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

Today, at 3 o’clock in the morning, he took a bath in the Neva, I don’t know how it helped him, and so he dried first in a boiler, and then in a dryer.

At 16:30 he calls 50 and asks me how much the young lady sawed, I say: 49.6.

Then she picked up the phone, and Katya Yanukhnova asked him how he bathed, he said – with both feet.

In general, the man jumped into the water up to his chest.

We also sit around the clock.

I wanted to sleep all day, and in the evening, after seeing everyone off, I decided to take a nap.

I heard someone come to see me, or Nyura, or the horse Lenka, but I was already asleep and didn’t want to turn around.

I woke up at 8 o’clock in the evening, went to Headquarters, noted my presence, then to the dining room, ate a nasty vinaigrette, a glass of tea and pie, and went ashore.

A military boat passed by, but I only saw it following.

What boredom, what poison life is, indifference, and there is no end – you have to live, and live.

After all, frankly speaking, I haven’t lived yet, but I’m already 37 years old.

My life was spent studying.

I just got back on my feet, now I wish I could just live, but here comes the wave again.

There is something to wear and put on shoes, but all this is not interesting now.

Life has become indifferent, nothing interests you, even in your personal life.

Life has become indifferent, nothing in your personal life interests you (*Recorded on another page. Probably at a different point in time).

You wait for tomorrow, and what it will bring.

Yes, the same as today, the same troubles.

Get up at 6 o’clock in the morning, and you run around all day and do nothing, but you’re tired as hell.

I sent a letter to Narva again today.

The guy needs to be supported, at least morally, but at the same time he is offended that he was forgotten.

Eh, Apostle, Apostle, it all started beautifully, but I don’t know how it will end.

Every day we move away from each other, further and further.

At the same time, he’s a great guy, I like his tenacity.

I won’t say anything other than good things about him, it’s all my fault.

Today I live only in dreams about him – I don’t know whether he knows about it or not, but from my letters he should guess.

There is still nothing from Sima, he is probably no longer alive.

But it’s still a pity for the guy, and it’s a pity that I didn’t study him, while he was interested in me.

Every day my heart aches and aches about them, these strong boys.

After all, it often happens that when you lose a person, only then do you begin to appreciate him.

Many women and girls get carried away for profit.

I look at life completely differently.

An engineer is considered something high, without looking into the inside of a person’s soul.

I never thought highly of myself before the Apostle.

It’s about the person, not the mark, and the not of rank.

Why do I need a husband who is an engineer when I am an engineer myself, and why do I need a lifelong friend with a higher education?

But my hobby can be attributed to the unsuccessful ones.

I only have myself to blame.

I wonder how happy he is that he tied the knot with her?

Well, I have a diary for 3 years, which I wrote when I was young, I remembered only Borya Shilyaiva, but it has already gone into the realm of legend, and he, too, has probably already forgotten me, 14 years separate me.

Meeting with A.I. Nikolaev is a short but beautiful episode in life.

He is somewhere, alive or not.

I was happy to meet him, because… this personality remained undisclosed to me.

Intrigue is always interesting in life.

I revealed the last intrigue of the Apostle quickly, in view of the simplicity of his character.

What I liked about him was that the man himself did not lie, and believed everything, therefore, he had never been deceived in his life.

I don’t even know what binds me to him now, because I know that a strong barrier separates us from him, and he is already lost for the further, parallel pursuit of my life.

But at the same time, there is something attractive about it.

Let us remain good comrades, and then I’m happy.

And then, there will be some hope in my personal life.

He will think something about me after yesterday’s letter.

Or he will simply consider me a fool, but, in my opinion, he will not come to that.

Now I’m going to go to the brevenka, at least to speed up a little, or to make me even more bored.

20/VIII/1941

20/ VIII. The Information Bureau me wake up.

The fighting continued along the entire front.

Especially reinforced in the Kingisepp, Novgorod, Gomel, Odessa directions.

Is probably, at Apostle has a hot time, because… the battles are 30 km away.

The workshop was working on loading a barge, they wanted to send it to Murzinka, but I defended its, Let come down Katushka go, because… this audience likes easier work.

