19 July 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

There was heavy rain on Tuesday night and on Wednesday morning, and this helped to cool down excitement. I awoke at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, and from my room in the Embassy saw several lorries pass with armed guards of sailors convoying shell. Then an armoured car with an enormous red flag came across the Troitski Bridge, evidently to scout, and soon ran back again. At 7 a.m. a guard arrived to open the bridge, and it was a relief to find that it had been sent by the Government. Polovtsev sent out the yunkers of the military schools and detachments of the Preobrajenskis to disarm all troops found wandering in the streets, and some thousands of rifles were collected. In the afternoon I was at the District Staff when about fifty automobiles were brought in by these detachments. While I was there, the Bolshevik, Kamenev (Rosenfeldt), came in with Lieber and a friend of the same race to ask for a pass for their automobile. When the Preobra- jenslci guard heard who they were they asked that they should be detained.

Polovtsev explained that he had not given orders for their arrest, but that it was the wish of the soldiers. Lieber, with a fine show of indignation, asked if the soldiers commanded in the Petrograd Military District and not the Commander-in-Chief! How very much easier it is to sow than it is to reap ! Polovtsev retained the trio till later, and then allowed them to go free.1

In the same way on Wednesday morning the offices of the Pravda, which had been occupied by the troops, were evacuated by order of the Government and all the captured documents were returned ! By Wednesday evening all the troops who had taken part in the revolt, with the exception of the 1st Machine- Gun Regiment and the 180th Regiment, expressed their regret, and promised to be good in future.

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Sofia Tolstaya

Yasnaya Pol'yana, Tul'skaya guberniya, Russian Empire

Awful events in Petrograd: shootings, murdering our own, robberies - a total and utter riot. And these robbers are our bosses! Sister takes everything to heart, intrigued by everything. I only suffer, deeply. My sister Tanya, is still so young: she even enjoys reading French novels.

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Kazimir Malevich

Moscow, Russian Empire

In the deepest recesses of Art lie the secrets of governmental coups, of the reconstruction of human life. A sage who could read meaning in colors, words, sounds, and their exchanges could discover the words that foretell these great events.

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Alexander Kerensky

Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

At six in the evening I arrived at the Tsarskoselsky station, where I was met by my deputy, General Polovtsov, the commander of the Petrograd Military District and other members of the government. Having already heard Polovstov’s report on the train, I suggested he immediately tender his resignation, upbraiding him for his indecisiveness in suppressing the uprisings and for failing to carry out my orders to subject to the traitors to the harshest possible countermeasures. See more

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Alexander Kolchak

Petrograd, Russian Empire

The skirmishes which were taking place in Petrograd led to a clash between the Bolshevik districts and the Cossacks. The only really serious incident was near the Liteiny Bridge. See more

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Nikolai Bukharin

Trekhprudnyi pereulok, 9, Moscow, Russian Empire

A new wave of slander has arisen against Lenin, and this time it is unimaginably dirty. Comrade Lenin is known to all revolutionaries of all shades, and has been already for several years. No one has ever dared to speak about the political dishonesty of comrade Lenin. It is not easy. It is painful. Only the man who is ready to sacrifice everything for a just cause can walk his own path through the system of bribes, slander, all the baseness of which the bourgeoisie is capable. Lenin is such a man.

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Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

Gatchina, Russian Empire

The success of the Bolsheviks begins to decrease; the people begin to understand that they are working for the benefit of the Germans and their money.

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Nicholas II

Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

In part, the overwhelming number of troops remained loyal to the government and took to the streets to support it. The weather was wonderful. I took a long walk with Tatiana and Valya. Zaring the day we worked with some success in the forest chopping and sawing up four fir trees. During the evening I read.

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