4 April 1917. Pierre Gilliard

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

Pierre Gilliard

Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

Alexei Nikolayevich related to me yesterday’s conversation between Kerensky and the Tsar. No sooner were they alone than Kerensky said to him, “Do you know that I’ve managed to get the death penalty abolished?.. I did this despite the fact that many of my comrades perished as victims of their convictions.”

Did he not want to flaunt his generosity and hint at the fact that he has saved the Emperor’s life even though the latter doesn’t deserve it?

He proceeded to speak about our departure, which he’s still hoping to arrange. When, how, where? He wasn’t too clued up on this himself and requested that no mention be made of it. For Alexei Nikolayevich, the blow was a heavy one indeed. He hadn’t yet fully grasped their new situation. He now saw for the first time that his father was being given orders – and that he was executing them in the manner of a subordinate.

And here’s a detail worthy of particular note: Kerensky arrived at the palace in one of the Emperor's private cars, chauffeured by a driver from the imperial garage.

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✍ Also today

Nicholas II

During the night there was a storm and a lot of snow fell. The day became sunny and quiet. Olga and Tatiana went out into the air for the first time and sat around the balcony while I walked. After breakfast I worked for a long time. The youngest slept a little more and felt better. We passed all the time together.

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Leon Trotsky

Amherst concentration camp, Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada

British officers, accompanied by bluejackets, came aboard the Chrisliani- afiord and demanded, in the name of the local admiral, that I, my family, and five other passengers leave the boat. We were assured that the whole incident would be cleared up in Halifax. See more

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Georgy Lvov

Welcomes the delegation of Equal Rights for Women League

Petrograd, Russian Empire

If we’re going to have universal suffrage, what’s the rationale for preventing women who wish to participate in elections from doing so? Our electoral law is being developed. In its final form, it is contingent on the total composition of the provisional government. But I’m for the participation of women.

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Tamara Karsavina

Petrograd, Russian Empire

Like microbes on the body of a sick man, the rumours grew more numerous with every passing day; newspapers born overnight disseminated panicky information and concocted slander. How the big posters hanging in the main street escaped my attention, I don't know. In the evening the telephone rang, and an old friend anxiously asked, “Are you safe?” I couldn’t believe my ears when he told me that today’s posters featured my full name, with the words “German spy” inscribed underneath.

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Winston Churchill

London, United Kingdom

There are only two ways of winning the war, and they both begin with A. One is aeroplanes and the other is America.… Everything else is swept away.

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Maurice Paleologue

10, Kutuzova embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire

The Minister of justice, Kerensky, yesterday paid a visit to Tsarkoïe-Selo to see for himself the arrangements made for guarding the ex-sovereigns. He found everything in order. See more

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The New York Times

The wife of the former Russian Premier Boris V. Sturmer has attempted to commit suicide, according to Reuter dispatch from Petrograd. After receiving a letter, the contents of which are not known, she cut her throat. She was taken to a hospital, where she was said to be in a dangerous condition. Madam Sturmer is 60 years old.

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3 April

The soldiers flee and hide. Things will be even worse in the future.

The émigré communists consider whether to accept the Germans’ offer

How the arrested emperor spends his time

1916: Year in Review.

1917. Zombies, drugs, and progress

Why did the Russian Empire collapse

in Petrograd

in Moscow