Siege of Leningrad: Diary of the Second World War: by Alexandra Nikiforovna Borovikova

Chapter 2. July 1941

3/VII/1941

3/VII. On July 3, I had a day off (Thursday), and so, in the morning I was lying on my bed, listening to Comrade Stalin’s speech.

Comrade Stalin’s speech is a historical document that our generations will study in history.

4/VII/1941

4/VII. In response to the call of Comrade Stalin, on July 4, I submit an application as a volunteer, to the rear of the home guard (*Armed formations created from citizens (mostly volunteers), as a rule, not subject to conscription for military service by mobilization).

But this statement, as they say, is still only on paper.

Firstly, this is «Katushka» (*Wood Harvesting Factory named after Volodarsky, which in the period from 1939 to 1946 was subordinate to the Main Directorate of Sawmill and Woodworking Industry of the People’s Commissariat of Forestry of the RSFSR), and secondly, I am wearing a skirt.

The last one fact is killing me.

I don’t know why they look at our brother like that – women, women like me, who are not afraid of anything.

After all, only the Soviet government gave women like me the way to life, when from the dark village Sasha, a housekeeper, a farm laborer (though at one time she was very lively and energetic) – to a technician and engineer (*A farm laborer is a hired worker in agriculture pre-revolutionary and Soviet Russia, often seasonal, from impoverished peasants who had a small land plot or were completely deprived of land).

What is the period of growth, just since 1927?

In the first days of the Great Patriotic War, for some reason I had assumptions that although the enemy was strong and cunning, the war would not last long.

For some reason I hoped that the rear of Germany, and the countries it enslaved, would soon rise up, but it turns out that Hitler firmly holds his people in his hands, and raised them in the spirit of fascism.

But at first, perhaps, his false information also had an influence.

During the first days, songs and marches of Soviet composers were broadcast all the time.

These were my favorite songs.

But how tired they are these days.

My mood was and is always cheerful, but something in my soul is not cheerful.

I remember everything:

How the people near the areas near the front worry, how the bastard Hitler mocks the people who are captured by him.

How villages and cities collapsed.

How the happy (we didn’t notice this happiness before the war), calm life in Leningrad was disrupted.

Evacuation of children: I once saw a bus with wounded at the Moskovsky railway station.

All this left an imprint on my soul.

Then, the workers were sent to defense work – the workshop was left with only old women, but they worked with great enthusiasm.

I will never forget, but everything taken together resonates with me only internally.

No panic.

I was, am, and am going to be calm.

Leningrad will not be touched, fascist boots will not step on its streets and avenues.

Enough forces to protect both from land and sea.

After all, from the land it is guarded by Styopa, Kolya, Petit and others.

From the sea of Mark and Ilya.

I received two letters from Mark: one from Kurgolovo (*Village of Ust-Luga rural settlement, Kingisepp district, Leningrad region), the other from Narva.

«Apostle»… that’s it for me.

I don’t know why, but I haven’t heard from him for a long time.

There was also one letter from Styopa – no more.

I don’t know if he is alive or not.

So a month passed, the second month of the war began.

All the time at the Factory.

Lately it has become boring, but this boredom does not come out.

I experience everything within myself.

On the contrary, I always behave cheerfully.

Especially while on duty.

When I go to Headquarters, I make everyone laugh.

And then they say: «where Borovikova is, it’s always fun.»

One thing that is surprising is that when I started living at the Factory, I got used to drinking beer.

Every day, systematically.

I’ll probably get fat.

Moreover, when sending shift «A» to defense work, I was assigned to sell products.

What a damn job.

I bad bargained for 60 rubles.

25—26/VII/1941

25—26/VII. They sent it and evacuated a train with half of the Factory.

Mostly the so-called «own» went there.

near Akulovka (*Okulovka, Novgorod region).

Probably, they were trembling, «their own».

Especially Isaac and Moses.

27/VII/1941

27/VIII. At Headquarters I made everyone laugh a lot (*Text breaks off) and told me an anecdote with the following content:

Two students are traveling in a carriage, opposite them is a handsome Armenian.

One says to the other: «You know, the holidays will soon be over, soon I’ll study again, etc.»

