Surviving the Siege of Leningrad with Sawdust Bread and Iron Determination

History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

Society & Culture, History

4.2 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 5 August 2025

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The first year of the siege of Leningrad that began in September 1941 marked the opening stage of a 900-day-long struggle for survival that left over a million dead. The capture of the city came tantalizingly close late that year, but Hitler paused to avoid costly urban fighting. Determined to starve Leningrad into submission, what followed was a winter of unimaginable suffering for ordinary citizens and defenders alike. First-hand accounts from Soviet and German soldiers, many never previously published, together with those of the civilians trapped in the city detail the relentless specter of death which defined life in and around Leningrad.

Today’s guest is Prit Buttar, author of “To Besiege a City: Leningrad 1941-42.” Personal vignettes give a glimpse into the reality of life in a city under siege. The teenage volunteer climbers, weak from hunger, scaling the slender spire of the Peter and Paul Fortress to shroud it in camouflage as the German bombers circle overhead like vultures. Or the soldier trombonist completing a long day on the front line to perform Shostakovich’s epic Seventh Symphony alongside a starving and sickly orchestra – an act of defiance broadcast to defenders and attackers alike.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Scott here with another episode of the History Unplugged podcast.
0:07.4	The first year of the siege of Leningrad that began in September 1941 marked the opening stage of a 900-day-long struggle for survival that left over a million dead.
0:16.7	The capture of the city came tantalizingly close late that year, but Hiller paused to avoid costly
0:22.0	urban fighting. Determined to starve Leningrad into submission, what followed was a winter of
0:26.4	unimaginable suffering for ordinary citizens and defenders alike. Looking at the conditions
0:31.0	of the siege of Leningrad really give us an idea of what horrific starvation was like across history.
0:36.1	Today's rebroadcast episode, I'm speaking to Prit Butter, author of To Besiege's City,
0:40.5	Leningrad, 1941 to 1942.
0:42.8	Personal vignettes, give a glimpse into the reality of life in a city under siege.
0:46.9	We see teenage volunteer climbers, weak from hunger, scaling the slender spire of the
0:51.2	Peter and Paul fortress to shroud it and camouflage in order to prevent
0:54.3	German bombers from striking it. Or we see a soldier trombonist completing a long day on the
0:59.1	line to perform the 7th Symphony alongside a starving and sickly orchestra.
1:03.3	We'll see what mentality it took to survive one of the worst experiences in the 20th century.
1:08.4	Hope you enjoy this discussion.
1:13.2	And one more thing before we get started with this episode, a quick break for word from our sponsors. Hi, everyone. Super Bowl
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	...

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