4 November 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 Republic

An armed demonstration of the garrison in favour of the Bolsheviks had been openly talked of for November 7th. The Provisional Government called up two cyclist battalions from the front and expressed its confidence in its ability to quell any rising.

In fact, Kerenski and Tereshchenko pretended only to fear that the rising might not be attempted and that they might therefore be deprived of the opportunity of annihilating the movement once and for all. Since the fall of Riga the Provisional Government had discussed the advisability of removing the seat of Government to Moscow, ostensibly because of the possibility of a further German advance, but also probably because of a hankering after the calmer political atmosphere of the older capital.

The Petrograd Soviet, of which Trotski had now become president, proclaimed that it had no trust in the Government and that it would accordingly take upon itself the defense of the capital. It formed on November 2nd a “ Military Revolutionary Committee ” under the Bolshevik, Antonov, to control the district staff. This Committee appointed its commissaries to all units of the garrison and to arms factories. It interfered with all orders issued by the district staff and rendered the position of the latter impossible.

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Ivan Bunin

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Men are still saying that the bread is "being shipped" (by who? No one knows) to the Germans. All joy in life has been destroyed by the revolution and war.

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John Reed

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Yuri Gotye

Moscow, Russian Republic

Italian defeat is turning into a catastrophe. The same thing that had happened to us, now happened to them: propaganda damaged the discipline, and some units fled, letting the enemy pass. Our only hope now is England, France, and the USA.

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Anatoliy Lunacharskiy Anna Lunacharskaya

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It's a difficult time. No glimpses of light. The mood is close to a heroic despair. See more

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Pavel Dybenko

"Polar Star" yacht, Helsingfors, Finland,

Gradually, we were sent one after another to Petrograd to repair the ships damaged in the last battles. Gullible Verderevsky, not to mention Kerensky, didn’t quite understand why the ships were sent to Petrograd against his will. Repairs on the cruiser Aurora were hastily finished and is intended to be sent to Helsinki to join its brigade. It is necessary to it to be delayed in Petrograd as long as possible, as conveyed on behalf the Aurora’s Central Baltic Fleet Committee Chairman Kurkov, "Do not obey the orders of the Provisional Government to send the Aurora on a raid. Wait for the Central Baltic Fleet Committee’s approval. Central Baltic Fleet Committee will address you by name.”

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Russkoe Slovo

Russian Republic

Directorate of Public Prosecutions has received a paper from the doctors who were performing a medical check of the former Minister of Internal Affairs Protopopov. Their diagnosis reads that he is mentally affected. This diagnosis has been passed to the judiciary.

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Rurik Ivnev

Latinskaya street, Petrograd, Russian Republic

Perhaps, this is all an illusion (absolutely everything).

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Nicholas II

Tobolsk, Russian Republic

At 8 o'clock we went to Mass and the whole family received the Eucharist. It was a very sincere and consoling experience. The weather grew mild but it snowed all day. For a long time we worked in the garden.

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