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

There were no explosions nearby, but in the city, the bastard did a mischief.

I keep remembering yesterday, what a hurricane it was, and how happily «Katushka» got off.

What a squall there was, smoke, fragments, glass flying.

Okay, the day has passed today.

Today the weather is cloudy.

The city itself, nature itself, is defending itself from the enemy.

It would be nice if there was rain and gray weather for a few days, that would be very good for us.

Today there was shelling again in the direction of Rybatskoye.

The bastard, he also put out scattered leaflets «Peace to the tormented homeland.»

Here you are, the bastard, the punisher, a beast with human body characteristics.

How does he give peace to the defenders of the city of Lenin, by destroying houses, factories, killing women and children, innocent of anything.

And like a bastard, a asshole, he sneaks out from behind the clouds.

But our spirit will not be broken, we will stand to the end, under a barrage of fire and bombs, in any way we can, we will help the front, our valiant troops.

At 11:20 I was intensively knitting a napkin.

Here, too, such a tense situation, but I continue to work, let there be a memory, after the war, of what I did during this period, under the whistle of bombs and shells.

Today was a calm day, honestly, it was like a day off, I couldn’t even believe it was so quiet.

I just said good night and went to bed, at 23:25 «air alert».

Of course, I got up, got dressed, and at 12 o’clock command, take a bomb shelter.

P.I. Erofeev brought me a good black kitten.

21/IX/1941

21/IX. I spent the night peacefully sleep with the kitten.

Woke up at 6 o’clock together with the radio: battles along the entire front, especially near Kiev.

After listening to the message, I decided to take another nap, and suddenly I heard strong artillery salvos.

Woke up, I can’t understand whether it’s ours or not, then I figured out that ours are good gifts for the Nazis.

I got up, went to wash my eyes, just soaped them so that they brightened up a little, suddenly, I heard «air alert», I quickly washed off the soap and ran to the phone.

The weather today is clear, the Nazis will probably disturb us.

It’s already 11:20 pm, I really want to sleep, but I need to write down about the past day.

It went like this: firstly, today is Sunday, and Hitler bothers us 6 times.

Now I’m writing, and in the direction of the Bumblebees (*Airplanes), there is a terrible clap of a firecracker.

I don’t know, or artillery, or anti-aircraft guns, I want to sleep, and I don’t want to figure it out.

Somewhere a plane buzzed.

The day was clear, the night too, this is the kind of weather that Hitler’s infiltrator love (*Scouts penetrating behind enemy lines).

But today our aviation was heavily patrolling, so the Nazis were afraid to show their noses.

In evening weather, rockets were launched again.

Today I finished my famous napkin, what a memory it will be.

Well, okay, Sasha, go to bed, otherwise your cat has long been curled up in a ball and sleeping.

Sleep, Sasha.

Insert №26. Article «Not a step back, valiant defenders of Leningrad!»

22/IX/1941

22/IX. I got up from the Information Bureau: there were battles along the entire front.

After fierce battles, our troops left Kyiv.

I immediately jumped out of bed and cant fell asleep again.

The weather is gray – cloudy, well, I think the day will be calm from the fascist vultures.

Artillery cannonade is heard in the distance.

But at 7 o’clock, while still lying in bed, I heard the «air alert» signal.

Of course, I jumped out quickly, went to the phone, and let’s write all down in this diary.

Today, at 6 o’clock morning, it’s been 3 months of the war with the Nazis, but it seems like a very long time ago.

How tired of all this, when will it end.

There is some kind of indifference to life today, no interest, I want to cry and cry.

I always have such experiences after leaving a city.

Probably, the fascists are now being chasing at every little thing in the city.

I can’t express how angry I am with them.

The weather is gray, cloudy, and scratching cats are at heart.

Oh, how tired I am.

The meeting will start soon in control room. I’m tired of it too.

And why do we just gather to scratch our tongues?

Osipov was taken into the Army today, he’s a good man.

Orlov, Plotkin, also subpoenas.

My heart is sad, and so I write all sorts of leapfrogs.

Nothing from a friend, and I don’t write anything to him either.

Well, at least the cat entertains him a little.

