The subject of the study is a comprehensive historiographical review dedicated to one of the lesser-studied aspects of the Great Patriotic War — the defense of Petrozavodsk. The systematization and analysis of the sources reveal that this topic remains a "blank spot" in domestic military history due to the absence of fundamental monographic studies. The article aims to fill this gap, bringing together disparate information and outlining paths for further research. The key focus of the article is the analysis of archival funds, as well as modern digital technologies and foreign sources. The work analyzes both Soviet and contemporary Russian and foreign historiography. The article emphasizes the particular value of memoir literature, art-documentary works, and photographs in the context of a lack of official documents. The article positions itself as an important methodological resource for historians, local historians, and anyone interested in the history of the Karelian front. A comprehensive approach that combines working with Russian and Finnish archives, memoirs, scientific works, digital resources, and search efforts allows for the reconstruction of the tragic events of September 1941. A significant contribution of the author to the research on the topic is the exhaustive overview of sources, which has been compiled for the first time on the defense of Petrozavodsk in 1941. The article underscores the importance of studying the city's defense, draws attention to the "blank spots" in the historical coverage of events, and suggests directions for further research. The material highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach that includes the analysis of archival documents, field research by searchers, and visual sources to recreate a complete picture of the battles around Petrozavodsk. Despite the substantial amount of gathered information, the author notes that the historiography of the defense of Petrozavodsk requires further study and expansion, making this work relevant for researchers of the Great Patriotic War and the history of Karelia.
Il'ya YUr'evich Gerasyov (Fri,) studied this question.