By Sayuri Mohotti
“No
one has been forgotten; nothing has been forgotten.”
-Olga
Berggolts
Imagine being trapped in
a city for nearly 900 days, cut off from the world, battling starvation, the relentless
cold, and constant bombardment. That was the reality for the people of
Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) during one of the darkest chapters of World War
II- the Siege of Leningrad.
The siege began on
September 8, 1941, when Nazi Germany encircled the city, cutting off all supply
routes. Leningrad was not just any city; it was a symbol of Soviet pride, an
industrial powerhouse, and a vital strategic target for Hitler. For him,
capturing Leningrad was not just about geography; it was about wiping it off
the map as part of his plan for Lebensraum- clearing the way for German
settlers.
Life Inside the Blockade
When the siege began, 2.8
million people were trapped within the city, including 400,000 children. Winter
soon descended, with temperatures plummeting to -40°C. Without heating,
electricity, or adequate food, survival became a daily battle.
Rations dropped to just
125 grams of bread per person per day for non-essential workers and dependents-
with the bread often mixed with sawdust to make it last longer. People ate
whatever they could find: wallpaper glue, petroleum jelly, even household pets.
Starvation and disease swept through the city, claiming as many as 100,000
lives per month during the brutal winter of 1941-42.
Yet, amid the despair,
the spirit of Leningrad's residents remained unbroken. They worked together to
clear rubble, bury the dead, and keep the city alive. Cultural life became an
act of defiance. In 1942, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 7th Symphony, composed during
the siege, was performed in the city and broadcast to German forces, sending a
clear message saying that that the city’s spirit could not be crushed.
A Lifeline Over Ice
The city’s only
connection to the outside world was through a supply route across frozen Lake
Ladoga, aptly named the ‘Road of Life’. This lifeline brought in food and
supplies and allowed for the evacuation of half a million residents. It was not
much, but it kept the city from collapsing.
Finally, after nearly two
and a half years, the siege was lifted on January 27, 1944. By then, the city
had endured 872 days of unimaginable suffering, but it had also become a symbol
of resilience and unity.
The Siege of Leningrad
was not just a chapter in World War II- it was a testament to the strength of
the human spirit. It showed how people can come together to face unimaginable
odds, how art and culture can provide hope in the darkest times, and how
resilience can outlast even the most determined oppressors.
Today, as we remember the
81st anniversary of the siege’s end, it is a powerful reminder of
the cost of war and the value of peace. The story of Leningrad is not just
about survival; it is about triumph. And that is something worth reflecting on.
