The historian explained why famine broke out in besieged Leningrad when there was communication across Lake Ladoga

The blockade of Leningrad by fascist invaders during the Great Patriotic War, which lasted from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944, claimed, according to some sources, more than 800 thousand civilian lives. At the same time, more than 600 thousand died as a result of the terrible famine that broke out in the city.

Let us recall that on October 20, 2022, the St. Petersburg City Court recognized the blockade of Leningrad by the troops of Nazi Germany and their accomplices in 1941-1944 as genocide.

At the same time, according to the historian Yegor Yakovlev, in some circles in recent years a concept has emerged that there was no complete blockade, since the possibility of supply through Lake Ladoga remained. Meanwhile, despite the fact that about 60 km of the coast of the above-mentioned reservoir was indeed under the control of the Red Army, the expert calls this concept false and unfair.

Firstly, as he put it, Lake Ladoga is a body of water with a restless disposition. In the autumn, navigation here is very difficult due to storms.

At the same time, we should not forget that this path was within reach of the artillery of the Germans and their Finnish allies.

Secondly, Wehrmacht troops cut off logistics, depriving the Soviet leadership of the opportunity to organize supplies to the besieged city through the only remaining channel. The expert explained that food was supplied by rail from Vologda, Cherepovets, through Tikhvin to the Volkhovstroy railway station. There, cargo was reloaded onto barges that went to the city of Novaya Ladoga. So, in November 1941, the Germans captured Tikhvin.

As a result, the city was supplied only by air bridge, which was absolutely not enough to prevent that terrible famine that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in besieged Leningrad.

Moreover, it is worth adding that the winter of 1941-1942 was especially harsh, which also caused the death of many residents of besieged Leningrad.

Comments

[paul3390]

Ladoga is a very angry lake. Anything will ruin any barge in a moment. Especially in the southern part - everything with shipping there is completely sad. It was not for nothing that a canal was dug to bypass it under Peter. A lot of ships were lost.

[NG inform]

The Finns will still answer for everything.

[Andrey Moskvin]

Apparently they don't want to answer. They want to join NATO.

[NG inform]

Ukraine wants it too, so what? Their legal states are the same. Finland's existence was determined by their neutrality. There is no neutrality - which means Russia has the right to reformat them at its own discretion. What left-wing organizations think there doesn’t matter; if the fascists could do something, they would have done it in Ukraine.

[Vasilenko Vladimir]

in some circles in recent years a concept has developed that there was no complete blockade

but you need to listen to the opinions of these “circles”, in my understanding they are enemies and you need to look at them exclusively through the lens

[Andrey Moskvin]

All these “separate circles” are entirely lousy intelligentsia. How many are there in total?

[Yeti suvorov]

There are few intellectuals there. Mainly a sect of fans of Mark Solonin - three years ago he gave a series of “lectures” on Youtube about the blockade, where he generally argued that the leadership of the USSR, and not Nazi Germany, was to blame for the famine
This pseudo-historian has more than half a million duped subscribers, and each given lecture has a million views. He is constantly caught in falsifications and outright lies, but the sectarians don’t care...

[Blacksmith 55]

I studied in a Soviet school, and they explained to us that the blockade was INCOMPLETE. The supply came mainly by lake, and not by air, as in the article. This in no way detracts from the heroism of the Leningraders. Their feat and sacrifices were placed on the altar of victory.

[Эльдорадо]

Complete nonsense again!
And they’ll come up with the idea of ​​blaming the country’s leaders for the deliberate famine of the residents of Leningrad!
We must constantly fight for the minds of the new younger generation!

[Monster_Fat]

There is a group on YouTube called “Tactician Media”, they talk in detail, based on archival materials declassified in our country and, most importantly, comparing with similar archival data abroad, about events in military history and, including (even mainly) - about the events of the Second World War. Moreover, without excessive “propaganda” and “glorification”. There is also about the blockade of Leningrad, and about the real events taking place at that time on the fronts around this city, as well as on the sea and lake. And only the facts. Anyone interested can go to the appropriate resource and take a look. Very interesting and informative.

[mag nit]

This is what the anti-Sovietists are trying to achieve. They distorted the Soviet education system and slandered the achievements of Soviet science, technology, and culture. They are trying to convince us that in the USSR “they didn’t produce chrome rubber overshoes.”

[matross]

So, in November 1941, the Germans captured Tikhvin.

Well, yes, November 8th. And on December 9, Tikhvin was liberated by the Red Army as a result of the Tikhvin offensive operation. That's a total of a month without a stable supply across the lake.
It is clear that the blockade was incomplete; it is impossible to hold out for so long in a complete blockade. Another thing is that the supply, primarily food, was extremely insufficient across the lake. The Badaevsky warehouses also burned down in September... Therefore, throughout the blockade, civilians were transported on return flights from Leningrad to the mainland

[Non-fighter]

A person needs 1,5 kg of food per day, as an example of the IRP, how much does he weigh there, with current technologies?
Anything less is hunger. Do we remember the blockade norms well?
Those who stated that “the blockade was incomplete” should be put on a blockade ration for a month with their entire family, and then let them talk about the “incomplete blockade.”

