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

Military units are moving.

And when you walk along Nevsky avenue, you look at these destroyed houses, your heart clenches, and hatred burns for the Nazis, what they have done, and what they will do again.

At Polinka released Vanya, I let her go on a date, he is in the Mechnikov hospital.

She called me, but why did he is for me, the sleeves are from the vest.

The duty of politeness, of course requires, but is no time to drive around.

Now it’s 9 o’clock in the morning, and I haven’t been to the workshop yet, so I decided to write down what had accumulated over the night.

Last night I destroyed all the letters, from a friend and from Stepan.

It’s dangerous if something happens.

Most of all I am afraid for the my card (*Photo card).

I sent it to a friend, but if it ended up with the Nazis, and on the card and letter I scolded the Nazis a lot.

Yes, and we must scold them for such gifts with which they treat Leningraders almost every day.

Insert №13. Photo «Members of the Moscow district Air Defense Demolition Platoon neutralizing and discharging high-explosive bombs dropped by fascist vultures».

I’m writing these lines, and artillery cannonade is heard very close.

But Lenin’s city will be ours, despite the fact that the enemy stands at the very gates of the city, gnashing his teeth at his fortitude.

He looks through binoculars and gets even more furious, as they say: «the elbow is close, but you won’t bite» (*Phraseologism: even close, but you won’t reach it).

Insert №14. The article «Vigilantly guard our factories and factories from the enemy!»

11 o’clock day, the mood is terrible.

The chairman of the Lengorsoviet (Leningrad City Council) speaks on the radio, he performs for the all entire Soviet Union.

He said that the enemy was standing at the gates of the city.

The Nazis are shelling the city, civilians, and workers working on defense work.

But if we don’t break the resilience of our city, we won’t give it up.

A difficult struggle lies ahead, but we will win, our cause is just.

The speaker was Hero of the Soviet Union, Comrade Danilov.

Message and greetings to Moscow and Odessa.

The pilots of Leningrad were entrusted with the task of protecting the city of Lenin from the air.

Recently, the enemy tried several times to raid the city, but was not allowed to do so.

Single planes stealthily made their way into the city here and there and caused casualties among the civilian population.

Who would have known, from the deep rear, about all the «air alert», artillery cannonades, the clanging of anti-aircraft guns, the destruction of buildings, daily shelling, the residents of the city who survived all this would never believe it.

Pedumenko is a fighter from the front from Bondarev’s detachment; recently Bondarev’s men defeated 4 regiments.

He gathered all the aviation and threw it at the Bondarev’s, but they fought steadfastly, behind back us, courageous and steadfast Leningrad.

In front of the city, and the whole country, we assure that we will destroy and drive the fascists away from the walls of our city.

K.B.F. (*Red Banner Baltic Fleet) Babkin:

«Hello everyone, we have the great honor of defending the city of Lenin. K.B.F. and his people are fighting the enemy Nazis (where my friend participates in the battles against the Nazis). Our homeland has put us on combat watch, and we will carry it out honestly. And all the naval and coastal naval forces, as long as the heart beats, while the arms and legs move, we will not let the enemy into Leningrad».

This ended the transmission from Leningrad.

Moscow performed – tears in my eyes.

You and I, Leningraders, says the voice of the announcer, send warm greetings to everyone.

Kyiv says, but the radio has become bad.

14:00, already the 3rd anxiety alarm today.

At 12:29, two bombs fell on the Lenin Plant, one on an oil tank.

A fire broke out and there were large clouds of smoke, but they were extinguished quickly.

After the anxiety alarm, I went to lunch.

I ate borscht, cutlet, and semolina porridge, and refreshed myself thoroughly.

I went around, onto a brevenka, and suddenly I heard «air alert».

The fire at the Lenin Factory is no longer visible.

They report from the tower that there is heavy shooting in the direction of the Bolshevik Plant.

A shell fell behind the Lenin Factory, and there was a big fire near the House of Soviets (*Palace of Soviets, located on Moscow Square).

All this in about 15 minutes.

There is an air battle above the Lenin Factory at 14:08, you can hear machine guns firing.

At the moment I am writing these lines, within 10—15 minutes, up to 25 of our aircraft took off in the air.

Yes, it’s interesting how conversations affect a person.

