7 March 1917. Mathilde Kschessinska

Non-fiction

Project 1917 is a series of events that took place a hundred years ago as described by those involved. It is composed only of diaries, letters, memoirs, newspapers and other documents

Mathilde Kschessinska

Kshessinska mansion, Petrograd, Russian Empire

I gave a dinner party for twenty-four friends, for which I brought out my finest Limoges service, my Danish service for the fish, and gilt cutlery copied from two sets belonging to Catherine the Great which could be seen at the Hermitage.

This had been given me by Andre. The guests were dazzled by the dinner table decorated with forget-me-nots and real lace. It was my swan song in Petrograd, my last dinner party before the Revolution. I brought out countless precious trinkets and works of art which had been stored since the beginning of the war (among other things there was a superb collection of artificial flowers made of precious stones and a small gold fir tree, with branches shimmering with little diamonds). There were so many of these things that I complained to my sister I had not enough room to display them.

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✍ Also today

Nicholas II

In the train

Read, packed. Misha was there for lunch. Said goodbye to all my dear family and went with Alix to Znamenia, and from there to the station. At 2 o'clock left for the Stavka. The day was sunny and frosty. Read, felt bored and rested.

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Alfred Knox

Petrograd, Russian Empire

I saw Byelyaev at 9.45 p.m. and found him much depressed. He said he would do all that was possible to hasten the conveyance of stores from Romanov, and he begged me to avoid alarming people in England into possible refusal to continue the despatch of munitions to the port. See more

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Zinaida Gippius

Sergievskaya 83, Petrograd, Russian Empire

I know what will happen…but I have not the courage to wait, because...well in any case too much has been said about this matter. Silence. Poor Russia. For goodness sake, come to your senses!

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Felix Dzerzhinsky Sofia Dzerzhinskaya

Butyrkaya prison, Moscow, Russian Empire

I am still in solitary confinement with the same companion, and fairly content on the whole. I work at my machine for five hours every day. You don’t need to send me anything, and in any case, almost everything is forbidden except pork fat, sugar and bread, but we have all that here anyway. I am very grateful for the chocolate, grapes and sweets that Yasik wants to send me; I hope that at some time in the future we will eat them together.

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Edvard Munch

paints “Portrait of Thorvald Lochen”

Ekely estate, Norway

Romola Nijinsky

Madrid, Spain

It seems I had forgotten one drawback to our recent trip, until I opened the closet one day and discovered it was full of mice. I burst into tears when I saw what they did to my dresses. See more

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Maxim Gorky Ivan Bunin

23, Kronversky ave., Petrograd, Russian Empire

Dear friend! I’ve learnt that you are interested in our venture- to publish a range of biographies for children- and that you wish to undertake more than just the biography of Cervantes. If you limited yourself to just that, goodness only knows!

Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

Fountain house, 53, Liteynyy avenue, Petrograd, Russian Empire

I am immensely tired.

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Alexandra Feodorovna Nicholas II

Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

It seems as the things were taking a better turn -- only, my Love, be firm, show the Master hand, it's that what the Russians need. Love and kindnesses you have never failed to show - now let them feel your fist at times. They ask for it themselves - how many have told me - 'we want to feel the whip' - it's strange but such is the Slave nature, great firmness, hardness even - and warm love. See more

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