The other one says: «Oh, how tired of all this. Is there really no other topic of conversation?»

Then the first one says: «Do you want me to tell you three truths?»

«Well, tell me,» says the second.

Here it begins: «Tomorrow is Thursday – true, the day after tomorrow is Friday – true.»

«Why are you talking nonsense?» – the second one speaks again.

Listening to them, the Armenian says: «Do you want me to tell you three truths?» – this is what the students were waiting for.

«Please,» they both say.

«Then,» says the Armenian…

(*Then the text is cut off, crossed out, and erased with a blade).

28/VII/1941

28/VIII. I went to the cinema and spent the night with Nyura Tsvetkova.

I watched the film «Girl with Character» (*Soviet feature film, directed by Konstantin Yudin, 1939).

29/VII/1941

29/VIII. When I go to home, I came in the Headquarters, I was chatting with Nina Ditina.

I told a couple of jokes.

Today’s summary is not bad:

109 enemy aircraft were shot down, our losses were 38 aircraft.

The newspaper dated 27/VII 1941 reported that from 20/VII to 26/VII, German aviation tried to raid Leningrad 12 times, but the planes were driven away.

During this period there were 22 air raid alert / «V.T.» (*Here and below: Air Alert), but we did not see a single enemy aircraft, and did not hear any bombs exploding nearby.

We live calmly.

On the approaches to the city, 41 enemy aircraft were shot down, our losses were 8 aircraft.

In the evening I took a shower.

Nyura Tsvetkova meets me and says that there are two letters from Vasya.

She and I went ashore and she let me read it.

What coldness there is in these letters: «Hello, my wife Nyura,» writes your husband Vasya.»

What kind of letter is this, it gives off a chill.

Before going to bed, I was at Headquarters, told a few jokes and went to bed.

Where I am, they always say it’s fun.

And for me, as they say, cats scratch at my soul (*A deep inner experience, hidden from others), but I don’t show it to anyone.

30/VII/1941

30/VII. Somehow I miss my Apostle this morning, for some reason I haven’t received a letter for a long time.

There’s a mood today that you can’t even describe.

Broadcast transfer on the radio: directions Nevelskoye, Novo-Rzhevskoye, Smolenskoye and Zhitomirskoye.

At 9:26 am the signal «air alert» warning

Anti-aircraft gunfire could be heard, and an order was even given: to occupy a bomb shelter.

The alarm lasted 1 hour. 20 minutes.

The second alarm with departure to the bomb shelter lasted 50 minutes.

Starts at 11:55, lights out at 12:45.

At 4 o’clock I received a report from the Information Bureau:

Fighting is taking place in the Nevelsk, Smolensk and Zhitomir directions.

Individual episodes of hostilities were also reported.

Finally, I cannot understand why the hell the people of Germany and the countries it enslaved are reconciling.

Why don’t they rebel against Hitlerism?

Then it would be easier to achieve Victory.

At 6:31 pm, just about to leave home, they suddenly give you air alert, well, and you sit again, with the receiver to your ear, waiting for orders.

No shooting yet.

Nothing special happened.

The alarm lasted 32 minutes.

Alarm total for 30/VII = 26 hours. 31 minutes.

I went home for two nights.

It was a complete relaxation for me – to take a break from the hustle and bustle of production (*Hustle – with turmoil, disorderly movement, a large number of people walking in a limited space).

But you can’t rest in own room – it’s so damp and dirty.

After airing the room, I went to bed.

On Thursday I took care of my household chores, then went to the city.

I wanted to order a coat.

I want blue, but the material is all black and there are no collars.

In Passage I bought floss (*Yarn, produced in a factory or by hand, produced specifically for embroidery or other types of needlework), but now there is no time to embroider, and there is no reason to.

There were rubber boots, but I didn’t get them.

There were three alarms during the day, with a total duration of 90 minutes.

The alarm, which lasted from 17:50 to 18:25, was not calm; anti-aircraft gun fire was very audible.

At that time, Lenka and I were just having lunch.

It seemed to me that they were already bombing, but it was only anti-aircraft fire.

So far Leningrad is defending itself strongly.

The radio reported that the USSR had entered into an agreement with Poland on a joint fight against Hitlerism.

