20 August 1917. Alexander Blok

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 Blok

57, Ofitserskaya street, Petrograd, Russian Empire

The crucial task of Russian culture is in making sure its fire is directed at that which needs to be burned; to turn the rebellions of Stenka Razin and Pugachev into a powerful wave of music; to bound this fire in such a way as not to weaken it but to shape its flow; to organise its rebellious will;

the lazy embers in which the flames of rebellion can sometimes be smothered must be directed to those Rasputin depths of the soul and there to fan the flames to the very sky, a fire of cunning, lazy, masochistic craving.

, and others

1 Like

Comment

✍ Also today

Nadezhda Krupskaya

Petrograd, Russian Empire

Living in a hut near the Razliv station where Ilyich was hiding was no longer possible. Autumn arrived, and Ilyich decided to move to Finland, where he wanted to write his planned State and Revolution which he had already done a lot of extracts, and had considered from all sides. See more

Alexandra Kollontai

Vyborg female convict prison, Vyborg side, Russian Empire

In the middle of the night, I woke up to a burst of indecent noise. Hysterical female screams: “Help! They’re destroying me! They’re killing me!” Footsteps, male voices. Noise. And again those splitting female screams. On this sort of night, it’s no good to be in prison. In the morning, the wardress, the one who had five cats, explained that the criminal wing is full. See more

, and others

3 Like

Comment

Elizaveta Naryshkina

Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire

Newspapers report a safe arrival in Tobolsk on Saturday. What a horrible hole this must be! If only they were safe there.

, and others

1 Like

Comment

Nicholas II

Tobolsk, Russian Empire

I slept well. The rain and cold had returned. We decided to remain on the ship. Some squalls came up, but at 1 o'clock the weather cleared up. The crowd continued to build up on the pier and the nearby bank. Some had their feet almost in the water and went back inside only when it rained. See more

, and others

1 Like

Comment

19 August

Lenin lives in a hut

Bolsheviks suggest passing bombs to prison

American spy in lace underwear

Map of the Royal dynasties of Europe

Romanovs dangerous liaisons

From one revolution to another

Russia in 1917

+20

in Petrograd

+18

in Moscow