commanding a KV-1 tank in one battle in the area of \u200b\u200bthe strategic transport hub Voiskovitsy-Krasnogvardeysk (now Gatchina) knocked out 22 enemy tanks in the convoy from an ambush, and a total of Z.G. Kolobanov, which consisted of five heavy KV-1 tanks, together with cadets of the border school and the militia of Leningrad, 43 German tanks from the 1st, 6th and 8th tank divisions were knocked out in the same area that day.
2008.
1. Street Admiral Tributs. Admiral Vladimir Fillipovich Tributs commanded the Baltic Fleet during the war.
2. General Lagutkin Street. During the war, Major General Emelyan Sergeevich Lagutkin organized units of local air defense (MPVO), in which twenty thousand Leningrad girls were mobilized. With the help of the soldiers of the army of General Lagutkin, equipment and industrial raw materials were exported from Leningrad, surrounded by the fascist invaders, to the Urals, and civilians were evacuated to the mainland. Emelyan Sergeevich Lagutkin in the late 1940s suffered from repression, subsequently rehabilitated.
2009.
1. Admiral Cherokov street. Admiral Viktor Sergeevich Cherokov during the war years led the Ladoga military flotilla.
Streets named after heroes deserve special mention. Finnish war.
December 26, 1940.
1. Akkuratova Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Petty Officer Fedor Yakovlevich Akkuratov fought as a radio operator. On 1 March 1940, his plane was killed while performing a combat mission. All other crew members also received the title of Hero: senior political instructor Vasil Koinash, lieutenant Boris Kornilov.
2. Bulavsky Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Lietegant-artilleryman Viktor Konstantinovich Bulavsky, battery commander of the 402nd Howitzer Artillery Regiment. Killed in battle.
3. Dudko Street. Hero of the Soviet Union 1st rank military technician Fyodor Mikhailovich Dudko died of wounds received in battle on the penultimate day of the Winter War. He sacrificed himself to save his comrades.
4. Emelyanov Street. Hero of the Soviet Union, senior lieutenant Ignat Dmitrievich Yemelyanov commanded a company of the 15th tank battalion. Killed in March 1940 during reconnaissance in force.
5. Salova Street. Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Mikhailovich Salov - radio operator of the 50th high-speed bomber aviation regiment. On February 17, 1940, junior commander Salov, performing the 21st combat mission, was seriously wounded by a fragment of anti-aircraft artillery, but continued to shoot at the enemy, performing combat mission... He died of his wounds.
In this list, I tried to collect as much as possible the names of the streets named after the participants in the war who fought with weapons in their hands. The only exception is Olga Bergolts. The names of streets, given to count the outstanding soviet designers weapons. I will try to devote a separate post to them. In addition, only the names of streets in St. Petersburg were included in the toponyms. I don't have enough complete information about similar names in the suburbs. Also, I do not have enough complete information about other place names: bridges, squares, etc. I am collecting information further.
On frosty winter days, as a result of fierce battles, the enemy siege of the city on the Neva was completely lifted. On January 27, 1944, there was a festive fireworks display in Leningrad. The city withstood, but at the cost of incredible victims, the exact number of which is unknown. According to official figures, 641,000 people died from hunger alone. A number of historians believe that much more died - up to one million. To this must be added those who died from enemy shelling and bombing and the soldiers who died on the outskirts of the city.
To understand the course of these tragic events, one must turn to the history of the Great Patriotic War.
Chronologically, the blockade of Leningrad by German, Finnish and Spanish ("Blue Division") troops was carried out from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. All this time, the city with its surroundings, which is more than 5000 square kilometers, was cut off from the country. In the winter of 1941, there were 2 million 544 thousand people in the city (including 400 thousand children). There were 343,000 more people in the suburban areas.