At 12 o’clock I went to the dining room and met Minsuaroshvili (*That’s how it’s spelled, maybe the last name is different), the latter reported that the hostel on Pesochnaya was dilapidated by a ton bomb that hit the wooden house where the motorcycle always stood.

The hostel building, he says, is all twisted.

When he said this, I almost cried.

This is the kind of building that I was live in for 4 years and consider it like home, where you share the joys and sorrows of student life.

Yes, bastards, assholes, these Nazis.

What troubles and sacrifices for the people.

He says 6 people were killed, 18 people were wounded.

I don’t know what hit our Factory.

At 14:40 «air alert».

I was on the brevenka at that time, I quickly went to my place.

The weather was cloudy, favorable for the fascist thieves.

I climbed into my dovecote and sat by the phone, as usual.

And my kitten is sleeping on the bed, curled up in a ball.

The tower reports that the plane is flying in the direction of the Lenin Plant.

The workers fled to the bomb shelter.

So, I sat down, as usual, by the window, and I thought, if a bomb hits this pipe, then I’ll get hit with a brick, and if it hits the other pipe, too.

I’ll sit in the corner today.

So I did.

Suddenly I heard a crash, a shaking of the building, plaster crumbled, frames flew out, doors opened, etc.

It’s good that the workers were removed soon.

The bastard, Hitler, threw a bomb on my workshop.

The door from the office was also half-open, but I opened it with difficulty; the door was jammed in the corridor by the frame that had flown out.

The stairs are all littered with plaster, frames, not a single step.

I went downstairs and almost killed Rybushkin with a flying frame.

I went downstairs and saw that he was covered in blood.

I went up again, and only then did I not recognize my office.

The frames flew out, portraits were on the floor, the walls were like a sieve, there were holes all around.

I picked up the phone and reported to Headquarters that I had an accident, and suddenly I heard that the telephone connection had been interrupted.

Then I decide to run to Headquarters.

I went down the stairs, crawled through the door on my stomach, since it was completely littered with rubble, I climbed onto the overpass, to my feet, I looked, the workshop was engulfed in fire, firefighters were already working.

I met Popov, then returned to the cabinet, took my belongings with me (2—3 dresses, and boots), and took them to the bomb shelter.

Three times I crawled into the office, took all the necessary papers, and took them to the bomb shelter.

Then I began to help put out the fire.

I felt severe pain in my legs.

In the evening I guessed, because where I was sitting there was a hole in the wall, I was probably hit by a wave.

Still, surprisingly, I was calm throughout this shock.

When the workshop was burning, my old women roared with their voices, and indeed, people worked for 10—15 years, something tied them, because maybe it was their piece of bread.

The workshop was badly destroyed, the walls were half-burnt, the boss was left with the workers, without a workshop.

Well, how don’t you curse Hitler?

Feeling of emptiness in the soul.

I was surprised by Vasiliev, who ran away from the pilot (*sharpening saws for a sawmill) after the bomb fell.

When the fire subsided a little, I went up to my office and was truly surprised how I remained alive.

I went to the planning department to spend the night, I really want to sleep.

I’m tired or something, but I don’t know whether I’ll have to fall asleep or not.

Here I am writing in this diary, and somewhere long-range guns are hitting, but it seems to me that they are bombing.

It turns out, Sasha, your nerves are starting to get crazy.

Well, what will you do tomorrow?

Well, you clean up the territory, and then what awaits you, it’s better to go to the front.

Yes, there is nothing else left to do.

Cut your hair, put on Russian boots, and you will become a fighter.

I took her kitten and went to bed.

23/IX/1941

23/IX. I slept like the dead all night, no matter what, although the artillery was firing so hard that the walls were shaking.

I slept in the planning department on the table, with my constant friend – a kitten.

Woke up at 6 o’clock from the Information Bureau: battles along the entire front.

On 22/IX, 100 aircraft were shot down.

Today I feel like a 60-year-old woman, everything hurts, my legs, my head, and my whole body is broken.

Hands are all cut up somewhere, but there is no time to «basking in bed», since the workers will come at 7:30, we need to give work – cleaning up after the devastation and fire.

Now, I hasten to write down this diary.

