Shostakovich was composing his seventh symphony during World War II. He remained in Leningrad even when conflicts between the Soviet Union and Germany increased due to the German invasion of Russia. Shostakovich’s bad vision kept him from joining the army. Instead, he was a volunteer firefighter for the Leningrad Conservatory. Although Shostakovich was not able to help fight in the war, his greatest influence on World War II was his seventh symphony. The first three movements were written in the city of Leningrad, but had to evacuate the city as it was being invaded. On the completion of the seventh symphony in December 1941, Shostakovich dedicated it to the city of Leningrad. He claimed it was a representation of “the struggle with fascism,