In general, the capture of Leningrad, the German command indulged in enormous strategic, moral and political significance. The city on the Neva was rightfully considered the cradle of the revolution and the former capital Russian Empire and a powerful industrial center of the European part of the USSR. The German offensive against Leningrad began on July 10, 1941. In August, heavy fighting was already on the outskirts of the city. August 30, the enemy was cut railwayslinking Leningrad with the country. On September 8, 1941, the Germans captured Shlisselburg and cut off Leningrad from land. Thus began an almost 900-day siege of the city, communication with which was maintained only through Lake Ladoga and by air.
“The Fuhrer decided to wipe the city of St. Petersburg from the face of the earth. After the defeat of Soviet Russia, the further existence of this largest settlement is of no interest ... It is supposed to surround the city with a tight ring and, by shelling from artillery of all calibers and continuous bombardment from the air, level it to the ground. If, as a result of the situation created in the city, requests for surrender are declared, they will be rejected, since the problems associated with the stay of the population in the city and its food supply cannot and should not be solved by us. In this war waged for the right to exist, we are not interested in preserving at least part of the population. "
According to the plan, the enemy began systematic barbaric bombing and artillery bombardments of Leningrad. The first massive bombing of the city took place in early September. About 200 fires broke out, one of them destroyed the Badayevsky food warehouses, where the bulk of the city's stocks were stored.
In September October, massive raids on the city took place several times a day. The goal was not only to destroy industrial enterprises, and the surrounded city continued to work, but also to exert a moral influence on the inhabitants. Out of 881 days of the blockade, the city was subjected to barbaric shelling for 611 days. An average of 480 shells fell on 1 square kilometer of urban territory.
In September-December 1941, the fascist artillery fired over 30 thousand shells at Leningrad. From September 4 to November 30, 1942, the enemy fired 272 attacks for a total of 430 hours.
In September 1942, out of 2,712 fascist aircraft that participated in the raids, only 480 managed to break into the city, while 272 aircraft were shot down. On August 17, 1943, the longest shelling in all the years of the blockade took place, lasting 13 hours. 14 minutes More than 2000 shells exploded in the city. For July 1943, the average daily duration of shelling was 9 hours. 14 minutes
On September 19, 1943, the heaviest bombing of the city took place - 528 high-explosive and 2,870 incendiary bombs were dropped.
Later it was estimated that during the blockade 30 thousand industrial buildings, workshops and sites were damaged. 840 industrial enterprises were put out of action, 44 kilometers of water pipes and 75 kilometers of the sewerage network, 500 schools, 170 medical institutions were destroyed. 3,174 buildings were destroyed and burned, 7,143 buildings were damaged, 9,000 wooden houses were dismantled for fuel, the city lost over 5 million square meters. m. living space. 187 out of 210 buildings that were registered as architectural monuments were damaged, suburban palaces-museums were practically destroyed.
But most of all Leningraders died of hunger. Food supplies were rapidly dwindling. A rationing system for the issuance of products was introduced, which was constantly reduced, especially at first. Availability of basic foodstuffs for September 12, 1941: Grain and flour - 35 days; Groats and pasta - for 30 days; Meat and meat products - for 33 days; Fat - 45 days; Sugar and confectionery - 60 days.
The norms for the distribution of bread from July 18 to the end of September 1941: workers - 800 grams; employees - 600 grams; dependents and children - 400 grams.
The norms for giving out bread from October 1 to November 13, 1941: to workers - 400 grams; employees - 200 grams; dependents and children - 200 grams.
The norms for the distribution of bread from November 20 to December 25, 1941: workers - 250 grams, employees and their families - 125 grams; the personnel of the paramilitary guards, fire brigades, extermination detachments, vocational schools and schools of the FZO, who were on the boiler allowance - 300 grams.
Such norms have led to a sharp jump in mortality from hunger.
In December 1941 alone, about 50 thousand people died.
At the end of December 1941, the norms for the distribution of bread were increased to 350 grams for workers and up to 200 grams for the rest of the city (while up to 60% of the bread was made up of practically inedible impurities, added instead of flour). All other products have almost ceased to be dispensed.