Yes, Sasha, yesterday can make you gray:

1) Kyiv;

2) hostel on Pesochnaya;

3) bombing;

4) anniversary of mother’s death.

But now there is no time to think, to be sad, you have to work, and work, you are a leader, there is no time to get lost and hang your nose.

The weather today is clear, it will probably be an unpleasant day again.

Planes are already buzzing in the air.

I don’t know what awaits me at work in the future.

Maybe I go to the front.

A day passed, but what a day it was, there would be no more of these.

First of all, I got up at 6 am.

From 7 in the morning, and now it’s already 8:20 in the evening, and I’m still on my feet, and, one might say, I haven’t eaten today.

The canteen is not working, the bread is black-black, there is no boiling water anywhere.

By 4 o’clock we found an electric kettle, boiled it, and drank strong tea.

I was worried all day.

There were 9 air alarms during the day, I dont have time to come again, it was already «air alert».

I spent most of my time sitting in the cracks.

During the day I was engaged in dismantling the workshop piece by piece.

My legs hurt, they don’t bend, I can’t walk, but nothing can be done, I don’t even show it.

Eh, to hell with modern life, but there’s nothing you can do, you have to work, although there are worries and there is no workshop.

Popov ordered to prepare lists for 12 people for defense work.

Yes, that’s how life goes.

You live today, you don’t know what tomorrow holds.

Where will my friends gather after the war?

«M.K. Russkih» are in the Hospital; there is no time to visit them.

Rybushkin was gone all day, I don’t know what happened to him, and I didn’t even have time to go.

I walk around like hell, dirty, I probably even have bugs in my head, and I’m afraid to take a shower, afraid new «air alert» in bath.

As soon as you start undressing, again «air alert».

My felt boots are so outlined, I don’t know why.

Everyone walks very hungry.

In the evening me were treated to vinaigrette, well, thank God.

Well, okay, Sasha, brace yourself, we’ll survive everything, as long as the fascists don’t set foot in Leningrad.

Yesterday I was on the verge of death, I remained alive, and nothing else is needed.

I hope that in the future, we will live and, for someone, reading this diary, I will add a story, because you can’t write everything here.

Although you have no children, you have many nephews, you have someone to tell.

I do not regret at all that I am in Leningrad at this difficult time.

But I don’t know what will happen ahead.

You also don’t know how long you’ll stay in Leningrad.

Well, okay, Sasha, good night, in a new place – the groom to the bride (*Phraseologism: if an unmarried girl goes to bed where she has never slept before, then she has a chance to get at least one glimpse of her future spouse).

24/IX/1941

24/IX. I just said good night and was about to fall asleep when «air alert» was heard.

By that time I had cooked millet porridge, it was so nice, it was steaming, I didn’t have to eat it.

The alarm lasted 1:45.

Again, the bastard, he did this in the city with both incendiary and high-explosive bombs, on Ligovka, near the Moskovsky station.

Artillery cannonade was heard all night.

In the morning I woke up with the Information Bureau – and the sounds of our artillery cannonade were so loud that buildings and windows shook.

Fights along the entire front.

My legs hurt incessantly, thay barely bend, especially on stairs.

In the morning the weather was clear, but around 7 am the sky became cloudy.

Our planes are constantly buzzing in the air.

Anti-aircraft guns were firing somewhere, but «air alert» not yet.

Today I compiled lists for 32 people.

Yes…

It’s all because of the bastard Hitler, my close-knit family is falling apart.

15:00, I was getting ready to go home.

The weather today is cloudy, maybe I’ll take a break from all this hustle and bustle.

I’m sitting, writing, and the planes are buzzing like bees.

I’ll probably have to walk home, but I don’t know if my legs will make it, they can’t walk at all.

The long-range ones are hitting with all their might, but I don’t know if they’re ours or at us.

They say that the tram line at Mill of the Lenin’s was destroyed by long-range fire.

You can hear artillery cannonade and the sound of anti-aircraft guns.

In general, the time is hot, Leningrad is the front.

We will survive everything, as long as the fascist boot does not trample the avenues of Leningrad.

I’m cleaning around the workshop, I think I’ll still be sawing.

Yes, condition…

Today Dipelman left for the Army.

In the evening I went home, and safely, without «air alert».

