During the war, more than 185 students and staff of the Mining Institute died.
On the Day of the beginning of the siege, September 8, the Northern Capital honoured the memory of Leningrad residents who died in the besieged city. Exactly on this day, 80 years ago, the enemy ring closed around the city on the Neva River and the terrible days, months, and years began, which took hundreds of thousands of lives. Students of Russia’s oldest technical school read out lists of those students and employees of the Leningrad Mining Institute who were killed in the siege.
“It is difficult to find words to describe what horrors people had to endure during those long months. Despite the terrible famine, the constant bombing, the unbearable cold, and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people around them, the inhabitants showed incredible fortitude and courage. They were able to carry through this terrible time the belief in victory and hope for a happy future. A feat accomplished by Leningrad inhabitants has become an important part of our state history and a feat of our students and staff will always be in our hearts,” said Director of Gornyak Student Club Ekaterina Dementieva.
From the first days of the war, students and staff of the Leningrad Mining Institute were drafted into the army and enrolled in the militia. An institute’s partisan detachment (the 81st special unit) was organized. Despite the irreparable losses during the war, it inflicted great damage to the enemy.
The scientific activities of the institute had never halted. In August 1941, on its territory was opened a special production of weapons and explosive materials for mines, shells, and grenades, which employed students and teachers. The unique composition of explosive material Sinal AK was developed by scientists of the Mining Institute under the leadership of Professor Alexander Kuznetsov. The scientist suggested that the military use a new substance Sinal, which he created based on the aluminium-silicon mixture, for the production of grenades and mines. This made it possible to avoid a shortage of mines, grenades, and shells in the conditions of the besieged city.