Construction on the Svir Hydroelectric Station. Rare photo album for the delegates.
Construction on the Svir Hydroelectric Station. Rare photo album for the delegates.
[Construction on the Svir]. Svirstroy. Photo album.
N.p., 1933?
Oblong 4to, [8] leaves (9 photos).
In modern hardcover.
In good condition, spine and edges lightly bumped, owner's marks to some pages.
This photo album is dedicated to the construction of the Lower Svir Hydroelectric Station. According to the original project, three dams with hydroelectric power plants were planned for the Svir River, located in the northeast of Leningrad. However, only two of these dams were eventually constructed. Construction commenced in 1927 and was overseen by the engineer Genrikh Graftio, who was also one of the founders of the GOELRO plan.
In 1931, the Svirlag concentration camp was established, and many convicts were employed in the construction work until 1935. During World War II, the dam suffered damage but was later restored after the war. The Upper Svir Hydroelectric Station was not reopened until 1952. The final photograph in the album features Genrikh Graftio alongside Volodymyr Zatonsky, a member of the Central Control Commission. Tragically, in 1937, Zatonsky was arrested and subsequently executed.
This album was prepared for the delegates of the 4th Hydrological Conference of the Baltic States, held in September 1933 in Leningrad. The conference drew the participation of 400 scientists from Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and the City of Danzig.
The collection comprises nine photos, including a photo preface and a map photo.