This edition continues the series of diaries of residents of Leningrad during the siege, prepared by the European University at St. Petersburg.

The diary's author, Alexei Fedorovich Vogt, was born shortly before the revolution and served in the 2nd Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Regiment of the 2nd Leningrad Air Defense Corps. His entries reflect the life and struggles of a Leningrad family during the most difficult period of the siege—from December 1941 until its breakthrough in January 1943. The diary's uniqueness lies not only in the fact that it was written by a young, educated man with an intimate knowledge of his city: the detailed notes on the changing appearance of Leningrad and everyday life during the siege were made by a professional military civil engineer, documenting the effects of bombing, shelling, and fires. This text presents the reader with an authentic picture of the besieged city, where, despite everything, there was still room for genuine feelings.