[solar]

A person needs 1,5 kg of food per day, as an example of the IRP, how much does he weigh there?

IRP is a complete nutrition for those performing heavy physical work in the field. With various goodies in the form of jam and so on.
With the threat of death from starvation, completely different daily rations are required. Please note the weight of the daily ration in the upper right corner of the package. There are no expensive or scarce products in it - flour, sugar, fats and some oatmeal. In a broad sense - flour, sugar and fats.

[hohol95]

Are there a lot of VEGETABLES and FRUITS in the IRP?
Or is the entire vitamin complex replaced by 1/3 tablets of a vitamin-mineral complex?
Forgot about TSYNGA?
In Lengrad they developed a pine infusion to replenish vitamin C deficiency!
St. Petersburg under the Tsars and Leningrad until 1941 were ALWAYS supplied from carts and wheels of freight cars.
There were enough supplies in the city for a maximum of a WEEK!

[solar]

Coniferous extract against scurvy has been known since the 18th century. And yes, it was made in Leningrad, there was no need to transport it. They also made herbal extracts with vitamin A against night blindness. That is, there was no particular need to carry vitamins. Of course, this is not a complete complex, but we are talking about survival, not about healthy eating.

Are there a lot of VEGETABLES and FRUITS in the IRP?

As for the IRP. Let's take diet norm No. 7

All everyday IRP (Norm No. 7) contain the following components:
Army bread made from 1st grade wheat flour
Canned salted lard
Fruit and berry concentrate
Sterilized processed cheese
Apple jam
Natural fruit and berry puree
Bitter chocolate
Black long tea
Instant coffee
cream powder
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Multivitamin
Chewing gum

In addition to this mandatory part, there is a variable for 7 types of diet, many of which also include a component of vegetables or are completely vegetable

Beef stew
Beef meatballs
Beef meatballs
Beef Goulash
Liver pate
Tender pate
Special sausage mince
Rice with chicken and vegetables
Goulash with potatoes
Rice porridge with beef
Buckwheat porridge with beef
Meat with green peas and carrots
Vegetable caviar
Vegetable stew
Meat with beans and vegetables

Surely many meat dishes also include vegetables, onions, for example.
Yes, this is also not the healthiest diet, and the eating time is limited to a week, but such variety and calorie content is not at all necessary for survival.

[hohol95]

You gave an example of a modern IRP.
What was included in the IRP of a Soviet soldier in 1941?
600 g biscuits "Pokhod" or crackers
200 g millet concentrate
75 g pea concentrate
113 g canned meat or 150 g cheese or 200 g salted herring
All.

[solar]

This is not important. The survival ration is lighter than the soldier's dry ration and differs in composition. They have different purposes.

In the Armed Forces of the USSR, the norms of daily allowance with dry rations per day, per person were approved by Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks No. 1357-551ss of May 15, 1941 and Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 208 of May 24, 1941. Introduced on June 1, 1941 and amounted to:
rye crackers - 600 g (black bread, weight indicated before drying);
concentrated millet porridge - 200 g;
concentrated pea puree soup - 75 g;
semi-smoked sausage “Minskaya” - 100 g;
or dried/smoked roach - 150 g;
or feta cheese - 150 g;
or dried fish fillet - 100 g;
or canned meat - 113 g;
or salted herring - 200 g;
sugar - 35 g;
tea - 2 g;
salt - 10

[hohol95]

There was no concept of a survival diet back then.
And there were no today’s pickles in retort bags and cans.
Squash caviar was not produced...
Therefore, it seems to me very problematic to supply a city of millions (we forget about the masses of refugees that Leningrad received) with even modern rations for at least six months.

[solar]

To save yourself from hunger, you don’t need food from soldiers’ rations. Neither canned stew nor

semi-smoked sausage “Minskaya” - 100 g;
or dried/smoked roach - 150 g;
or feta cheese - 150 g;
or dried fish fillet - 100 g;
or canned meat - 113 g;
or salted herring - 200 g;

A minimum set of products is enough - I have given a photo of a daily survival diet above, all products are simple, cheap and common. With relatively long-term use, a minimum of vitamins are still needed, but they were produced locally in Leningrad and there was no need to transport them. It was only necessary to organize everything correctly. Which, unfortunately, was not observed. :((

[hohol95]

Have you eaten this pemmican yourself?
This is the diet for shipwrecked people.
How long can a person survive on it?
Will it last six months?
Can he do heavy work?
Very doubtful.

[solar]

Have you eaten this pemmican yourself?

It was this one who ate and treated him. It's tolerable for tea, it'll do. Sweetish, greasy to the touch, with a nut-like smell. This is not pemmican.
Pemmican will also work when it is a matter of life and death, it is also compact, Siberia had its own similar option. Moreover, there was no need to ensure long-term storage - the main problem in manufacturing.
A relatively small part of the population was engaged in heavy physical work during the siege; it is clear that this was not enough for them; more had to be given. Of course, this would not completely eliminate the problem of death from hunger, but mortality could be reduced dramatically
The critical time lasted about 3 months, followed by several more months of the consequences of this crisis.

