19 August 1917. Nicholas II

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

Nicholas II

Tobolsk, Russian Empire

We navigated toward the Tobol. I got up late because I did not sleep very well with all the pounding and stopping. During the night we went from the Tura to the Tobol.

The river was wider and the banks were higher. The morning was fresh and during the day it got quite warm when the sun came out. I forgot to mention that yesterday before dinner we passed by the village of Pokrovskoe, the home of Gregory [Rasputin]. All day we walked and sat on the deck. At 6:30 we came to Tobolsk, although we could only see it for fifteen minutes. On the bank many people were standing; that must mean that they knew about our arrival. I remember the view over the houses and churches on the mountain. As soon as the ship had put into shore, we began to unload our baggage. Valya, the commissar, and the commander started off to examine the house which was our destination and the accomodations. On their return we learned for the first time that our lodgings were empty, without any furniture, dirty; and that we could not move in. Therefore, we had to wait back on the ship for them to bring in the necessary baggage for sleeping. We ate a little and joked about the strange inability of the people to arrange even our lodging and went to sleep early.

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Elizaveta Naryshkina

Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

I spent the morning in the garden, where I met with some officers. All of them were mad with rage and spoke openly of restoring the monarchy in the person of Aleksey Nikolaevich. I advised them to be careful with their tongues.

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Alexandra Feodorovna

Tobolsk, Russian Empire

A little after 9 we left the Tura and entered the Tobol. We stopped twice to take on food and fuel. On one of these occasions the children went for a walk in the woods. I rose at around 3 as my cabin was very hot. After 6 we arrived at Tobolsk-on-Irtish. See more

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Fyodor Raskolnikov

Kresty Prison, Petrograd, Russian Empire

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Alexandra Kollontai

Vyborg female convict prison, Vyborg side, Russian Empire

I have a cellmate. An American woman. A dancer. Suspected of espionage. She's a noisy, demanding person. She "fights" with the prison guards via a translator. She brings "prison inspection" upon herself. See more

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Grigory Zinoviev

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I keep recalling those memorable days and nights. A cold, starry night. The smell of freshly mown hay. A cloud of smoke from the little bonfire where we brewed tea in a big kettle. Strolling with Vladimir Ilyich. See more

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18 August

"I always hated the Tsar, doing everything I could to contribute to his removal"

"Aleksey and Tatyana gathered flowers on the bank of the river"

The Tsar’s family passes Rasputin’s home village

From one revolution to another

Russia in 1917

1916: Year in Review.

+19

in Petrograd

+18

in Moscow