19 July 1917. Alexander Kerensky

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

Alexander Kerensky

Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

At six in the evening I arrived at the Tsarskoselsky station, where I was met by my deputy, General Polovtsov, the commander of the Petrograd Military District and other members of the government. Having already heard Polovstov’s report on the train, I suggested he immediately tender his resignation, upbraiding him for his indecisiveness in suppressing the uprisings and for failing to carry out my orders to subject to the traitors to the harshest possible countermeasures.

From the station I went straight to the headquarters of the Petrograd Military District, where the Provisional Government, guarded by soldiers, was sitting. All along the way we were met with cries of greeting. Before going into the hall, where Prince Lviv and other members of the government were sitting, I ordered the officers of the headquarters as quickly as possible to draw up and present me with a list of all the Bolsheviks subject to arrest, and to immediately begin hunting down and arresting the traitors and their abettors.

At midnight I received a telegram from the South-Western Front, which communicated that the Germans have broken through our lines at Zlotchev in the direction of Tarnopol. Bearing this telegram in my hand I entered the hall, where the Provisional Government was sitting. Members of the Soviet had not yet left it. With great difficulty holding myself together, I read the contents of the telegram out from beginning to end in a very loud voice and then asked the deputies of the Soviet: “Can I take it that you will no longer object to arrests?”

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Sofia Tolstaya

Yasnaya Pol'yana, Tul'skaya guberniya, Russian Empire

Awful events in Petrograd: shootings, murdering our own, robberies - a total and utter riot. And these robbers are our bosses! Sister takes everything to heart, intrigued by everything. I only suffer, deeply. My sister Tanya, is still so young: she even enjoys reading French novels.

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Kazimir Malevich

Moscow, Russian Empire

In the deepest recesses of Art lie the secrets of governmental coups, of the reconstruction of human life. A sage who could read meaning in colors, words, sounds, and their exchanges could discover the words that foretell these great events.

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Alexander Kolchak

Petrograd, Russian Empire

The skirmishes which were taking place in Petrograd led to a clash between the Bolshevik districts and the Cossacks. The only really serious incident was near the Liteiny Bridge. See more

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Nikolai Bukharin

Trekhprudnyi pereulok, 9, Moscow, Russian Empire

A new wave of slander has arisen against Lenin, and this time it is unimaginably dirty. Comrade Lenin is known to all revolutionaries of all shades, and has been already for several years. No one has ever dared to speak about the political dishonesty of comrade Lenin. It is not easy. It is painful. Only the man who is ready to sacrifice everything for a just cause can walk his own path through the system of bribes, slander, all the baseness of which the bourgeoisie is capable. Lenin is such a man.

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Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

Gatchina, Russian Empire

The success of the Bolsheviks begins to decrease; the people begin to understand that they are working for the benefit of the Germans and their money.

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Nicholas II

Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

In part, the overwhelming number of troops remained loyal to the government and took to the streets to support it. The weather was wonderful. I took a long walk with Tatiana and Valya. Zaring the day we worked with some success in the forest chopping and sawing up four fir trees. During the evening I read.

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