This morning my workers came, and they told so many horrors that they had been there and seen something.

My mood even dropped.

But then Lebedev comes and says, nothing like that.

The guy always thinks correctly, and always confidently, non-partisan, but a Bolshevik, honestly, in my opinion, so.

When you talk to him, you just get inspired.

In production, in peacetime, he was somehow invisible.

At 14:12 there was an air battle over Porokhovye (*Porokhovye is a historical district in the east of Leningrad, now: Krasnogvardeisky district).

Machine gun fire is heard.

At 14:22, behind small houses in Shchemilovka, a shell exploded.

The anxiety alarm still lasts.

The weather is clear, but there are clouds, it is beneficial for the enemy to take cover.

It will probably be a hot night tonight, judging by previous raids.

From this insert it is clearly clear that the fascist monsters need to beat, bomb, destroy, destroy.

Insert №15. Photo «Yelnya after the expulsion of fascist troops.»

The alarm continues, the air is quiet, only occasionally our planes buzz.

Today it’s surprising that you can’t hear any anti-aircraft guns.

Let’s hope for today’s performance by pilot Comrade Danilin.

At 14:45 they reported from the tower that shooting was heard near the Bolshevik Plant.

At 14:47 a shell exploded near the Proletarsky Plant.

The anxiety continues.

The sun is shining through the window, and I really want to sleep.

Anti-aircraft guns occasionally fire in the air.

At 15:12 a shell exploded.

At 16 o’clock – radio morning message: fighting along the entire front.

At 17:05 there was hurricane fire from anti-aircraft guns, but «air alert» no.

At 17:15 «air alert».

Oh, and there was hurricane fire from the anti-aircraft guns, sometimes you won’t understand, the anti-aircraft guns merge with the machine-gun fire.

At 18:03 «air alert» again.

I was just on brevenka, I heard the siren «air alert».

At 18:20, in the direction of the Volkov cemetery, there was a fire.

The sounds of anti-aircraft guns are getting stronger all the time.

Suddenly, it is reported that from the № IV canopy (*rain shelter) a fire signal is coming, it turns out that the glass was broken by bomb fragments.

At 18:40 there was heavy shooting at the Economizer (*Leningrad State Machine-Building Plant «Economizer» (LZE), since 1939 – Leningrad Iron Foundry, Mechanical and Pipe Plant «Economizer»).

At the same time, in the direction of the «Bolshevik», two fires are visible.

At 18:50 there was heavy fire towards Pushkin.

At 18:55 it was reported that a 2-engine plane was shot down in the Sortirovochnaya area.

At 19:03 the anti-aircraft guns started firing again.

I’m sitting and wondering if the anxiety alarm will end soon, I want to eat, otherwise I’ll be late for the dining room.

I can’t be offended yet, although we get 400 grams, but there is still enough, what will happen next.

Who would know what became of this dark-skinned village Sasha, who was like a bird, always walked around singing, over time began to purr, then a period of jokes and anecdotes, etc.

Now she is silent and sad.

This is what Hitler, the bastard, does to people.

It’s not age that resonates here, but all the experiences that you see and hear.

But I would be happy if things weren’t worse.

Yes, these are decisive days for us, what will happen?

The night is warm, dark, although there are stars.

At 21:26 «air alert» just got ready to see the director.

Yellow, red, and blue rockets are launched at Palevsky.

There are rockets at the Lenin Plant.

At 10 o’clock between Martynovskaya and Agafonovskaya there are white rockets.

After that I went to the director, and then went to bed, slept peacefully.

15/IX/1941

15/IX. I woke up around 5 am.

In the distance, artillery cannonade is heard all the time.

It is our guns beat the Nazis.

Then I took another nap.

Information Bureau: «Battles along the entire front. After fierce battles, our troops left the city of Kremenchug.»

At 8:20 I’m writing down these lines, in the distance, somewhere I hear the sounds of anti-aircraft guns, probably soon «air alert».

The message noted that on the approaches to Leningrad, the regiment under the command of Colonel Comrade Shitov especially showed courage and bravery.

Well, okay, the day is just beginning, more is yet to come.

The weather is good, the day is sunny, and the fascists, the vultures, will probably be active.