I ate a lot of potatoes and went to bed.

25/IX/1941

25/IX. Got up at 8 o’clock, fighting along the entire front.

There were 3 «air alerts» during the day, they passed quietly.

Only in the evening was artillery fire heard.

At 3 o’clock I decided to take a nap, having first lit the stove.

I slept until 5 o’clock, and in my dreams I saw something, bastards, fascists.

In the evening I ate thoroughly and went to bed.

Devil this Lenka, somewhere could get it 8 packs of cigarettes.

I slept more or less peacefully for two nights and lay down.

The pain in my legs begins to subside; my right leg still hurts a little.

26/IX/1941

26/IX. I got up at 5:45, because I decided to go early to make before «air alert».

The day was clear, and our planes were already buzzing in the air.

I rode on 2 trams because they were going poorly.

We stood on Ligovka for a long time.

Yes, the city is scratched.

In many houses there is no glass, the plaster is crumbling, in general, there are traces of fascist dirty tricks everywhere.

As soon as I got to the Factory, I suddenly heard the rumble of planes, then shooting in the air.

Tamarov says that two planes were shot down in Murzinka.

Then I went to the Fabupravlenie (*Factory Administration), fed the cat and, finding more free time, decided to write down this diary.

Damn it, it’s not clear what to describe in the revision

It was not for nothing that the workers roared when the workshop was burning; they had a presentiment that it was their piece of bread that was taken away by the fascist bastard.

Rybushkin went to work today.

It’s surprising, given such devastation, not a single casualty.

I had a thorough lunch in the canteen of the Soap Factory.

I’m waiting to go to my workshop, suddenly I hear machine guns firing, it turns out it’s an air battle.

And it’s great, in my opinion, that they beat up the fascist aviation when 138 aircraft were destroyed on 23/IX alone.

There are rumors that Novgorod, Pskov, and Ostrov are ours, it would be very good, and after that create a bag near Leningrad and destroy it here.

Today I’ll probably go live in the drying shop office.

Firstly, it’s low there, and it’s creepy in my dovecote, because I was there on the brink of death twice.

My cat is alive and well, I’m writing now, and he indulges himself to the fullest, but cat during the war – is not profitable, since every day you need to buy an omelet for him.

In the evening I’m going to the district for a meeting (conference).

The first time I listened to Egorenkov, I didn’t like the way he spoke.

In general, it was boring.

Popov and I came home on foot.

It was a very good night for a walk with a nice person.

Warm, a little cloudy, glows are visible around Leningrad.

I wanted to go to the tower, but I got lazy and went to bed.

27/IX/1941

27/IX. I slept in a new place in the dryers, I didn’t dream about the groom, he probably never will be.

All night long artillery cannonade was heard on the right bank, but I slept like a log.

At 6:45 «air alert» passed calmly, since our hawks were in the air, up to 20 of them.

The weather is colorful, the sun is shining, but the clouds are thick.

I don’t know what will happen.

There were 5 «air alerts» during the day.

An interesting incident happened today.

As soon as the «air alert» is began, as soon as the workers began to work, Popov called and asked to come to him.

I only went to see him, he picked up the phone, suddenly, the whistle of flying bombs, one, second, third.

This was a surprise.

In general, there was a sudden raid.

Most likely, the planes hid behind the clouds and then did their vile deed.

Two or three bombs fell into the water, opposite our Factory, at the «Worker» Factory (*In 1844 – Spasskaya and Petrovskaya manufactories; in the 1880s – «Maxvelle’s manufactories»; in March 1919, the manufactories were nationalized, merged into the Petrovskaya Factory; since October 1922 – the Rabochiy spinning and weaving factory; during the Second World War, the Rabochiy Factory switched to the production of fabrics for sewing uniforms and raincoats. At that time, it was the only enterprise in the cotton industry, not ceased production. After the Second World War, cotton fabrics were produced: cambric, voile, poplin, Hellas, turban, scarves. All fabrics consist of pure cotton, woven from the finest combed yarn), 2 horses and 5 people were killed on the avenue.

At 5 o’clock Nyura and I went to the dining room, suddenly there was a signal «air alert».

But we still had lunch of pea soup and lentils, and ran to our hole.