I received one of the unpleasant letters in part of the world.

In the evening, Nina Ditina reported that there was an order from the Factory to move me to Palevsky (*Palevsky housing estate – built in 1925—1926, and located between Elizarova Avenue and Olga Berggolts Street), to Faktorovich’s apartment.

Let them cut off my head, but I won’t go there.

They will tug and fray my nerves over every trifle.

Chapter 3. August 1941

1/VIII/1941

1/VIII. I arrived at the Factory at 8 o’clock in the morning and read the order.

Really, yes…

Now I’ll write a note to the director that will make him gasp.

I received a long-awaited letter from the Apostle; he is still in Narva.

In the evening I wrote him an answer, but it was a sad letter, because… the mood was lousy.

I didn’t drink beer today because… the director said that if I drink like this, I will become an alcoholic.

That’s why I didn’t go, I don’t want to be a drunkard.

In the evening I went to see Katyusha Bogomolova.

She was on duty at Headquarters.

I told several jokes, made everyone laugh, and quietly went home while they were laughing.

(This is a story about an old woman at the academy, when I was still in my first year, how she went into the men’s restroom early in the morning).

I bypassed around the workshop department several times and went to bed.

I didn’t dream of anything in my dream, but I slept peacefully and had a good night’s sleep.

In the morning, something was a little boring, there was a desire to make an attempt on the Apostle, to pat him properly by the hair, and kiss him deeply, deeply, but he was not here.

2/VIII/1941

2/VIII. In the morning, Polina Sirotina told me that Chepik was swearing a lot about the room.

During the day there were two «air alert» – at 9:30 and 10:30, but both passed quietly.

At 12:30 I went to the planning department, then I went with M. Markovna to my place, met Tanu, and told the latter a joke…

One officer had a little money (*Orderlies were the soldiers of the Russian Army who occupied the position of permanent servants under officers) and performed

(*Further text was erased with a blade. Despite this, Internet resources made it possible to establish that it contained an excerpt from the satirical novel by Jaroslav Hasek (1883—1923) «The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schweik during the World War,» and since almost the entire A4 page, it can be assumed that there are several different fragments from the said book. One of them is the one part of which is written in the diary:

Embed №4. The text from Yaroslav Hasek’s novel «The Adventures of the brave soldier Schweik during the World War» about the Money Man.

At 7:30 I went to the dining room, ate some salted tomatoes, ate a plate of lentils, a glass of tea, and in the afternoon I drank a large mug of bread kvass with Boris.

It was spread out so much that the waistband of the skirt didn’t fit together, so I had to add it to the buttonhole.

Suddenly, the director causes and says:

– «Well, now I’ll take Borovikova by the sides!»

And I say that:

– «K.M., not now, because… I just ate a bowl of lentils.»

He laughed, his stomach rising, and asked:

– «Did you drink beer?»

I speak:

– «I drank a mug of bread kvass.»

– «Well, then,» he says: «then now I can’t take you by the sides!»

And then I add to him that:

– «Plus, I’m also afraid of tickling, everything taken together: tickling, kvass, lentils is very dangerous.»

Well, he laughed at me!

In the evening, Titov and I shared a glass of beer.

Then, we compiled a list of 25 people, whose sent to defense work.

Good night, A.N., go to bed, and may you dream of the Apostle.

3/VIII/1941

3/VIII. Good morning, A.N.!

Borya Modestov called at night and said that I have a light in my workshop – of course, he was lying.

I listened to the summary radio transfer:

Direction: Pskov, Smolensk, Belotserkovskoe and Estonian.

Baltika hit well again knocked out.

It’s good that our transport returned.

For some reason, today a letter sent to Stepanov in the city of Enso (*Now: Svetogorsk) arrived back.

On the envelope it is written: «for lack of addressee.»

This means…

What boredom is plaguing my soul, this is the third day now – I don’t know why.

Especially now, when songs are broadcast.

The song «Beloved City» (*Song by the Soviet composer Nikita Bogoslovsky to the verses of the poet Evgeny Dolmatovsky, written in 1939 for the film «Fighters») hurts my heart so much that I want to cry, but Lenka prevented it.

My beloved city will sleep peacefully; I don’t know what will happen ahead.

