Wartime Connection Between Lanarkshire and Leningrad
During World War Two, a significant gesture of solidarity was exchanged between Lanarkshire, Scotland, and the besieged city of Leningrad, now St Petersburg, Russia. This exchange involved two collections of letters that are set to be exhibited in Airdrie, highlighting a remarkable link forged amid the hardships of war.
The connection originated in the autumn of 1941 when volunteers from the Airdrie branch of the Russia Today Society initiated a campaign to send messages of support to women enduring the siege of Leningrad. Within a fortnight, thousands of signatures and messages were collected and compiled into a bound volume known as the Scottish Album.
Remarkably, this album successfully reached the Soviet city despite the severe wartime conditions, and in a reciprocal act, a similar album was sent back to Scotland.
The Siege of Leningrad
The blockade of Leningrad by Nazi Germany commenced in 1941 and persisted until 1944, lasting nearly 900 days. It resulted in the deaths of an estimated 800,000 people. The city's inhabitants endured extreme hunger and relentless bombardment but remained resilient and refused to surrender.
Creation of the Scottish Album
The idea for the Scottish Album was conceived early in the siege by Margaret Plant, an art teacher from Lanarkshire. The album was crafted with a Buchanan tartan silk cover, adorned with a thistle, and featured illustrations and poetry by Robert Burns alongside works by Coatbridge poet Janet Hamilton.
In December 1941, Agnes Maxwell, secretary of the Women's Anglo-Soviet Committee, presented the album to the Soviet embassy in London. Despite the challenges posed by wartime supply routes, the album was transported to Leningrad.
Reports from the period indicate that the album was received with enthusiasm in Leningrad. It was read aloud at gatherings of workers, teachers, scientists, and housewives, serving as a poignant reminder that people far away were thinking of them.
The Leningrad Album Returned
In response, women in Leningrad created their own album for Scotland, containing letters, watercolours, and prints. This project was overseen by artist Anna Petrovna Ostroumova-Lebedeva, with poetry contributed by Vera Inber.
The Russian album was covertly transported out of the city, flown to Moscow, and subsequently sent to Britain. It arrived in Glasgow in 1943 and was prominently displayed during a "Russia Week" exhibition in Airdrie, celebrating the fortitude and courage of Leningrad's people.
Preservation and Exhibition of the Albums
The original Leningrad Album is preserved by the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, while the original Scottish Album remains in St Petersburg. However, facsimile copies of both albums are now available for public viewing at Airdrie Library.
The copy of the Scottish Album was donated by Helen Morrison, a local enthusiast of Robert Burns. She stated:
"The album carried a simple but powerful message of friendship and admiration from the women of Airdrie and Coatbridge for the courage of Leningrad's women. I thought it was important for people in Airdrie, as well as visitors to the library, to be able to see this album. I really hope it will continue to inspire young people in here in North Lanarkshire and beyond, keeping alive a powerful example of friendship, culture and kindness across borders."
A copy of the album sent from Russia to Scotland was previously acquired by North Lanarkshire Council in 2017.
