The botanists of besieged Leningrad

Simon Parkin reveals the remarkable story of the world's first seed bank and its extraordinary survival against the odds during the siege of Leningrad

Published: April 16, 2025 at 7:00 AM

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Between 1941 and 1944, the city of Leningrad was subjected to a brutal siege by Nazi Germany. Cut off from the outside world and with food and other essentials dwindling, it's estimated that upwards of one million people died. Yet throughout this ordeal, a group of indomitable scientists risked their lives to protect the world's first seed bank. Danny Bird speaks to writer Simon Parkin about the Plant Institute's pioneering work and the astonishing fortitude of the men and women who laboured to preserve a unique botanical collection amid unimaginable conditions.

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Simon Parkin is the author of The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad: A True Story of Science and Sacrifice in a City under Siege (Sceptre, 2024).

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Authors

Danny BirdContent producer

Danny Bird is a content producer at HistoryExtra

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