Project on the Siege of Leningrad

The siege of the Soviet metropolis Leningrad (today Saint Petersburg, Russia) lasted from September 8, 1941, to January 27, 1944, and represents one of the most egregious war crimes committed by the German Wehrmacht. It is estimated that more than one million civilians lost their lives as a result. During these three years, unimaginable events occurred, including instances of cannibalism due to starvation.

In Russian commemorative culture, the siege of Leningrad plays a very important role. In Germany, however, this crime against humanity is largely unknown. Our project makes a significant contribution to raising awareness and engaging with this often underrepresented and largely unknown chapter of World War II.

For the project, interviews were conducted in Russian with contemporary witnesses who survived the Leningrad blockade as children and were translated into German. Based on these, biographies of the witnesses were developed, serving as the foundation for the project website. Using personal narratives and objects, historical evidence, background information, and educational resources, the life stories are made tangible and accessible. This preserves the memory of the blockade for future generations and provides a resource for educational institutions. The digital, interactive, and emotional approach helps to sensitize young audiences to this significant historical event.

The accompanying publication, Blokadniki / Блокадники – Reports of Survivors of the Leningrad Blockade, presents the eyewitness accounts in German and Russian. It thereby creates a "monument in book form" for the survivors, offers an opportunity for processing, and makes an important contribution to the preservation of public memory of the Leningrad blockade.

The website can be accessed at https://leningradblockade.de/.