Surviving The Siege: Stories from Leningrad
Try as they might, Germany could never bring Leningrad to submission. Here are stories from some of those who survived the siege.
Here's What You Need to Remember: For nearly three years, Leningrad was under attack night and day, and almost half its population, including 700,000 women and children, perished.
Georgina’s mother sat next to me at her dining room table. She and her husband were veterans of the Great Patriotic War, and back in 1996 we all sat about the table on Victory Day and talked about the siege.
The old woman grasped my arm and talked in Russian while her husband listened. They both wore medals, one of his for “extreme bravery.” It was, of course, May 9, and everyone was in a jovial mood. The day was light and airy, and it reminded me of holiday dinners at home, or Fourth of July barbeques. It reminded me of any occasion where we celebrate, albeit with a certain twist. At home and in Europe we celebrate victories; on this day, citizens of St. Petersburg celebrate survival. There is a difference.