At 9:20 our air patrols were already buzzing like bees.

But the artillery cannonade does not stop, my ears are tired of listening.

Here is a clipping «on the words» of the defenders of the city of Lenin dated June 14, 1941:

Insert №16. Article «Dear comrades Leningraders!»

Today is a day that I don’t want to write down.

The Shvedov was here, brought a lot of news, but I doubts it.

There were two «air alerts» during the day.

During the second alarm, air combat and machine gun fire were heard, but nothing special happened.

Our planes are buzzing in the air, like bees before a swarm.

Now it’s 15:00, artillery shots are heard.

The weather is sunny, not a cloud.

Morning message: fighting along the entire front.

The 756th regiment lost up to 80% of its manpower.

17:05 again «air alert».

Since the beginning of the war, the 120th alarm, with a total duration of 75 hours. 40 min.

Something in the distance is beating like a drum, or anti-aircraft guns, or artillery, you won’t understand.

Today I’m going home – I don’t know whether I’ll leave or not.

But I’m thinking of going, I have a bag full of potatoes.

West of Volkov at 17:15 there was heavy shooting.

At 17:17 there was a big fire in the Kirovsky district.

South-west direction, shooting far away.

I spent the night at home, had a potato dinner, and went to bed.

Shell explosions were heard somewhere nearby.

I didn’t hear anything at night.

Slept peacefully.

16/IX/1941

16/IX. I got up at 6 o’clock, together with the Information Bureau.

Fights along the entire front.

I left, as usual, at 7:20.

As soon as I drove away from Borovaya, the military began to come across.

The tram is crowded with people.

On Voronezhskaya, near Novokamenny, there are military men everywhere.

Further to Red Square (*on December 19, 1952 it was renamed Alexander Nevsky Square) you rarely see military squads going.

There are, however, a lot of military personnel at the Moskovsky station.

And starting from Red Square to the Factory, while they were driving, the military marched with invincible force.

It can be seen that well-fed, well-dressed people are simultaneously transporting guns.

At Mill of the Lenin’s, our tram No. 41 collided with tram No. 36, and the windows flew out.

The military on the way kept looking into the air, and they dropped us off at Mill of the Lenin’s.

It turns out that «air alert».

After standing in the park for about 20 minutes, they called it off and we set off again.

Someone was crushed by a tram on Smolyanaya.

I arrived at the Factory at 8:30.

Erofeev said interestingly:

– «Fascist planes burst out of the clouds in a heap, but our anti-aircraft guns immediately hit us, and they scattered in different directions. At this time, the announcer gives the all-clear on the radio „air alert“, instead of „air alert“ In general, I probably didn’t sleep enough.»

Yesterday, when I went home, I sat for about 20 minutes in the public square, under the arch, in view of air alert

Everyone was jealous of my potatoes, which I took home.

The weather today is cold, the sky is cloudy, the Nazis will probably not give us peace again.

At 12:03 they gave «air alert», immediately there was hurricane fire from anti-aircraft guns, and when the artillery hit, everything shook all around.

The battle took place in the direction of the Moscow Highway.

The alarm lasted 24 minutes, but the shooting did not subside.

After that there were two more «air alert», but they passed quietly.

After dinner in the evening, I went to check the light masking of the workshop and decided to go to the tower to see what was happening around the city.

The dome of the sky is clear, clouds to the horizon, adding severity to the September Leningrad night.

I cannot express myself calmly here; I am writing, reluctantly, with tears in my eyes.

The suburb is on fire.

In the direction of Sortirovochnaya, or rather, orienting from Volodarsky Bridge to Moskovsky Station, there are fires in 7 places, and one fire in the direction of Dubrovka.

What a curse to send on the fascist heads after this.

What was created over centuries, created by honest people, now these fascists, monsters, have decided to destroy everything that comes to hand.

For whom is this war needed, what will he get from these ashes created by the fascists themselves.

After all, if he takes our places, he’s probably thinking of gaining a foothold, so why is he destroying everything and destroying everything, including captured Soviet citizens.

No, this won’t happen, you will soon run away from here, you fascist bastard.

Did he, Hitler, think in his bad head, in all likelihood not, when he attacked the Soviet Union.