At 12:45 they gave «air alert», it passed calmly.

There was no foreman on the brevenka, and I was on duty there, suddenly, I saw the cruisers «Stroyny» and «Smely» coming, moving slowly, in tugs.

What a beauty the Baltic is.

They’ll probably let the fascist vermin feel it.

Probably to Kexholm.

In the evening at 5:30 there was a factory-wide meeting of workers, with a call for the defense of Leningrad.

The meeting was active.

I went home to spend the night, although it was late, at 8 o’clock.

In the hostel are boredom.

21/VIII/1941

21/VIII. In the morning at 6:30 I listened to a speech – an address by Comrade Voroshilov, Commander-in-Chief of the North-Western Front, to the Leningraders.

I heard the report poorly, because… Moscow has been very hard to hear lately.

Yes, the front line is not far away.

The enemy is still strong, but his strength will be broken, and broken completely, so that the presumptuous Hitler will not leave the psychiatric hospital.

There is his grave there.

Today is Thursday, but we were working on loading a barge.

At 12 o’clock Shakhmashirova and Shvarengova come to me, declaring that they came running from Gatchina, and tell me a lot.

At first I took it very closely, but then, as they say, I waved her hand.

In general, the public loves to chat and create panic.

Some do not realize the seriousness of the matter, and some love to chat.

I’m sitting, writing, and somewhere in the distance I can hear artillery fire.

Now I’ll go check it out, I’m generally very curious.

At 17:00 they gave «air alert», it passed calmly.

At 15:30 it is reported from the tower that 6 fascist planes are flying to the Gulf of Finland.

There are two planes flying in the south, but they are far away and you can’t see whose.

An airplane is flying over the Kirov district, at high altitude.

In the area of «Bolshevik» (*Nowadays: Obukhov Plant) planes are circling at high altitude.

The workshop workers worked at high altitudes.

It was dark and warm in the evening, so I let the workers go.

In the evening at 7 o’clock there was a party meeting.

Ivanov A. categorically refused to enroll in the work detachment for the defense of Leningrad.

What an idiot, he manifests himself so parasitically, both at work and in public life.

I think Shashnev and Ivanov are capable of selling someone in order to save their own skins.

At least, I had this assumption when I signed up for subscribing to a soviet loan.

In the evening Betselev called and said that tomorrow he will probably leave for the front.

He asked, that Lelya come to him.

In the evening I went to the barge with Popov, we talked about something, he felt very sorry for him.

A conversation ensued, and I told him that I wanted to recommend M.K. The Russkih – are the head of the Reel Shop, and he replies, on the contrary, I wanted to appoint you.

It turns out he still values me.

At 10 o’clock In the evening I went to see him, and he said to me:

«Well, Borovikova, today I was rummaging through the wood table, and found so many of your statement, that not a single boss has written so many in all my work.»

No wonder he once called me a writer (*Writer, a person professionally engaged in literary work).

At 7:45 today a ship passed from Ladoga with wounded, but probably the wounded were light, because… everyone was sitting.

It’s already 11:30.

It’s time to sleep, Shurochka, good night.

Yes, today another thought came to mind, about the Apostle.

We need to write him a letter and tell him that there are a lot of «carriage» now, and there are no disputes.

This is the «achievement».

I remember these episodes with the «carriage» (*Vagon) every day.

Once upon a time they, these defenders of the Fatherland, did such little things as making carriage (*Vagon).

Those who are physically stronger and have a stronger throat never stood behind the carriage (*Vagon).

I consider him one of these heroes.

Whether he was a specialist, a good craftsman in this regard, a loader, and a carrier, he was good at carrying «humpback» (*Gorbyl’), etc. (*A humpback – is an obapol; a side part of a log having one sawn and the other not sawn or not sawn through the entire length of the surface, with a normalized thickness and width of the thin end).

God grant him health, have a good dream, and then destroy more than a dozen fascists.

He will be strong enough, I am sure of that.

At 11:05 it was reported that on 22.08.41 there will be a training exercise in the Baltic Fleet, be prepared to listen to the artillery shooting.

