History Daily The End of the Siege of Leningrad
Jan 27, 2026
A detailed look at the 872-day siege ending on January 27, 1944. Stories of civilian survival amid bombing and evacuation attempts. A famous symphony and a bold orchestra concert that bolstered city morale. Accounts of brutal assaults like Krasny Bor and the counterattacks that finally pushed German forces back.
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Scale And Human Cost Of The Siege
- Leningrad was cut off and nearly 3 million people were trapped for almost 900 days.
- Over a million soldiers and civilians died, making the siege one of WWII's deadliest urban catastrophes.
Music As A Weapon Of Morale
- Karl Eliasberg conducted a starving, reduced Leningrad orchestra to perform Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony amid bombardment.
- Speakers in the streets carried the music as a deliberate morale boost for the besieged citizens.
Leningrad's Symbolic Strategic Value
- Hitler aimed to destroy Leningrad as the birthplace of Bolshevism, not just as a military objective.
- The city's symbolic importance made its defense politically and psychologically vital for both sides.