The Siege of Leningrad

Nine Hundred Terrible Days in the Life of Leningrad On January 27, 1944, Soviet troops completely lifted the German blockade of the city The Road of Life Food provisions were only possible via Lake Ladoga - by boat in the summer and by driving across the ice in winter ("The Road of Life") When the blockade started • The city's population was 2,544,000 (including 400,000 children) • The population in the suburbs was 343,000 people • 1941-1942 -- the ice road was open 152 days (Over 550,000 people from Leningrad were evacuated during this time) • 1942 - boat crossings evacuated 540,000 people • 1942-1943 - the ice road was open 101 days (89,000 people left) Availability of basic goods in Leningrad as of September 12, 1941: With the onset of winter in 1941 Freight transportation route Coal route Electric power generation was at 15% of pre-war levels The first laid route Bread grains and flour for 35 days Route from the beginning of December Route from the end of December Route from the end of November Grains and pasta for 30 days 00 Central heating ceased to function Meat and meat products for 33 days Lake Ladoga station o Plumbing and sewage were disconnected Oil for 45 days Osinovets All factories (except military factories) shut down. Sugar and confectionery products for 60 days Kokorevo o OKobona Close to 1 million people died during the blockade Only 3% of them died from bombing and shelling St. Petersburg (Leningrad) The remaining 97% died of hunger Shlisselburg Lavrovo The highest death toll was in January 1942- about 97,000 people O Filling stations Heating and meal stations A Anti-aircraft batteries Technical assistance stations Anti-aircraft machine- Transshipment stations gun companies and platoons Military operations Lifting the blockade 08.09.1941 – German forces reach Lake Ladoga, capture Shlisselburg and block Leningrad by land 27.01.1944 - the armies of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts penetrated the defenses of the 18th German Army. Soviet forces gained a 60-kilometer spearhead. Germans retreated. After Pushkin, Gatchina and Chudovo were freed, the blockade of Leningrad was completely lifted Rationing (specifications for foodstuffs distribution as of November 20, 1941) Workers- 250g of bread per day Pushkin Employees, dependents and children up to 12 years old -125g Pavlovsk St. Petersburg (Leningrad) St. Petersburg (Leningrad) Shlisselburg Shlisselburg Personnel of paramilitary patrol, fire-fighting crews, clean-up detachments, students - 300g The Leningrad front The Volkhov Pushkin front Pushkin Front-line forces - 500g The Northern Front RIANOVOSTI © 2010