Russia – Soviet: An interesting Leningrad Front Operation ‘Iskra’ Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class awarded to Major of Engineer Corps Petr Petrovich Berzin, the aide to the Head of the 1st section of the Headquarters of the Leningrad Front for his part in the fighting that lifted the siege of Leningrad when the Red Army successfully forced open a land corridor along the southern bank of Lake Ladoga in January 1943 enabling them to bring further supplies into the beleaguered city, he would go on to see fighting in the lifting of the siege in January 1944 and in the defeat of the Finns in the summer of 1944.
Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, type 2, variation 1, numbered 67935
Condition: Good very fine
Petr Petrovich Berzin was born in Leningrad in 1908, and having attained a higher education, joined the Red Army in 1941 and then the Communist Party in 1943.
Serving as the Aide to the head of the Department of the Fortified Areas at the Headquarters of the Leningrad Front he was to be decorated on three occasions during the Great Patriotic War. The first award was a Medal of Bravery issued to him by order of the Leningrad Front on 13th February 1943. His next award was this Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class issued to him by Order of the Leningrad Front on 5th October 1944 on the back of the following citation:
‘Major of Engineer Corps Berzin has been in the active field forces from the first days of the Patriotic War. He started his work in the department of the Fortified Areas of the Leningrad front in the capacity of the aide to the head of the 1st section of the engineer corps.
During his service in the department, he proved himself as a skilful and knowledgeable officer, who is demanding to himself and the subordinates.
In many of the operations, such as relieving of the blockade of the city of Lenin, near Schlisselburg, near Narva on the Karelian Isthmus, he personally participated in the combat operations conducted by the troops of the Fortified Areas. He always exhibited personal initiative, resourcefulness, and courage. Being among the frontline troops, he provided practical assistance in the engineering issues for defence lines construction.
He is worthy of the Order ‘Patriotic War 1st Class’
Signed by the Head of the Fortified Areas Department of the Leningrad Front Colonel Maltsev.
His third award was an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class issued by Order of the Leningrad Front on 30th July 1945. Receiving the Medal for the Defence of Leningrad and the Medal for Victory Over Germany, he would go on to receive a Medal for Combat Merit in November 1951 for 10 years long service and an Order of the Red Star on 30th December 1956 for 15 years long service.
The siege of Leningrad lasted from September 1941 until January 1944, and was recognised as the most costly in terms of human life in history. It appears Major Berzin took part in the building and destruction of fortifications outside the city, particularly in the area around Schlisselburg which at the southwestern corner of Lake Ladoga was the key to opening a land route for supplies to come over.
Operation Iskra (Spark) in January 1943 successfully defeated German forces in the Schlisselburg area and along the southern shore of the Lake opening an 8km wide corridor which enabled the building of a railway to supply the beleaguered city of Leningrad, and to help fend off further starvation of its inhabitants.
Berzin’s recommendation indicates that he took part in the fighting in the winter/spring of 1944 that finally lifted the siege and drove the Germans back to the Narva River, and then again in the Karelian Isthmus when the Red Army forced the Finns out of the war in the summer of 1944.
