25 March 1917. The New York Times

The New York Times

The following letter, written a short time before the Russian revolution, was received by a woman living in New York from her sister, who is the wife of a member of the American Embassy staff in Petrograd and is interesting as a picture of things as were when the former Czar was still “The Little Father” and the center of the Empire’s splendor:

“It was to be a gala performance in honour of one of the dancers who was being retired. When we walked into the pit we felt as if we had entered some enchanted land. There were boxes aglitter with beautiful gowns and jewels, filled with the great Ministers and their families, and right behind us was the Czar’s box, guarded by two sentinels who stood stiffly with their bayonets fixed, and in front of us was the magnificent royal blue curtain, with the double-headed eagle blazing in gold”.

“The ballet was Pharaoh's Daughter, and such dancing I have never seen. It seemed more like floating and rippling than dancing. So beautiful was it that it was almost spiritual. There were seven premiers in addition to Mordkin, and the performance made a New York performance of the so-called Russian Ballet seem like a country town entertainment”.

“Between the acts a huge table loaded with flowers and jewels and other presents was brought on the stage and surrounded by the entire company. The retiring Premier was enthusiastically greeted. To each presentation speech she responded with three kisses, given to anyone standing near her. She received letters from the Czar and a pearl necklace from the Dowager Empress”.

“We sat and gasped at the beauty of it all. It certainly was a wonderful, wonderful evening”.

The letter contained no hint of a revolution.

, and others

Like

Comment

Pablo Picasso with Olga Khokhlova

Grand - Hotel "Vesuvio" 45, Partenope street, Naples, Italy

, and others

8 Like

1 Comment

Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

Gatchina, Russian Empire

We set out for church. A disgusting red flag fluttered atop the palace tower; word was going around that residents had called for the double-headed eagle to be taken down from the dome, but this action was forestalled. Enormous numbers of deer have been shot in the Menagerie over the last few days, with soldiers from various units taking part in the slaughter of the poor animals. Yesterday, these hunters were rounded up, putting an end, thank God, to this slaughter and hooliganism.

, and others

2 Like

Comment

Provisional Government

Winter palace, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire

The Provisional Government has resolved:

To abolish the death penalty.
In all instances where current civil, military and naval criminal laws prescribe the death penalty as punishment for criminal acts, it shall be replaced by a forced labour term of definite or indefinite duration.
This decree also encompasses court sentences imposed prior to its promulgation and as yet not carried out.

, and others

7 Like

Comment

Maximilian Voloshin

Voloshin's house, 43, Marine street, Koktebel, Crimea

There exist obligatory monopolies that the state has no right to renounce. One of these is the monopoly on bloodshed. The state says: “Only I have the right to shed blood. All private bloodshed is forbidden.” Just as it says: “I impose a monopoly on the selling of wine. Any home-brewing of alcohol is forbidden.”
If this monopoly is not maintained by state power, then private alcohol production ensues. The Russian Revolution will be long, bloody and cruel.

, and others

2 Like

Comment

Zinaida Gippius

Sergievskaya 83, Petrograd, Russian Empire

Here, by the way, outside our windows we have a procession of lemon-blue flags, one hundred-thousand strong; Ukrainians. And with highly expressive banners; “federal republic” and “independence”.

, and others

1 Like

Comment

Joseph Stalin

1, Kronverkskiy ave., Petrograd, Russian Empire

In Petrograd

, and others

6 Like

Comment

1, Poshingerstrasse, Munich, German Empire

The whole situation in Russia seems topsy-turvy to me. Can a people’s state of the kind currently being advocated here be established in Russia? And what about “democracy” in the bourgeois sense? After all, there’s no bourgeoisie to speak of there! See more

, and others

7 Like

Comment

Natalia Goncharova

presents her "Four Evangelists" (Quattro vangelisti) at the exhibition of Russian art in Rome

Italia, Roma, Via delle Colonette, 27

, and others

10 Like

1 Comment

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin

9, 18th line of Vasilyevsky Island, Petrograd, Russian Empire

Poor old Russia has really been put through the wringer over the centuries, what with malignant individuals abusing their power, police overreaching their authority, and general lawlessness. A vast, immense, difficult task lies in store for all and sundry – and, in working towards his own advantage, each individual will be working towards everyone else’s.

, and others

3 Like

Comment

Leon Trotsky

Flatiron Building 175, 5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York, USA

I called at the office of the Russian Consul-General in New York. By that time the portrait of Czar Nicholas had been removed from the wall, but the heavy atmosphere of a Russian police station under the old regime still hung about the place. After the usual delays and arguments, the Consul-General ordered that papers be issued to me for the passage to Russia. In the British consulate, as well, they told me, when I filled out the questionnaire, that the British authorities would put no obstacles in the way of my return to Russia. Everything was in good order.

, and others

10 Like

2 Comment

Amedeo Modigliani

paints "Nude sitting on a Divan”

Emil Gudo's square, 13, Paris, France

, and others

6 Like

Comment

Maurice Paleologue

10, Kutuzov embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire

I had recently been thinking of giving a luncheon to the Provisional Government, with an idea of getting into more personal touch with its members and giving public proof of our approval.

But before issuing my invitations I thought it prudent to have some of the ministers discreetly sounded on the subject. How thankful I am that I did! See more

, and others

3 Like

Comment

George Buchanan

4, Dvortsovaya embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire (British Embassy)

As I have no intention of sheltering myself behind any imaginary instructions from home, I may at once state that I accept the full responsibility for our attitude towards the revolution. It was on my advice that His Majesty's Government consistently acted. Needless to say, I never engaged in any revolutionary propaganda, and Mr. Lloyd George had our national interests far too much at heart ever to have authorized me to promote a revolution in Russia in the middle of a world war. See more

, and others

3 Like

Comment

Nicholas II

Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

It began to thaw. In the morning Beckendorf and Apraksin were with us; as they left they said goodbye. At 11:00 we went to Mass, Alix got up today. Olga and Tatiana are much better today, but Marie and Anastasia are worse. They have headaches and earaches and are vomiting, I took a short walk and worked in the garden for a while with Dolgorukov. After tea I continued to put my papers in order. In the evening we all gathered together.

, and others

1 Like

Comment

24 March

The Tsar is forbidden from travelling to England

Lenin opposes an alliance with the Mensheviks

Gorky: “We oughtn’t to pin our hopes on the troops – they’re ignorant Russian muzhiks togged out in greatcoats”