We doubtfully believed this teaching, since the atmosphere around was condensed (*As condensed milk – Phraseologism: about the approach of something unpleasant, difficult for someone).

But we are ready for anything.

22/VIII/1941

22/VIII. Today at 6 o’clock morning, fulfilled 2 months of war.

By God, I don’t know what curses are on the fascists’ heads.

The Information Bureau reports that on 21/VIII there were battles on all fronts, especially on Kingisepp.

The bastard is heading towards Leningrad.

Gomel direction – Gomel was leaves (abandoned).

21 aircraft were shot down, our losses were 12 aircraft.

The news conveyed today squeezed my heart, and I wanted to cry and cry, despite the early morning.

All attention was mainly paid to Leningrad, what a threat loomed over Leningrad.

After all, frankly speaking, either encirclement or the entry of the fascist boot awaits us.

But no, this will not happen, the Leningrad proletariat will not allow the fascist boot to trample the sacred avenues of this glorious city.

We will defend the city with our breasts, we will use all our feminine abilities and perseverance, which, however, Erofeev does not believe in, but, frankly speaking, he himself is worse than the most seedy woman, his panties are probably rusting.

I’m looking forward to the Baltic Fleet training.

It’s our destiny, something has to be decided in a few days.

But I’m still calm about Leningrad.

I think we lived in it, and will continue to live, we will not give it up, and we will not concede its beauties and values, but, of course, there will probably be devastation.

Popov said yesterday that the fascists are coming: first motorcycle-mechanical units, then police detachments – detectives who collect everything, even down to door handles.

Then the «SS», who take away and deal with the Soviet people.

Perhaps, with the whistling of shells and bullets, you will either go into battle, or where – I don’t know, but I don’t keep that in my head.

Today the public comes from Tolmachevo (*an urban-type settlement in the Luga district of the Leningrad region), with different stories, but I least of all believe them.

It’s interesting that I’m working now, about 80 people have gathered, and there’s only one sawmaker (*A worker installing saws on sawmill frames), and not a single foreman.

So, spin around, this way and that way.

Turn around, as Kirill told Comrade Stalin, both on the on a rocking chair and on your side.

This is how life turned out.

If I go to Borovaya, I think, something is happening there, on the village avenue of Smolensky, maybe fascist tanks have already broken through from Rybatsky.

When you leave home, you think maybe an enemy has broken through from Volkova Village.

Think or not think, but you forgot your belongings, which you are earned with such difficulty.

23/VIII/1941

23/VIII. Day off.

I spent two nights at home.

This is a great achievement on my personal front.

The night of August 23rd I slept very restlessly.

I dreamed that Popov and I were looking for some kind of bomb shelter, underground.

Then I saw something in the Apostle’s dream.

At 8:20 they gave «air alert», lasted 11 minutes.

It lasted quietly, but I got out of bed at 12 o’clock.

This was the first night that I slept in my bunk during the entire war.

In the afternoon I cooked cabbage soup and drank a bottle of slivyanka with Lenka and Polinka.

In the evening, Polina and I had a glass of beer.

During the day, Tanya and I did the laundry in the Laundry, and in the evening, of course, I worked with a needle.

I can’t give up my only pleasure.

I have already done a lot during the war.

Below I will place an appeal from Comrade Voroshilov to the working people of Leningrad.

Insert №1. Article «To all workers of the city of Lenin».

Insert №2. Article «Two-month results of the war between Hitler’s Germany and the Soviet Union».

Information Bureau for 22/VIII: fighting along the entire front, especially fierce in the Kingisepp, Novgorod and Gomel directions.

New trick of the fascists.

24/VIII/1941

24/VIII. Sunday.

I got up at 5 a.m. this morning because I spent the night at home.

After all, there are no foremen, and workers are assigned from 2 shifts, «A» and «B».

There is also no foreman on the brevenka.

I need to plan the work and provide the latest for everyone.

So, at 6:40 I was already at the Factory.

We start with two sawmills.

Pryadichev was appointed master.

Nothing, we must to put up with everything.

Morning message: fighting on the entire front, especially in the Kingisepp, Novgorod and Smolensk directions.

