The Leningrad city committee of the AUCP(b) and the Leningrad governance system at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War

Abstract

In the article, which is based on materials of St. Petersburg Central State Archive of Historical and Political Documents, the author investigates the activity of the Bureau of the Leningrad City Committee of the AUCP (b) during the first six months of the Great Patriotic War. Leningrad City Party Committee, together with the Military Council of the Leningrad front, was the main governing body of Leningrad during the Siege. The author investigates following questions: machinery for decision-making; a personal role of such leaders as A. A. Zhdanov, A. A. Kuznetsov, Ya. F. Kapustin, P. S. Popkov in the taking and implementation of the major decisions, the relationship and distribution of powers between them; a number of decisions related to different aspects of industry, urban economy, mobilization and management of resources. The level of expertise in decision-making of the new munitions production is also analyzed. The article shows that until the middle of December 1941 the majority of administrative decisions, taken by the Bureau, were dedicated to the organization of the Defense Industry. Only since January 1942, the problems of urban economy and a support of the population in the conditions of an unprecedented humanitarian disaster started to play a significant role in the agenda of the Bureau activity. Based on these data, the author concludes that there was an absence of “advanced strategies” in the activity of the city leadership during the period of October-December 1941. Refs 24.