In February 1942, the norms for giving out bread were: to workers - 500 grams; employees - 400 grams; dependents and children - 300 grams.
The number of victims of hunger grew rapidly, with more than 4,000 people dying every day. There were days when 6-7 thousand people died. In January-February 1942, about 130,000 people died every month in the city, 100,000 people died in March, 50,000 people died in May, 25,000 people died in July, and 7,000 people died in September.
In addition, at the end of March 1942, an epidemic of cholera, typhoid fever, and typhus broke out, but due to the professionalism and high qualifications of doctors, the outbreak was minimized.
Autumn - winter 1941 1942 was the most terrible time of the blockade. Early winter brought cold heating with it, there was no hot water, people began to burn furniture, books, dismantled wooden buildings for firewood. The transport was standing.
But Leningraders, exhausted from hunger and bombing, continued to work. Factories, institutions, printing houses, clinics, kindergartens, theaters worked. In the difficult conditions of the blockade, the city workers provided the front with weapons, equipment, uniforms, and ammunition.
In the autumn of 1941, 39 rocket launchers were manufactured at the city's enterprises, on the basis of which a rocket mortar regiment was formed on the Leningrad front. In the second half of 1941, enterprises produced 713 tanks, 480 armored vehicles, 58 armored trains, over 5,000 regimental and anti-tank guns, about 10,000 mortars, over 3 million shells and mines, more than 80,000 rockets and bombs.
In 1942, the industry of Leningrad sent to the front 60 tanks, 692 guns, more than 150 mortars and 2800 machine guns, about 35 thousand machine guns, up to 1.7 million. shells and mines. Moreover, the factories worked mainly by teenagers and women. The death rate among men from hunger was much higher, and most of them were at the front. From the population of the city, 10 divisions of the people's militia were formed, 7 of which became personnel.
In 1942: 32,000 women and girls served as nurses, 600,000 children and adolescents constantly worked in the defenses. They dug 700 kilometers of anti-tank ditches with shovels and pickaxes alone. They erected 300 kilometers of forest blockages and built 5,000 dugouts.
The struggle for Leningrad was fierce. Over 4,100 pillboxes and bunkers were built on the territory of Leningrad, 22,000 firing points were equipped in buildings, over 35 kilometers of barricades and anti-tank obstacles were installed on the streets. Three hundred thousand Leningraders participated in the local air defense units of the city. Day and night they carried their watch at factories, in the courtyards of houses, on roofs.
The only regular connection with the country was the legendary “Road of Life” through Ladoga. Under the incessant fire of the Germans, thanks to the unparalleled courage of the drivers, the air defense fighters were able to evacuate old people and children from the city, and get some food.
This hell ended for the inhabitants of the besieged city on January 27, 1944. Then, as a result of the Leningrad Novgorod offensive, German troops were thrown back from Leningrad at a distance of 60 100 km.
The feat of the defenders of the city was highly appreciated: over 350 thousand soldiers, officers and generals of the Leningrad Front were awarded orders and medals, 226 of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The Medal "For the Defense of Leningrad", which was established in December 1942, was awarded to about 1.5 million people. For courage, perseverance and unprecedented heroism in the days of a difficult struggle against the German fascist invaders, the city of Leningrad was awarded the Order of Lenin on January 20, 1945, and on May 8, 1965 received honorary title Hero City.
The Federal Law "On the Days of Military Glory and Memorable Dates of Russia" dated March 13, 1995, January 27 was established as the Day of Russian Military Glory as the Day of lifting the blockade of the city of Leningrad.
The memorial ensembles of the Piskarevsky cemetery and the Seraphimsky cemetery are dedicated to the memory of the victims of the blockade and the perished participants in the defense of Leningrad; the Green Belt of Glory has been created around the city along the former blockade ring of the front.
The Seventh Symphony, written by Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich, which was first heard on the radio in the besieged city on August 9, 1942, became a hymn to the unbroken city and the unparalleled courage of its inhabitants.
Vladimir Kazakov