Memory is alive always and everywhere: survivor of the siege from Israel donated a memoir to the Presidential Library’s collections

The “Siege Memory Book” was brought to St. Petersburg from Israel. Residents of besieged Leningrad, who now live in this country, donated a unique collection of memories to the Presidential Library. These are stories about the daily unprecedented feat of Leningrad.

Members of the delegation led by the chairman of the Israeli Union of residents of besieged Leningrad, Emilia Larina, arrived in Russia to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the breaking of the siege of the city on the Neva. During their visit to the Presidential Library, the guests visited a new exhibition “Reified Memory: Defence and Siege of Leningrad in Museum Expositions. Marking the 75th anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi siege”, which opened in the building on the Senate Square, 3 on January 24.

Veterans were told in detail about the work done to collect materials for the exposition, held a tour of the Presidential Library, and were introduced to the institution's portal, where they can learn about the history of the Great Patriotic War and, in particular, the siege of Leningrad. Also, visiting the library’s portal, it is possible to have a virtual tour of the exhibition halls of the temporarily closed State Museum of Defence and Siege of Leningrad and get familiar with the electronic collection “Defence and Siege of Leningrad”, which includes digital copies of official documents, newspapers, memories of city residents, food cards, as well as photographs and newsreel.

Survivors of the siege who came to St. Petersburg from warm Israel were asked if it was difficult for them to withstand the severe frosts that were these days in the northern capital. "Is it cold now? It was much colder during the siege”, - the authors of the book “Siege Memory Book” answered.

In November 2018, a large-scale project, dedicated to preserving the historical memory of the days of the siege of the city on the Neva River in 1941–1944, was launched. About 200 people responded to the call of the Presidential Library to share testimonies about that time.

With the participation of the Presidential Library, the Unified City Information Center which coordinates the work of the media, public organizations and cultural institutions covering events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi siege, has been established.

Aleksey Voronovich, a senior researcher at the Presidential Library, broadcasts weekly on the Saint Petersburg TV Channel, in the program “Siege Diary”, giving unknown details about the life of a city surrounded by the enemy - for example, the special role of poetry or the spirit of Leningrad supported by people abroad.