LENINGRAD 2021
Leningrad 2021, 80 years since the fascist invasion
From October 24 to November 3, 2021, the Foundation for the Development of Russian-French Historical Initiatives implemented a new large project dedicated to the siege of Leningrad. From 1941 to 1944 over a million Soviet soldiers and civilians of the Hero City of Leningrad were killed and starved to death during the longest blockade in history (almost 900 days). It was the first Franco-Russian historical and archaeological project dedicated to the theme of Leningrad.
The project took place from 24 to 30 November 2021 in Moscow and St. Petersburg. He united French (Vilfrid Maack, 96 years old and Marcel Vogele, 100 years old), Soviet (Zinovi Merkin, 97 years old and Lyudmila Kisel-Zagorskaya, 97 years old) and American veterans (Michael Ganitch, 102 years old and Harold Radish, 96 years old), who took part in a solemn ceremony on Red Square at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This was the first visit to Russia by an American veteran of Pearl Harbor.
Then, on October 29, 2021 a historic solemn and mourning ceremony was held at the Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery in St. Petersburg in the presence of the Vice-governor of the city, the French search team and the last French, American and Soviet veterans.
Then, on October 29, 2021 a historic solemn and mourning ceremony was held at the Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery in St. Petersburg in the presence of the Vice-governor of the city, the French search team and the last French, American and Soviet veterans.