I saw off the people who were working shift «B» today, near Narva.

Eh, I would love to go there myself, otherwise you’re sitting here.

Oh, how tired I am.

This is the 33rd night I’ve spent at the Factory, during the war period from June 22, 1941.

Again they sing a song from the movie «Seekers of Happiness» (*Soviet film directed by Vladimir Vladimirovich Korsh-Sablin and Joseph Solomonovich Shapiro, 1936).

I really want to drink a glass of beer out of grief, maybe it will make me feel better.

I cried a little when they broadcast this song: «Who knows?» (*The song «And who knows him» was written in 1938 by V.G. Zakharov and M.V. Isakovsky).

I listened to the latest news.

Still, I drank the desired mug of beer today.

What a nightmare the mood was today, so I regretted that I was not a man, then my place would have been at the front, and not here to sit and listen on the radio to what can be done in practice, on the spot myself.

After all, I am not afraid of death, especially when you sacrifice it for your Motherland, you know why, which gave you life.

The soul is seething with the desire to smash fascism.

In her grief, I began to smash all the flies in own office.

What a terrible day today was.

People are already remarking to me that, although I am so lively and cheerful, I am becoming boring and silent.

This echoes the transmitted bullying of the fascists against the city.

Let it all go to waste, unfortunate Hitler and all his henchmen.

The ill-fated Hitler violated everything that was so good.

Well, okay, Shurochka, it’s time to go to bed, and tomorrow, get up as sprightly and cheerful as you were before.

Good night – sleep, Sasha!

4/VIII/1941

4/VIII. Honestly, it’s funny – the mood changes depending on the weather.

Today is a cheerful, stormy mood.

With such a mood, it’s only to beat the fascists, I would love to chop up a few souls of them.

I sent two letters – one to the Apostle, and the second to the Khitola station (*Khiitola is the junction station of the Oktyabrskaya Railway at the 173.0 kilometer of the Kuznechnoye – Alkho section), comrade Stepanov.

Stormy letters – depending on the mood, Here, they will say, you fool – well, that’s okay, we need to support the boys.

Times are hot now.

Well, we, not like frogs, also have hot blood.

Today he was ordered to the West to vacate room №1 on Borovaya.

Stop fooling around, go to the workshop, otherwise you’ve been sitting too long.

You’ve been sitting there for probably half an hour already.

When you live in century, you will turn around, both in a rocking chair and lying on your side – as Kirill said to Comrade Stalin, from this proverb Stalin burst out laughing (*Soviet classical prose. Panferov Fedor Ivanovich. Book Bruschi. Somewhere they write Volume 2, somewhere a book IV).

In the evening, after drinking tea with Titov, I went to the territory, and behold, I heard very heavy shooting in the direction of the Gulf of Finland.

Probably the Baltic Fleet is bathing a fascist shark.

After standing for about five minutes, listening to the shooting, I wanted to invite Titov to my place, suddenly, at 20:35, the signal «air alert» was given.

The weather was cloudy.

The alarm lasted 20 minutes.

Nothing special, it went smoothly.

Now I’m going to the shore again to listen to the shooting.

Russkih M.K. arrived today, whos go to look for the train, and found something; when he was on his way back, he got off the train at the station, they were detained.

He took his mug, poured some water, took a piece of omelet, ate it, and washed it down.

Suddenly three enemy planes appeared and began bombing the train with which he had just arrived.

Well, he runs away.

He ran 200 meters, it didn’t seem like much, he still had to run.

Then they started shooting at the planes.

When it was all over, he missed his mug and couldn’t find it anywhere.

In Akulovka, when he was traveling with the military, a low "fascist vulture" appeared in the air.

It was by all accounts, but our anti-aircraft guns, having shot it down, turned out to be our plane.

The pilot was wounded in the elbow.

After 5 minutes, at 21 o’clock, they gave again «air alert», which lasted 20 minutes.

Everything went smoothly.

Now I’m going ashore again to listen to the Baltic command.

She sleeps quietly, but vigilantly guards her borders, own favorite Leningrad.

5/VIII/1941

5/VIII. Good afternoon, A.N., it’s time to get up.