There was a big raid, anti-aircraft guns were firing everywhere, and many of our planes were flying.

Two downed planes on the right bank, but I don’t know whose.

The raid came in waves, several times.

Long-range guns are firing continuously, in the direction of the Finland railway station

The devil knows what’s going on.

There are no letters from a friend, nor have the Russians.

Okay, the girls are waiting me for drink tea.

28/IX/1941

28/IX. I got up at 6:30 in the morning, I didn’t hear the military information bureau because the radio didn’t work after the bombing.

I took a shower and went to the workshop.

The weather is dry and warm, but the sky is pockmarked (*With spots of a different color on the main background; mottled) – clouds.

Here is a description of the night on combat watch of the house in which I lived for 4 years, and which was damaged by a fascist bomb:

Insert №27. Article «Night on combat watch».

The long-range guns don’t stop hitting, probably because the fighting on the Karelian Isthmus is intensified.

Airplanes are constantly buzzing in the air.

Now it’s become a little creepy in the office, after everything we’ve been through.

Before, I wasn’t afraid of anything, I was curious, but now I don’t stick my nose out much.

The lessons of three bombings of our territory warned us that we need to take a little care of ourselves and hide.

I warned the workers that they need to work, perhaps we will restore the workshop, but the workers, heartbroken, are working in bad faith.

This is what brutal brutes are capable of:

Insert №28. Article «Death to the brutal fascist scoundrels».

Today the mood is that a shell or a bomb is about to fly and kill you – goodbye to life.

The sky is gray, our planes are constantly patrolling in the air.

At the training ground, a machine gun is firing all the time.

Today «M.K. Russkikh» came, I was happy about him, like my own brother.

Mishka is still a good person.

He and I went to the dining room and ate thoroughly.

The day became clear, not a cloud in the sky.

The long-range ones are hitting hard, the bastards, yesterday they started dropping fragmentation bombs during a raid, and they are already starting to exterminate the population.

Leningrad is a warrior, steadfast and stubborn, you won’t see it like your own ears!

M.K. interestingly reported that Mga, Lyuban, Bologoe, etc.

This means that the path will soon be open.

This means that we will soon contact the «Big Land».

6 o’clock in the evening, the weather is good, today we were doing military work, I was very pleased.

I shot, the result was good.

The mood today is cheerful, I don’t know what will happen next.

In the evening they gave «air alert», we immediately climbed into the gap (*hideout).

What happened, the weather was hazy and cloudy.

I no longer saw whether the searchlights were illuminated or not, but the anti-aircraft guns were hitting so hard, the shells were flying with such a howl that I don’t know what happened, everything was mixed up in the air, the whirring of planes, the clanging of anti-aircraft guns, heavy artillery.

Then the whistle of high explosive bombs. The earth is shaking.

After «lights out» «air alert» We came out of the gap (*hideout), there was a big glow in the direction of Okhta.

In general, the bastard did it again.

After that, we didn’t sleep for a long time, then I fell asleep so soundly, and at 1 o’clock night again, «air alert».

We went into the gap (*crack, hideout) again, «air alert» passed calmly.

The weather became clear.

During this anxiety, I remembered a friend and missed him so much.

Yes, he is somewhere.

I don’t know that he doesn’t write anything.

Or what he was angry about.

Here, I give you an insert from the newspaper:

Insert №29. Newspaper «Leningradskaya Pravda. 09.28.1941. Women in defense of Leningrad».

29/IX/1941

29/IX. Got up at 7:30 am.

The weather is cloudy now, it looks like it will rain.

«M.K. Russkih» promised to come today.

By God, I love and respect him, no worse than my own brother, what a good person he is.

I fed him a good lunch, and he went to the Raicom (District Party Committee).

At 6 o’clock they call me to a lecture, I don’t know whether it will be interesting or not.

Since lunch the weather has become clear, I don’t know what will happen in the evening.

To be honest, yesterday was a little scary.

There were two air alarms today, but they passed more or less calmly.

Only at night, they say, hit by Vyborgskaya side.

I slept soundly all night today, without even undressing.

30/IX/1941

30/IX. Got up at 7:15 am.

The weather is cloudy, visibility is very poor, well, this is very good for us.