We are sure that he captured it only temporarily, this is a temporary success, maybe after a while he will fly back, or maybe he will beat, destroy, destroy for a long time.

No, Leningrad is invincible, it will not be able to walk along our beautiful avenues, fascist boots will not pound on the asphalt.

But there are also treacherous bastards in our strata who send out signal flares.

These bastards must be caught and destroyed.

Sleep, Shurochka, you haven’t written to a friend for a long time, but I’m afraid, Sasha, the letter won’t reach you, since the situation is known.

The post office is not working well, although he is close, but now he is far away.

Well, you too, my friend, good night, sleep, but make sure that the fascist scum doesn’t take advantage of your sleep.

Beat and destroy this reptile, then we will thank you all, and you, my friend, especially.

Well, it’s time to sleep, good night, Sasha, may you dream about your friend.

17/IX/1941

17/IX. Woke up at 2:30 am.

I was awakened by artillery cannonade – the buildings trembled.

Woke up, it was unclear whether it was either our military is hitting, or our military was hit, but then, it turns out, they were shelling the city.

After looking around, I went to bed.

I woke up with the Information Bureau.

It was very hot in the room, I decided to open the window and kept my attention on the horizon.

I breathed fresh air for a long time.

The weather was clear, not a single cloud, and suddenly I heard several shots from anti-aircraft guns.

I paid attention, but didn’t see or hear anything else.

I lay down again. I think I’ll lie around.

At 6:55 «air alert», still quiet.

What I noticed was how many factory pipes I could see.

Not a single one was puff (*smoke), everyone seemed to be preparing for «air alert».

Even our «Katushka» did not smoke.

The air alarm lasted 25 minutes and passed calmly.

Walking around the area, I decided to put my outfits in order.

At 9:08 air raid warning

At that time I decided to make several inserts from newspapers.

They still won’t get through, although the enemy is standing at the gate and knocking on the windows, so much so that glass and even frames fly.

But no, it won’t happen, he will run from these gates, since at the Leningrad Gate, they say, there is a sharp turn.

The turning circle was probably well developed by our command.

At 13:21 «air alert» was just getting ready to go to the dining room.

You can’t hear any shooting yet, but planes are buzzing in the air.

During «air alert» I ate the cutlet that Comrade Erofeev brought.

I’ll really go have lunch after «air alert»

At 14:30 a shell exploded behind the Volodarsky Bridge.

At 14:55 a shell exploded outside Mylovarskaya.

At 14:56 there was a message that two fragments from anti-aircraft guns were found on canopy (*rain shelter) №4.

At 14:59 a shell exploded, and so the day passed.

Insert №17. Article «Enemy at the Gates» (Leningradskaya Pravda 09/16/1941).

Insert №18. Article «Roll call of three cities. Leningrad, Kyiv, and Moscow are at the microphone».

Insert №19. Article «Collective tailoring».

Insert №20. Article «From the Heart».

In the evening I went home for two nights.

We just passed the Lenin Factory, «air alert».

We sat in the yard for more than an hour.

There were a lot of planes circling like kites, but we still didn’t understand whether they were ours or the enemy’s.

In the evening, nothing special happened; after dinner, I went to bed, having previously become angry with Lyosha.

18/IX/1941

18/IX. Thursday is a day off.

I really lay in bed until 10 o’clock.

After cooking lunch and doing some housework, the day passed.

By evening there was heavy artillery fire.

Fascist bastards are destroying houses, killing women and children.

Such bastards will not spare Leningrad, its avenues, historical houses, monuments.

Now every corner is dear to Leningrad.

Insert №21. Photo «Monument to V.I. Lenin on Stachek Square at the Narva Gate».

Indeed, the enemy is rushing about, besieging.

Will I ever have to rework this diary, which is 80—90% filled during «air alert», air battles, and shelling.

Insert №22. Article «To arms, brothers!»

19/IX/1941

19/IX. As usual, I stood up together with the Information Bureau: the fighting along the entire front.

At 8 o’clock I already at the Factory.

The day was very clear, and on the way, on the tram, I could already hear anti-aircraft gun shots. I thought I wouldn’t not getting before «air alert», but I made it.

At 8:15 «air alert», such was the barrage of anti-aircraft fire, the roar of engines, the task was immediately given to occupy the bomb shelter.

