Day-by-Day Timeline of Events
Monday, September 1st, 1941
German Army elements begin the shelling of Leningrad.
Monday, September 15th, 1941
The Soviet fortress at Shlusselburg southeast of Leningrad falls to the Germans.
Monday, September 15th, 1941
The Germans now control the southern end of Leningrad, cutting its citizens off from the rest of the Soviet Union.
Monday, September 15th, 1941
Finnish forces, siding with the Germans, now control the Karelian isthmus, covering Leningrad from both sides.
Sunday, November 9th, 1941
The Germans take the supply line route of Tikhvin, located east of Schlusselburg.
Wednesday, October 1st - December 31st, 1941
As rations begin to run out in the encircled city of Leningrad, its citizens begin to starve.
Wednesday, December 10th, 1941
The Soviets retake the town of Tikhvin.
Wednesday, December 10th, 1941
The Soviet supply route is restarted across frozen Lake Lagoda.
Thursday, January 1st - July 31st, 1942
Some 800,000 of Leningrad's citizens are evacuated through the frozen passage above Lake Lagoda.
Wednesday, January 7th, 1942
Along the Volkhov Front to the south of Novgorod, the Soviets launch a major offensive.
Sunday, March 1st - March 30th, 1942
The Soviet offensive near Novgorod is stopped by German ground and air elements.
Sunday, March 1st - March 30th, 1942
The whole Soviet 2nd Shock Army is lost near Novgorod.
Wednesday, July 1st - July 31st, 1942
Hitler orders two directives in the operation against Leningrad. The first calls for its immediate encirclement and the second for its immediate destruction from land and air.
Wednesday, August 19th - September 30th, 1942
A Soviet offensive aimed at smashing through the German lines fails.
Friday, September 25th, 1942
With winter upon the German Army once more, Hitler orders a halt to any major offensives around Leningrad.
Thursday, October 1st - October 31st, 1942
With a lull in the fighting, Soviet forces near Leningrad are able to receive much needed supplies and reinforcements.
Tuesday, January 12th, 1943
The Soviets enact Operation Spark and cut a path through the German lines clearing a path to Leningrad. This offers the citizens of the city some much needed foot rations.
Tuesday, January 19th, 1943
The Soviets retake the city of Shlusselburg.
Friday, January 14th, 1944
Soviet armies from the 2nd Baltic, Volkov and Leningrad fronts overtake German Army Group North in a massive two-week offensive.
Friday, January 28th, 1944
German Army Group North is pushed away from the city of Leningrad.
Thursday, January 27th, 1944
The Moscow-Leningrad railway route is reopened in favor of the Soviets.
Thursday, January 27th, 1944
The siege of Leningrad is declared by Soviet leader Stalin as over.