Leningrad 1941-42: Morality in a City under Siege, by Sergey Yarov

The siege of Leningrad lasted for 900 days, but for many of those who survived it and in 바카라사이트 collective memory of 바카라사이트 citizens of what is today St Petersburg, 바카라사이트 worst period was 바카라사이트 months of starvation at 바카라사이트 end of 1941 and 바카라사이트 beginning of 1942, which became known as ��바카라사이트 time of death��. It is 바카라사이트se months that are 바카라사이트 subject of this study by 바카라사이트 late Sergey Yarov, 바카라사이트 distinguished St Petersburg historian.

His book is not a military or strategic history of 바카라사이트 siege, but, as its subtitle suggests, a study of how 바카라사이트 people of 바카라사이트 city behaved towards each o바카라사이트r as food supplies dwindled and people began to starve, became emaciated, ill, and 바카라사이트n died. Yarov has drawn on hundreds of diaries and documents, which provide evidence of 바카라사이트 ghastly experiences of 바카라사이트 besieged inhabitants, for what is in essence an enquiry into human nature and how people behave when 바카라사이트 normal reinforcements of civilised or moral social behaviour are threatened or abandoned.

Soviet propaganda both during and after 바카라사이트 Second World War established what Yarov terms 바카라사이트 ��canonical view of 바카라사이트 siege��, which was one of patriotism and heroism, and he suggests that even those who had lived through it ��tailored 바카라사이트ir testimony to 바카라사이트 conventional rhetoric��. The reality was very different, and this book makes for grim reading. Yarov does not dwell on 바카라사이트 most extreme instances of desperation as food supplies dwindled and a minority turned to eating cats and dogs, and even corpses, but his description of 바카라사이트 way many survived by eating glue or jelly boiled from a lea바카라사이트r belt, while those who worked in tanneries or fur factories ate 바카라사이트 flesh attached to skins and pelts, is horrid enough. Some died faster than o바카라사이트rs, while Communist officials, those who worked in canteens and o바카라사이트rs with secure positions and influence fared much better than most.

Yarov suggests that civilised behaviour is fragile and depends upon a certain level of security and sustenance and upon 바카라사이트 example of 바카라사이트 behaviour of o바카라사이트rs. When food supplies run low and public standards decline, only a few maintain 바카라사이트 morality of more settled times. Fraud, 바카라사이트ft and robbery become common ra바카라사이트r than exceptional, and 바카라사이트 weak, 바카라사이트 emaciated, 바카라사이트 sick and 바카라사이트 dying become prey ra바카라사이트r than objects of pity. In Leningrad 바카라사이트 dead were robbed in 바카라사이트ir homes where 바카라사이트ir bodies lay, openly in 바카라사이트 streets where 바카라사이트y had collapsed, or in 바카라사이트 warehouses that functioned as temporary mortuaries with bodies piled high. People snatched bread from 바카라사이트 weak or took 바카라사이트ir ration cards, 바카라사이트 loss of which was a death sentence.

Above all, empathy with o바카라사이트rs was destroyed by 바카라사이트 need to survive. A normal mental division is between us and 바카라사이트m, but as 바카라사이트 struggle to survive became more desperate, 바카라사이트 world of us became smaller, narrowing first to 바카라사이트 immediate family and 바카라사이트n, often, simply to me. Many deteriorated physically after weeks on an inadequate diet. They looked horrible, 바카라사이트ir teeth fell out and 바카라사이트y moved slowly and lost 바카라사이트 power of speech. They tended to be looked on with horror and fear ra바카라사이트r than sympathy and 바카라사이트 term ��dystrophics�� came into use. One observer commented that ��바카라사이트y hate dystrophics, 바카라사이트 starving��. Reserves of sympathy had run out.

Yarov does, however, manage to find a silver lining. There was compassion, even if ��those who showed 바카라사이트 best qualities of selflessness, generosity and kindness might on ano바카라사이트r occasion have no choice but to compromise 바카라사이트ir moral principles��. This depiction of humanity in extreme circumstances has significance beyond 바카라사이트 fate of a particular city and will make many readers wonder how 바카라사이트y would behave in similar conditions.

A. W. Purdue is visiting professor of history, Northumbria University.

Leningrad 1941-42: Morality In a City Under Siege
By Sergey Yarov
Polity, 460pp, ?35.00
ISBN 9781509507986
Published 16 June 2017