Shell fragments rained down everywhere.

I found one fragment on the overpass, which is now in my pocket.

Maybe I’ll save it.

Oh, cradle of freedom, what did you begin to worry about in these terrible days of war?

I sit, write, and cut out these newspaper clippings.

Insert №23. Article «Cradle of Freedom».

These are the clippings, but they are valuable to me when I put the diary in order, process it, and bring it into sequence.

Insert №24. Article «Leningrad – a fortress».

Insert №25. Photo «Soviet pilots».

«Air alert» lasts 45 minutes, but is quiet now.

The tower reports that there is a fire on Okhta.

This is already the 131st «air alert» according to the account.

We passed 132, 133 and came 134th.

This was «air alert», she will be remembered for a lifetime.

At 16:48 «air alert», Romanova reported that enemy planes were flying towards «Katushka».

The command was immediately given to occupy the bomb shelter.

I went to call number 35, on the brevenka, to remove the workers.

Suddenly, I see an explosion on the right bank, opposite our «Katushka».

A puff of smoke from an exploding bomb, fiery fragments.

It became clear to everyone that the bombing was beginning.

I dropped the phone and ran to my office.

Motya hung up the phone and is already sitting under the table, let me calm her down.

And bomb explosions continued nearby all the time.

In general, there was, as the old women used to call it, a representation of the world (*Phraseologism: an obsolete name for the End of the World).

There is smoke and dust all around, my dovecote is shaking as if it were made of paper, on chicken legs, and I am sitting alone, everyone is in a bomb shelter.

I think I’m about to skovyrnus’ (*going to die now), but nothing, only two glasses flew out in the foremen’s office and in the accounting department.

Nothing special, I was calm, and «Ivan Anakin» just said into the phone: calm down, comrades, calm down.

The alarm lasted 91 minutes.

After it calmed down a little, I went to check what was where.

It turns out that one bomb fell on the right bank, two bombs fell into the water, 10 meters from my workers, and 7 bombs fell on the territory of the brevenka exchange (*Places designed and adapted for temporary storage of logs and lumber).

The railway was slightly damaged, an overpass, two narrow-gauge tracks were broken, and the water supply system was damaged.

Everything is fine, there are no casualties, there is also no great devastation, therefore, we can put up with this.

If it doesn’t happen again.

Titov even ran away from the tower, and for a long time there was no one on the tower.

Thus ended the Factory’s baptism of fire.

At that moment, the moment of the bombing, I was reading a letter that I found in Lisa’s desk.

Here it is:

Embed №6. The text of the letter from Lisa’s desk

Oh friend, friend, after a storm, there is always a calm, so I want that you would be here, and we would share everything with you.

Yes, I think, after the storm, you probably remember me too.

I really want to sleep, but there’s nothing to be done, the damned enemy gives me no rest, day or night.

My head hurts after today’s hurricane bombing.

But at 21:08 again «air alert», and ended at 23:54.

At that moment, I was not sitting in my room, as usual, but was on a brevenka.

The alarm passed calmly, the roar of engines was somewhere in the distance, and very high.

Somewhere, the bastard, dropped several bombs, but far from us.

The bastards, corrupt souls, again launched rockets, especially in the direction of Kartontolya (*Kartontol plant, founded in 1872), in the direction of our rafting station.

During the observation period, we went onto a brevenka and told jokes:

– «They took the Mother of God and brought her to the director, because… he was smoking by the window» (*According to Wikipedia: Atheism, as a worldview that denies religion, without being formally proclaimed as an element of state ideology in Soviet Russia and the USSR, was actively supported by party and government bodies until 1988).

Today they reported that «M.K. Russkih» was wounded, he was just calling during the bombing of the Factory.

Okay, Sasha, good night.

I know, if you want to sleep, go to sleep.

20/IX/1941

20/IX. Woke up at 6 o’clock morning.

Fighting along the entire front, especially fierce near Kiev.

Then I dozed off again and slept until 8 o’clock.

I wished Sasha good night, but the night was restless.

I spent two air alarms at the brevenka exchange.

The night was clear, and behold, this thrice-damned Messerschmitt (*Messerschmitt) was constantly flying in the air, buzzing, circling first towards the «Bolshevik» and then back.