Nothing, bastards, the time will come, you will get for everything, for this propaganda (*Newspaper clipping):

Embed №5. The text of the TASS clipping.

The previous page also talks about your losses.

Your plan to capture Leningrad will not work.

Yes, Leningrad is in danger, but it is calm, no panic.

Leningrad will not be surrendered; this has never happened before in history.

Moreover, Leningrad is the cradle of the Proletarian Revolution.

We will make every effort, and they won’t pass.

This is the opinion that the whole of Leningrad breathes, victory will be ours!

Insert №3. The poem «They will not pass!» (Author: Vas. Lebedev-Kumach).

Here, we, Leningraders, are calm for now.

Thanks to our defenders – Stalin’s Falcons, soldiers, commanders, political workers and Red Navy men.

And how much sympathy the Soviet people have for the residents of Lenin.

They all burn with one desire, to help us, even morally, Leningraders, and this means a lot.

We read all these appeals with tears in our eyes.

Below are some excerpts from newspapers:

Insert №4. Article «Workers of Moscow – to the City of Lenin. To the workers of the city of Lenin».

Registration for work teams is underway.

Of the many, Lenka Izovieva went.

Well done, the girl is anywhere.

I like people like this.

My turn to volunteer is ahead, because… the «Director» is holding me back, but still, I never give up this dream.

But there was no one left in the workshop department except me.

Indeed, even here, in the rear, we need leaders – commanders.

But, at the first call of the Party and the Government, I am in full combat readiness.

At 10:45 they gave «air alert», before that shooting was heard in the direction of Sortirovochnaya.

Insert №5. Article «Fascist villains will find a grave on the outskirts of Leningrad».

Before that, I was far away, on the territory, and assumed that there would be «air alert».

And so it happened.

But I managed to get to the phone on time, because the director established that under «air alert», the shop manager should be on the phone.

This is the 67th alarm in a row, it passed calmly.

The devil knows what kind of life this has come to be.

The mood is very depressed, how many curses do you send on Hitler’s head every day.

In the evening I treated Popov to a cigarette; he had long been asking me to treat him to good cigarettes.

At 9 o’clock in the evening I was at Headquarters, and asked for a photo from one room, from the Palevsky hostel, let it be, as a souvenir.

I really want to sleep, but I still have to sit for an hour, because… You need to check the military light masking.

The night will be dark, now drizzling rain and cold.

Poor soldiers, how cold they are in this weather.

Insert №6. Article «Leningraders, the whole country is with you!»

25/VIII/1941

25/VIII. I slept the night like a dead woman.

I went to bed at 9 o’clock in the evening, and at 7:30 I barely got up, I really didn’t want to get up.

I don’t know why I slept like that, probably the weather helped.

The weather is cold and cloudy.

Information Bureau message:

The battles took place in the Kexholm, Gomel, Smolensk and Dnepropetrovsk directions.

Something was intercepted, I didn’t understand, as if there were heavy losses on the Romanian side.

Today is a solemn day, one master, Rybushkin, came to me.

This is a big relief for me.

How my soul has been hurting lately, God knows what it is.

I am very suspicious, I think about what comes into my head, I think endlessly.

I saw something in a dream brother Nikolai’s, but the dream was unpleasant.

This morning I really missed the Apostle.

When will all this end, when will we start living again as we did 2—3 months ago?

At 4 o’clock I was on the brevenka, I was walking, and I heard some sailor singing.

I look and think, not A…

True, he doesn’t look like him, but I was overcome with doubt, still I ran to my place, but no, not him.

How excited I am now, how I want to meet him and tear him into small pieces, from the excess of feelings for him.

Nothing, a modest wish, but this is all mental, I have no right to it.

But despite everything, my only interest is to meet him, at least for two hours, and talk, and then I would be satisfied.

Well, okay, fight, beat your enemies, and when you return home, to your family hearth.

As I’m writing these lines, suddenly Comrade Krylov calls me, I haven’t seen him for a long time.

After all, at one time, out of boredom, I was acting out with him, and now, having nothing to do, I would have chatted with him, but he was transferred to another station, and now we are not meeting.

Otherwise you’ll sit on the shore, go and have a glass of beer, but it’ll be more fun.

