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The siege of Leningrad began
September 8, 1941 began the siege of Leningrad - one of the most tragic and heroic pages of the Great Patriotic War and of the history of Russia, and of humanity as a whole.
The capture of Leningrad - the largest economic and cultural center of the Soviet Union - was one of the most important goals of the fascist German command in the war against the USSR. In the end of June - beginning of July, German forces captured most of the Baltic States and entered the territory of the Leningrad Region. July 9 Pskov fell, and a convenient and the shortest route to Leningrad opened to enemy troops. However, the route was blocked by the Luga line of defense, created during the first weeks of the war. Fights near Luga had not allowed to capture Leningrad immediately, and detained the advance of German units for almost a month, allowing the Soviet forces to create a more solid defense on the distant and the near approaches to the city. In mid-August, the Germans managed to overcome the fortified area and to enter the operational space in front of Leningrad.
Along with the actions of the Germans, at the end of July began a major offensive of the Finnish troops from the north. In early September, the Finns approached the Karelian fortified area, cut the Kirov railway and the White Sea-Baltic Canal - the main routes for the delivery of goods to Leningrad.
September 8, the Army Group "North" took Shlisselburg, thereby blocking Leningrad from the land. From that day began the blockade of Leningrad. German forces continued their offensive on the city, but Soviet troops near Leningrad fought to the bitter end. By the time the German command rescinded the order to storm the city (September 14), the front line ran just 4 km from the Kirov plant and 16 km from the Winter Palace. But the fighting near the city did not stop, it just changed the character. German forces began a massive artillery bombardment of Leningrad, trying to destroy the city. During the bombing were destroyed the famous Badaev warehouses that contained large supplies of food. Leningrad was in a catastrophic situation; in October the shortage of food became evident, and in November the famine began. The winter of 1941-1942 was the most tragic time in the history of the city.
The only artery linking the city to the "mainland" at the time was the famous "Road of Life" - a track hat ran along the coast and across the ice of Lake Ladoga. It was used to deliver food to the city. However, its amount did not meet the needs of the citizens. The residents of Leningrad were also evacuated using the road.
January 18, 1943 the blockade was broken, Shlisselburg and the southern coast of Lake Ladoga were liberated. Complete raise of the blockade occurred January 27, 1944 in Leningrad-Novgorod strategic offensive operation.
The Siege of Leningrad, which lasted 872 days, was the largest humanitarian disaster in the history of the Great Patriotic War, the symbol of the heroic and tragic fate of ordinary people and soldiers defending the city, and the Soviet people as a whole.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: