What was the Scottish Album during WWII?

The Scottish Album was a collection of signatures and messages of support compiled by volunteers in Airdrie, Scotland, for the women of Leningrad during World War II.

How did Leningrad women respond to the Scottish Album?

The women of Leningrad created their own album filled with letters, watercolours, and prints, which was sent back to Scotland as a response to the Scottish Album.

Where can I see copies of the WWII albums?

Facsimile copies of both the Scottish Album and the Leningrad Album are now available for the public to view at Airdrie Library.

Home / War and Conflict / WWII Letters: Scotland's Heart Reaches Besieged Leningrad

WWII Letters: Scotland's Heart Reaches Besieged Leningrad

11 Mar

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Summary

Scottish WWII letters traveled from Lanarkshire to besieged Leningrad.
Leningrad women sent their own album in return, showcasing resilience.
Facsimile copies of both wartime albums are now displayed in Airdrie.

WWII Letters: Scotland's Heart Reaches Besieged Leningrad

A remarkable wartime gesture of support connected Lanarkshire, Scotland, with the besieged city of Leningrad during World War II. In the autumn of 1941, volunteers from the Airdrie Russia Today Society created the "Scottish Album," a bound volume of signatures and messages for the women of Leningrad. This album, decorated with Buchanan tartan silk and a thistle, was presented to the Soviet embassy in London in December 1941.

Against significant odds, the Scottish Album reached Leningrad, where it was received with great enthusiasm and read aloud at meetings. This display of international solidarity inspired the women of Leningrad to create their own album. Overseen by artist Anna Petrovna Ostroumova-Lebedeva, this Russian album contained letters, watercolours, and prints, and was sent back to Britain, arriving in Glasgow in 1943.