The period from mid-November 1941 to the end of January 1942 was the most difficult during the siege. By this time, internal resources were completely exhausted, and imports through Lake Ladoga were carried out in insignificant quantities.

If the delivery of food (and distribution) had been optimal at that time (and at least until the end of winter), this would have radically reduced the overall mortality rate.

[hohol95]

Eh. If only you could take the place of Comrade Zhdanov...
Haven’t signed up to be a hit-and-run yet?

[Million]

There is no longer any Leningrad... The Leningraders themselves decided to get rid of this name.
And few people call it St. Petersburg; most often they casually say “Peter”

[S.Z.]

Quote: Million

There is no longer any Leningrad... The Leningraders themselves decided to get rid of this name.
And few people call it St. Petersburg; most often they casually say “Peter”

Under the USSR it was also called Peter.

[Million]

Well, they would have renamed it to Peter, and not to St. Petersburg.

[NG inform]

The older generation still calls it Leningrad. No one in the USSR called him Peter.

[Stas157]

Quote: S.Z.

Under the USSR it was also called Peter.

Under the USSR it was called Leningrad. At least that’s what all the inhabitants of the endless country called this city. And especially during the difficult blockade years.
How they distorted and joked in narrow circles (rock partygoers) is completely unimportant.

[ivan2022]

Quote: Million

The Leningraders themselves decided to get rid of this name.

Don't tell me... one might think that anyone actually listened to them even during the formal referendum. As Narusova told Sobchak, so he did on June 12, 1991...

By the way, this renaming was not formally legitimate. Because the name “Leningrad” was adopted by the Second Congress of Soviets of the USSR. City voting cannot cancel the all-Union vote, and the USSR still existed then. But for some the law is not written.....everything is “according to concepts”.

There was also a referendum on the USSR in 1991 (not a poll, as they think, but a referendum with the force of Law).... but three friends on a December night in a Belarusian forest easily sent it and no one said a word....

[Sebenza]

Come on? They decided and got rid of it? And you decide a lot of things yourself? They gave me the last passport with the place of birth of St. Petersburg, so I stuck it in one place for them. They sealed Leningrad. The city that my ancestors defended, in which I grew up and live.

[Andrey A]

To the above: a significant problem when transporting goods in the fall of 1941 across Lake Ladoga was problems with ports. It was necessary to build ports in Osinovets and Morya (on the Karelian Isthmus), and then in Kobon (already in 1942), this made it possible to shorten the path for ships several times and, accordingly, increase their turnover, increase transportation... And so the cargo had to transport from Novaya Ladoga. Its OK. 100 km only on the lake. With the occupation of Tikhvin by the Germans, serious problems arose with the supply of goods to Gostinopole and Novaya Ladoga. And then the lake froze.

[geniy]

Regarding the Leningrad blockade, there are probably many striking facts that are hushed up by official historiography. Firstly, it was not only along the road of life that food was brought. It turns out that even before the war there were huge food warehouses in Kronstadt - much larger than the burned Badayev warehouses. And it was brought to Leningrad not only from the east, but also from the west - from Kronstadt, but everyone is silent about this. Secondly: the country's leadership, in the busiest month of November, banned cargo planes from flying to Leningrad under the pretext that there were not enough fighters to protect them. Thirdly: when transportation began along the 101 road, and food standards were immediately increased, the entire population was happy, but in fact food was not distributed at all. And in the same way, for an unknown reason, for the first two weeks of January, food was not supplied to the city residents at all.
Fourthly: I personally don’t understand why the residents didn’t fish. It turns out that weaving a mesh with your own hands is very simple. Any grandmother or ten-year-old girl can do this. And during the blockade it was possible to weave a million networks. And the boys could catch a lot of fish in November, since the Neva froze only in December, but there is also ice fishing with nets. They simply banned boating. But the nights in November and December are very long - almost 24 hours a day.
Fifthly, why didn’t they eat rats? Because of disgust? They could be caught in the thousands. I read that a woman in Belarus was dying of hunger next to a dead horse because she was not used to eating horse meat.

[geniy]

Sixth: Lake Ladoga never freezes completely - apparently its middle part remains ice-free. And it was possible to bring food in winter by barges along Ladoga.
Seventhly, it was possible to bring food not only with Li-2 cargo planes, but also with biplanes like U-2 and R-5 mounted on skis. Each U-2 could take 400 kg of bombs and therefore 400 kg of food and land near Leningrad itself, like in the forest of the partisans. And shooting down a U-2 on a dark November night was not at all easy.
Eighth: I read the diary of one girl, so in the spring months she even received some chocolate on cards - it is quite obvious that it was Lend-Lease from the north, but this is never mentioned anywhere...

[Cartographer]

Quote: geniy

Fourth: I personally don’t understand why the residents didn’t fish

I also don’t understand why during the famine they didn’t fish or pick mushrooms. But seriously, fishermen don’t return with their catch every day