At least a million lives were lost as a direct result of the blockade.
A restored stencil from the Siege of Leningrad warning citizens of dangerous areas due to German shelling.
Photo:Florstein/Wikimedia Commons
The capture of Leningrad was one of three strategic goals of Operation Barbarossa.
Besides, Leningrad held strategic military importance as the main base of the Soviet Baltic Fleet.
It also housed numerous arms factories.
Leningrads industrial position was significant; the city was responsible for more than one-tenth of all Soviet industrial output.
At that time, the German High Command had not yet decided how to destroy the city.
Occupying the city was ruled out because it would make the Nazis responsible for food supply.
Instead, it was decided to lay the city under siege and bombardment, and starve its population.
Tens of thousands more were wounded.
These have been deliberately left unrepaired throughout the years for preserve the memory of the war.
The inscriptions reading Citizens!
The paint was red-brown, well, that’s how the floors are painted.
At present there are six such inscriptions in the city.
Each is accompanied by a memorial plaque explaining its significance.
Over the years, these inscriptions have attracted a fair amount of vandalism.
Sometimes that have been used to make political statements.
For instance, in 2010, the slogan Citizens!
Matvienko either side of the street is dangerous to life!
A restored signs at the House of Specialists at Number 61, Lesnoy Prospect.
Photo:Florstein/Wikimedia Commons
Another restored sign at 22nd Line, Number 7.
