23 May 1917. Grand Duchess Anastasia

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

Grand Duchess Anastasia

Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

Luncheon: Cold hors d’oeuvre, risotto with bouillon, pies, baked potatoes, roast meat, salad, brandy snaps.

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Marina Tsvetaeva

Foundling hospital, Moscow, Russian Empire

The much-lauded “imagination” of the poets is none other than precise observation and communication. Everything has existed since the beginning of the time, but not everything has been named – in this way. The poet’s task is to baptise the world anew.

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Anna Vyrubova

Petropavlovskaya Fortress, Petrograd, Russia

Three times, drunk soldiers burst into my chamber threatening to rape me and I escaped by a miracle. The first time I fell to my knees, holding the icon of the Virgin Mary to my chest, and begged them to spare me, for the sake of their mothers, and my elderly parents. They left. The second time, in my fear I threw myself against the wall, hammering and shouting. Ek. V. heard me and also shouted, until soldiers from some of the other corridors came running...The third time one sentry officer came. I pleaded with him tearfully and he spat at me and left.

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Alexander Blok Lyubov Mendeleeva-Blok

57, Ofitserskaya street, Petrograd, Russian Empire

I am one of the three editors working for the Extraordinary Investigation Commission. I go to the Winter Palace and read the letters of Nikolai Romanov, then work at home. I need to keep my work secret. I hope to be present at the interrogations. My salary is 600 roubles. If I have time, I would like to come to see you, little Boo. But I would very much like you to live here, and if it’s money that’s bothering you, as you see, there’s nothing to worry about – here, you would be able to get better settled in, or prepare better for the winter.

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Maximilian Voloshin

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

If I was to be called up to the army now, naturally I would not refuse. Of course, my attitude to the war has not changed, but a new feeling has arisen in me, a feeling of personal responsibility for Russia’s conduct.

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Julius Martov

Petrograd, Russian Empire

Petrograd has become a socialist Mecca, a place of pilgrimage for almost every people from every corner of the globe...Only distant rolls of thunder from the great Russian revolution reached Switzerland. Only yesterday, at the first meeting, and today at the Finland station....hundreds of thousands of members of the European proletariat have come here, to this school of revolution, in order to learn what the peoples of the world should do, what direction their actions should take.

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Nicholas II

In the morning during the course of an hour they explained in succession that the children were a few hours distant from the town; then, that they had arrived at the station; then, that they had arrived at home, although their train had been here for almost two hoursIt was a great joy to see them again and embrace them after four weeks of separation and uneasiness. There was no end to our mutual questions and answers. Very few letters had passed between us. They had suffered a lot, poor things, in their stay at Tobolsk and during the course of their three-day Journey. During the night snow fell and it stayed on the ground all day. Of all those who had arrived with them, they [the guards] admitted only the cook Kharitonov and the nephew of Sednev. During the day we went out for twenty minutes into the garden; it was cold and terribly muddy. We waited until night for them to bring the bed and the necessary things from the railway station, but it was in vain, and all the girls had to sleep on the floor. Alexis spent the night on Marie's cot. In the evening, as if on purpose, he injured his knee, and all night suffered a lot and prevented us from sleeping.

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22 May

Malevich criticizes the government

Bernard Shaw was right when he remarked 'how popular socialism would be, if there were no socialists!'

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