Combat summary:

Direction Kholmovskoe, Smolenskoe, Belotserkovskoe.

Today I wrote a caustic letter to the director again.

What a misfortune, this Coil.

When I get out of it.

I really wanted to do this on vacation, but that bastard Hitler prevented me from doing so.

I went to the brevenka (*Here and below: place of loading/unloading of logs), sat there, and remembered about the dispatch meeting.

I 10 minutes late.

I received a remark from the director of the Factory.

Today «Main engineer» had already given his stupid orders.

At 12:35 they just broadcast an article where they say that about 100 planes were shot down in 40 days.

In the evening I went to spend the night with Nyura Tsvetkova, drank a bottle of port, and went to bed.

6/VIII/1941

6/VIII. Got up at 7 o’clock in the morning.

Today I’m in a bad mood again.

When will all this end?

Tomorrow is a day off – I don’t know whether I’ll go home or not.

Still spent the night on Borovaya.

7/VIII/1941

7/VIII. I was delighted as a little girl that I had a day off.

Spent the whole day in the city.

I went around the Passage, the DLT, the Living Room Courtyard, and Apraksin Courtyard.

In the evening I drank a glass of beer, had a hearty dinner, and sat embroidering a napkin, since I bought a white canvas (cloth) in the afternoon.

I had a great argument with Nina Ditina, who was so panicky about the progress of military operations.

He speaks out in a way that an honest Soviet citizen should not.

8/VIII/1941

8/VIII. I got up at 6 o’clock in the morning, along with the latest news.

Direction:

Kholmovskoe; Keksholmskoe, Smolenskoe, Belotserkovskoe.

The German Information Bureau summed up the results of the 3-month war, which says that the Nazis are fighting very hard:

1) 16 fascists destroyed an entire regiment of our soldiers.

2) Next they report on Stalin’s line.

3) During 6 weeks of the war, the German command captured 895 thousand prisoners.

Tanks – 13,145

Guns – 10,388

Aircraft – 9082

The Soviet Information Bureau explains that the calculation technique is as follows: if we assume that in the occupied areas there are still workers and peasants who are considered prisoners of war, then this figure is humanly possible.

Further, the Information Bureau reports that according to estimates, German losses: 1.5 million killed and wounded.

Our losses are 600,000 people.

6,000 tanks were captured and destroyed.

Our losses are about 5,000 tanks.

Artillery 8000 guns.

Our losses are 7,000 guns.

Over 6000 aircraft.

Our losses are 4000.

This is the damage and losses during 6 weeks of war.

The mood today, I wouldn’t say it’s good, but I can’t say it’s bad either.

I really don’t like the command of the Factory – Anakin.

I haven’t done anything with the room yet.

I won’t go home today.

Here we go again, the damn dispatch meeting is coming soon.

You’ll go scratching your tongue again, it even gets on your nerves.

Today I saw in a dream that I supposedly evacuated.

An unpleasant dream, as if I were under fire or bombing.

At the dispatch meeting I had a great argument with the main an engineer, he gives such stupid orders, he himself knows absolutely nothing, but wants to show himself as a master.

I fight to the bitter end and do not change my stubborn character.

Whatever happens, I will insist on my own.

At 4:30 I’m leaving post 4, and suddenly I hear a rumble.

I looked at the Neva, 3 military boats were coming, probably reinforcements to Kexholm (*Nowadays: Priozersk).

It was nice to see them, they walked like a fighters, quickly.

At 17:30 they gave the «air alert» signal.

Lasted 18 minutes, nothing special.

At 9 o’clock I went to spend the night with Nyura Tsvetkova.

She met me at the entrance with a bag and a decanter for beer in it.

As soon as we crossed the road, it started to rain, but we continued on.

Having reached Palevsky, heavy rain hit, we hid under the roof of a beer stall.

Nyura went out in the rain, bought 3 mugs of beer, and we went to her in the rain.

We ate some herring.

My mood was not bad.

I played the guitar and sang a few songs – or rather, I purred.

9/VIII/1941

9/VIII. At 6:30 I was already at the Factory, until 8 o’clock I was doing handicrafts.

I can’t quit my habit, but I have to do something.

Something was wrong in the workshop this morning.