Leningrad Soviet

Categories / City Administration/Government Bodies
LENINGRAD SOVIET (Leningrad City Soviet of People"s Deputies), the supreme authority on the terriory of Leningrad. It originated from Petrograd Soviet of working people and soldiers" deputies founded on February 27 (March 12 New Style), 1917 as a body of revolutionary authority (used to be quartered in Taurida Palace, as of August of 1917, in Smolny). Following October of 1917, Petrograd Soviet became the supreme authority in the city (Central City Duma and its board were soon disbanded). On November 17 (30 New Style), 1917 departments in charge of various branches of municipal economy were established under the Executive committee of Petrograd Soviet. After the Soviet Government had been transferred to Moscow (March of 1918), Petrograd Soviet changed its name to Petrograd Labour Commune. The functions of the Executive Committee were performed by Commissars" Soviet, and Executive Committee departments were transformed into commissariats (in charge of education, finances, press and agitation, municipal services, justice, foodstuffs, the military district of Petrograd, national economy matters, social assistance, means of communication). In early 1919, Petrograd Soviet was restored in its original form, and during the Civil War it was in charge of providing fuel and food supplies to the city, fought epidemics, after the war it was engaged in the recovery of municipal industry and economy. At the 10th united congress of the Soviets of Working People", Peasants" and Red Army Deputies of Petrograd and the Province on August 2, 1920 the resolution on the amalgamation of Provincial Executive Committee and City Executive Committee was adopted. The supreme authority of local administration was delegated to the Provincial Congress of the Soviets of Working People", Peasants" and Red Army Deputies, summoned twice a year. A unified executive body was established, Provincial Executive Committee, in charge of all matters from congress to congress; Petrograd Soviet retained the supreme authority of Petrograd local government in the interim. On January 26, 1924, Petrograd changed its name to Leningrad, and Petrograd Soviet became Leningrad Soviet. In 1931 its structure was changed: the single department of communal services was replaced with single-purpose bureaus (in charge of transportation, water sewerage system, road and bridge facilities, provision of urban amenities etc.), commanding over corresponding trusts. In December of 1939 the Soviet changed its name to Leningrad City Soviet of Working People"s Deputies. Since the beginning of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45 Leningrad Soviet was actually subordinated to the Military Soviet of Leningrad Front; it organized defense works at the approaches to Leningrad, the conversion of the industry to production of armament, ammunition and military equipment. The Soviet also took part in forming of levy, population evacuation, as well as recovery of cultural property and enterprise equipment, organized the calculation and distribution of foodstuffs (for this purpose the Special City Board was founded in Autumn of 1941). With the involvement of Leningrad Soviet a network of hospitals and preventative distrophy clinics was established. In the spring of 1942, Leningrad Soviet initiated the sanitation of the city which saved Leningrad from the danger of epidemics. In May of 1944, the session of Leningrad Soviet adopted the municipal economy reconstruction plan. In 1945, the former Mariinsky Palace became a residence for Leningrad Soviet. In the second half of the 1940s - early 1950s the primary efforts of Leningrad Soviet were focused on the reconstruction of the city; in the meantime the works for natural gas and heat supply systems residential houses, works for the restoration of palace-and-park ensembles in the suburbs of Leningrad had started. In 1991, the Executive Committee of Leningrad Soviet of Working People"s Deputies was abolished, and all municipal affairs were transferred to the City Administration. In 1994 the Soviet of St. Petersburg People"s Deputies was reorganized into Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg (see also the Municipal Government). The name of Leningrad Soviet (Lensovet in abbreviated form) is borne by the Academic Theatre and Recreation Centre (since 1960, formerly Recreation Centre of Industrial cooperation). The chairmen of Petrograd Soviet (or the executive committee of Leningrad Soviet of Working People"s Deputies) were: N.S. Chkheidze (February through August of 1917), L.D. Trotsky (September through November of 1917), G.E. Zinovyev (December of 1917 - November of 1926), N.P. Komarov (1926-29), I.F. Kodatsky (1929-36), V.I. Shestakov (January through February of 1937), A.N. Pokrovsky (1937-38), A.N. Kosygin (1938-39), P.S. Popkov (1939-46), P.G. Lazutin (1946-49), A.A. Kuznetsov (July of 1949 - July of 1950), P.F. Ladanov (1950-54), N.I. Smirnov (1954-62), V.Y. Isaev (1962-66), A.A. Sizov (1966-72), V.I. Kazakov (1973-76), L.N. Zaykov (1976-83), V.Y. Khodyrev (1983-90). In 1990 A.A. Sobchak was elected chairman of Leningrad Soviet, and A.A. Shchelkanov was elected chairman of the Executive Committee of Leningrad Soviet of Working People"s Deputies.

References: Петров Г. Ф. Дворец у Синего моста: Мариинский дворец в С.-Петербурге. СПб., 2001; Руководители Санкт-Петербурга. СПб.; М., 2003. С. 367-390.

I. A. Bogdanov. Chkheidze Nikolay Semenovich
Isaev V.Ya.
Kazakov Vasily Ivanovich
Khodyrev Vladimir Yakovlevich
Kodatsky Ivan Fedorovich
Komarov Nikolay Pavlovich (real name Sobinov Fedor Evgenievich)
Kosygin Alexey Nikolaevich
Kuznetsov Alexey Alexandrovich
Ladanov Peter Fedorovich
Lazutin Peter Georgievich
Petrovsky Alexey Nikolaevich
Popkov Peter Sergeevich
Shchelkanov Alexander Alexandrovich
Shestakov Vasily Ivanovich
Sizov Alexander Alexandrovich
Smirnov Nikolay Ivanovich
Sobchak Anatoly Alexandrovich
Trotsky (real name Bronstein) Lev Davidovich
Zaykov Lev Nikolaevich
Zinovyev Grigory Evseevich
Петров Г. Ф. Дворец у Синего моста: Мариинский дворец в С.-Петербурге. СПб., 2001 Petrograd Soviet of working people' and soldiers' deputies
Tauride Palace
Smolny Architectural Ensemble
City Duma
Administrative board of the city
Leningrad Front
Mariinsky Palace
City Hall
Legislative Assembly
City Self-Government
Lensovet Theatre
1990