21 August 1917. Romain Rolland → Albert Einstein

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

Romain Rolland Albert Einstein

Grand Hotel Chateau Bellevue, Sierre, Switzerland

It pains me to think that you have lost your optimism, which so struck me on the occasion of our first meeting two years ago. Personally, I have preserved a profound faith in our future.

The nations must be driven to exhaustion; but misty will continue to move forward, and I believe in this richer and wider conception of civilization, in which intellectuals from Asia will bring the opportunities for development to our now impoverished Europe.

, and others

Albert Einstein

The most effective way out of the impasse, it seems to me, is the following: America, England, France and Russia will conclude an eternal treaty, which will established agreed-upon minimums and maximums of armaments. This union will be open to any further states that possess democratically elected parliaments, with ministries accountable to parliamentary majorities. But while German politicians continue to push for a change in the balance of power in the near or distant future, we should not dream of any serious changes to the current situation.

2 Like

Comment

✍ Also today

Zinaida Gippius with Boris Savinkov

Sergievskaya 83, Petrograd, Russian Empire

Boris Savinkov has visited us. He was sober and healthy. Our situation as he sketched out for us is dire. Here it is in brief: we are to expect territorial losses. In the north, Riga and further, up to Narva; in the south, Moldova and Bessarabia. See more

, and others

1 Like

Comment

Rurik Ivnev

Petrograd, Russian Empire

I was counting money after the lecture. I loathed these crumpled notes terribly. I had no idea I had so much hatred towards them. See more

, and others

Comment

Igor Stravinsky Leon Bakst

Diableler, Switzerland

Dearest Lev, allow me to add a few more lines to yesterday’s telegram. Please come and see me in Morges, and together we will work something out. I am convinced that the remaining questions hanging over the production can be solved only if we work together. See more

, and others

Comment

Mikhail Bogoslovskiy

Shashkovo, Rybinsky uyezd, Russian Empire

Ladies at the neighboring dacha become anxious at nights, they are afraid they might be robbed, and they don’t sleep well through the night. Everywhere we hear rumors about robberies. See more

, and others

Comment

20 August

Blok on Russian culture

Lenin flees to Finland in makeup

Crazy cocaine-prostitute

From one revolution to another

Russia in 1917

1916: Year in Review.

+19

in Petrograd

+19

in Moscow