HONORING THE HEROIC PEOPLE OF ST. PETERSBURG
September 9th, 2009 | 10:21 am
Leningrad, 1942
On this day 68 years ago, the Siege of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, began. Hitler’s plans for the Soviet Union were as simple as the orders he issued: erase it from the face of the Earth.
Leningrad, 1942
As early as September 12, 1941, city officials estimated that the supply of grain, flour and meat for BOTH ARMY AND CIVILIANS alike was a pitiful 40 some days. Rationing began immediately. Compounding the lack of food and other supplies was an exceptionally cold winter. In January and February, 1942, there were 200,000 or so deaths from starvation and freezing temperatures. I have been to St. Petersburg on two occasions and have personally experienced one of their February winters. It is cold unlike anything I have ever known – and I had a full stomach and was dressed for the occasion!
Visitors remembering those who died in the Siege of Leningrad at the Piskariovskoye Cemetery
The Siege, or Blokada as it is known in Russia, would last until January 18, 1944. By that time there would be almost 1 million victims – nearly a third of the population. Not surprisingly, the painful memories of the loss of that many people have left scars on the city and its citizens that are still acutely visible today. One need only visit the local cemetery, Piskariovskoye, to gain a sense of the 900 day nightmare that claimed family members among most everyone living in St. Petersburg today. The cemetery is always populated, often by families with grandparents and grandchildren. It is a deeply moving experience to witness.
A somber moment in the Piskariovskoye Cemetery
Anyone truly interested in understanding the Russian attitude towards returning to Germany works of art taken by Red Army soldiers at the end of World War II must spend time at Piskariovskoye cemetery. Any resolution of that lingering dispute must begin with an understanding of this catastrophic event.
