4 May 1917. Alfred Knox

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

Alfred Knox

Petrograd, Russian Empire

On the 4th the whole city was bubbling with excitement, and in a collision which occurred

between processions on the Nevski Prospekt two soldiers were killed by workmen. General

Kornilov called out the Volinski Regiment, the Cossacks and the Equipage of the Guard, but

cancelled the order owing to a visit of members of the Sovyet, who guaranteed there would

be no further bloodshed. He then heard that there was firing on the Champ de Mars, and

drove his car straight into the middle of a large crowd of the Pavlovski Regiment who were

being harangued by civilian agitators.

He stood up in his car and, raising his hand to command silence, said that anyone who

agitated in troublous times like the present was a German agent paid by the Germans. One of

the civilians said : “ General, you are a ‘ provocateur.’ The little man replied that he had

looked death too often in the face to be frightened by such as he. He spoke of his wounds and

of his services to the country, and in five minutes the crowd hurrahed, the agitators

disappeared discomfited, and the men of the Pavlovski escorted Kornilov back in triumph to

his Staff.

Such personal successes could do little to stem the tide of indiscipline and disorder fostered

by the existence in the capital side by side of two Governments, each struggling for power.

During the disorders on May 4th, the 180th Depot Regiment paraded with arms and bearing

banners inscribed : “ Down with the Provisional Government.” Its excuse was that it had been

called out by a telephone message purporting to come from the Sovyet.

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Elizaveta Naryshkina

Petrograd, Russian Empire

There was shooting on the Nevsky Prospect. The attack was organised by German emissaries. It turned out that they used exploding bullets that we do not use. Undoubtedly this movement has already existed and had its followers. See more

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Nadezhda Krupskaya with Vladimir Lenin

3, Staro-Nevsky avenue, Petrograd, Russian Empire

There was a large demonstration coming from the opposite bank of the Neva. The working working public greeted it, filling the sidewalks. There was another crowd approaching the workers's demonstration, in bowler hats and fedoras; they were greeted from the sidewalk by bowler hats and fedoras. See more

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Alexander Kolchak with Mikhail Rodzianko

Rodzianko's apartment, 20, Furshtatskaya street, Petrograd, Russian Empire

I got an invitation to come see Rodzianko at breakfast. During our conversation, Rodzianko expressed an optimistic view on the situation in the Black Sea. I've told him that I am experiencing the same internal turmoil as everyone. For now, I can contain this motion, by appealing to the remnants of reason, See more

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Marina Tsvetaeva

Foundling hospital, Moscow, Russian Empire

Heroism is against nature. To love your competitor is to sleep with a leper. Christ, for the most part, is the preacher of heroism.

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Georgi Plekhanov

Petrograd, Russian Empire

We have come very close to civil war. It is utterly useless to discuss the question of who has caused the current dangerous situation.

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Peter Wrangel

Petrograd, Russian Empire

The crowd, in a panic, was running towards the Mikhailovskaya square; whipping the horses, the coachmen were galloping. Groups of dirty, ragged fabric workers in caps and soft hats, in their majority with criminal, brutal faces, armed with assault rifles, and singing the "International" were moving in the middle of the Nevsky prospect. See more

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Leonide Massine

Paris, France

We went to Paris for the new season at the Théâtre du Châtelet. It was our first visit since the beginning of the war. Parisians, generally jolly, it seemed, have changed under the threat of invasion.

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