The Role of the Architectural and Planning Department in Organizing the Construction of Defensive Lines on the Outskirts of Leningrad (June – September 1941)

Abstract

Relevance. Numerous publications, books, articles and studies have been devoted to the topic of the heroic defense of Leningrad, collections of declassified documents and other materials have been published, revealing to us the unprecedented feat of the Leningraders in the defense of the city. However, this large and important topic has not yet been adequately explored. There are still no generalizing works that would reproduce the full picture of the participation of the Architectural and Planning Department in the construction of defensive structures on the outskirts of Leningrad in the first months of the attack by the Nazi invaders. The purpose: analysis of the activities of the Architectural and Planning Department during the first months of the attack of the Nazi invaders on the USSR; formulation of conclusions on the participation of the Architectural and Planning Department in the construction of defensive structures Objectives: explore new archival documents reflecting the activities of the Architectural and Planning Department; to analyze the results of the activities of the Architectural and Planning Department reflecting the events in the defense of Leningrad in the first months of the war; reveal the role and place of the Architectural and Planning Department during the construction of defensive structures on the far and near approaches to Leningrad. Methodology. In the course of the study, such methods as historical, chronological, as well as a systematic approach by the method of structural and functional analysis were used. Results. In an article based on archival documents of the Central State Archive, the Archive of Historical and Political Documents, previous studies, and memories of participants in the blockade of Leningrad. the activity of the Architectural and Planning Department of the Executive Committee of the Council of Workers' Deputies of Leningrad for the period from June 1941 to September 1941 during the construction of defensive structures on the distant and near approaches to Leningrad is studied Conclusions. Conclusions are drawn about the direct participation of the Architectural and Planning Department in the construction of defensive structures near Leningrad in the first months of the war.