Morning message: fighting on all fronts, especially fierce in the Kexholm, Novgorod and Dnepropetrovsk directions.

The day was hectic, as always.

In the evening Betselev came and said that he climbed out the window from the Health Hospital.

He promised to come back tomorrow morning.

I did a little crochet work and wanted to go to bed at 10 o’clock.

Just went down, suddenly there was a fire alarm.

It was dark outside, I barely found the place where the fire was supposed to be located – it was near the power station, but I soon went to bed.

26/VIII/1941

26/VIII. This day is memorable for life.

When I wrote the diary, I still didn’t know anything, I found out that the blockade ring was worn that day.

The last train arrived in Leningrad, and we broke contact with the so-called «Mainland».

So, this first ring of the blockade will be reflected in my notes in my diary.

But, I remind you that this is only a postscript, because… While I was writing my diary, we, many Leningraders, did not yet know about this blockade ring.

I woke up at 6 o’clock, listened to the report, and lay in bed until 7 o’clock.

After fierce battles, our troops left Novgorod.

Our troops entered Iran and advanced 40 km (*Iranian operation August 25 – September 17, 1941).

I don’t know how, whether they meet resistance.

Yesterday Irisha reported that Kolya Roshchin was killed – it’s a shame, such good people are being killed.

Today again demand 30 men for defense work.

I don’t know who I’ll pick.

Comrade Bazinev came again, and there was no time to talk.

Today they reported that Kalugin was wounded and is lying in the Tula region, in the Hospital.

Once again there was not a single foreman left on the brevenka; Vainik had to be taken.

I just came from the dining room at 2 o’clock, I ate so heartily, my sides are bursting.

I am writing and waiting for the morning message.

Now I am reading the newspaper inside and out, in particular, the note to the Iranian Government (*On August 17, 1941, a joint Anglo-Soviet note was handed to the Iranian government. It contained a demand for the Iranian Government to ensure that all German specialists leave the country).

They handed over a letter from the Gorky workers to the Leningraders.

What sympathy does have for the Lenin city.

You listen to these letters, or read in the newspapers, tears come to your eyes for the care of this glorious city, which becomes more and more dear every day.

At 15:25 they gave «air alert», it passed calmly.

Here, reading during «air alert» newspaper, I saw a portrait of this glorious lieutenant Antonov, who shot down the Yu-88, which I saw on Stachek Square 14/VIII when I went to Betselev.

Now I was at Headquarters.

By God, I almost cried, they are sending men to defense work again.

Almost everyone left me, only Tamarov remained, and the last one was included in the list.

By God, it’s a shame, people like Anakin, Sokolov and others are sitting there, their pants shine from the seat in place, and I’m sending 73-year-old old men.

No, at least one of them would go voluntarily, They take care of protect their skins, line their pockets, and do everything that is beneficial for them.

It was advisable to send off your own people, so they did, they did it at their own expense, preserving their property.

In addition, I was informed that they were all employed here as workers and employees in order to be sent to the government account.

Here is the public, they always know how to live.

What the hell, Comrade Popov made Anakin the chief engineer, whose was cooks in his head once a day.

He worked as a shop manager, and then he was so-so, but now he has received a great rank – why, because he knows how to live, and save his own skin, as they say – disguise on time.

27/VIII/1941

27/VIII. 6:25 p.m.

Just now I took up the pen to leave a mark here, on paper, that on 27/VIII life flows as usual.

Some day today, neither boring nor fun, I just didn’t feel like writing.

Fights along the entire front.

In recent days, 101 planes have been shot down on the outskirts of Leningrad.

Look, they asshole, how Leningrad attracts them, they want to do us harm.

At 16:30 they gave «air alert».

This is the 70th alarm in a row, but apart from rare anti-aircraft gun shots, there was nothing.

We don’t know anything yet, everything is calm.

It would be nice to live like this until the end of the war.

In the afternoon I sent all men’s, including Tamarov.

Tomorrow is Thursday – a day off, but I don’t know whether I’ll use it or not, since I haven’t been at home since Sunday, and, frankly speaking, I don’t want to, I’m so unaccustomed to being away from home.