The Gas Transport as an Attempt to Solve the Problem of Fuel Supply of Besieged Leningrad

Abstract

The fuel crisis in besieged Leningrad was one central aspect of life in the besieged city. Motor transportation was inextricably linked with supply of fuel, and transportation was an important factor in the city’s struggle for survival in the conditions of the Blockade. Despite the shortage of motor fuel, motor transportation in Leningrad throughout the Blockade did not completely stop its activities. In the merciless winter of 1941–1942 it remained the only type of city transportation that carried a near- unbearable burden: provision for vital activity of Leningrad and its defense. Leningraders’ incredible courage and heroism allowed them not only to defend Leningrad, but also to support the work of road transportation inside the blockade ring. This was possible due to the introduction of gas-generating vehicles that operated on less scarce types of fuel: wood chips, coal, and even peat. The use of solid fuel in place of liquid fuel, despite its low cost and relatively easy availability, was not widespread in the pre-war period due to the complexity of operation and maintenance of gas-generating equipment. This article considers the importance and number of gas-generating vehicles in Leningrad’s general transport system, including introduction, repair, and operation of gas-generating equipment during the siege. Data are from documents of the St. Petersburg Central State Archive, the St. Petersburg Central State Archive of Historical and Political Documents, and the St. Petersburg Central State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation.