29 August 1917. Vladimir Nabokov

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

Vladimir Nabokov

Moscow, Russian Empire

Those who attended the so-called State Conference at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre in August 1917 have not, of course, forgotten Kerensky's speeches – the first, which opened the conference, and the last, which closed it. The effect he exerted on those who were seeing or hearing him for the first time was a depressing and repellent one.

His was not a calm and weighty speech befitting of a statesman, but the scream of a megalomaniac, hysterical through and through. You could feel his intense, zealous desire to make an impression, to be held in high regard. In his closing speech, he seemed utterly to lose all self-control and spouted a load of absolute nonsense which had to be carefully excised from the shorthand transcription. He remained completely uncomprehending of the situation until the very end.

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Anna Akhmatova

Slepnevo village, Russian Empire

Whether I end up in Paris or in Bezhentsk, this winter is shaping up to be equally unpleasant. The only place where I was able to breathe easy was Petersburg. But, since they started the monthly tradition of covering the pavements in the blood of citizens, it’s lost some of it’s charm in my eyes.

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Ekaterina Peshkova Maxim Gorky

Foros, Crimea, Russian Empire

It’s nice here. It is so beautiful that you feel ashamed when thinking about what life must be like with you all now.

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George Buchanan

4, Dvortsovaya embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire (British Embassy)

Letter to the Foreign Ministry
"Though, with the exception of the extremists, all parties were agreed not to cause the Government embarrassments, the conference, so far from securing national unity, has rather accentuated the differences existing between the different parties, and we shall probably be faced with another crisis before many weeks are passed."

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Ivan Bunin

Vasilievskoe estate, Glotovo village, Orlovskaya guberniya, Russian Empire

I was reading Vernon Lee and thinking about Naples, Capri, and recalled Florence. I leant out of the window. In the garden darkened by the rain, a magpie with clawing talons came over the fence, smiled at me amicably and cordially shook his tail. It’s like our souls are one!

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Nikolay Gumilyov Anna Akhmatova

Paris, rue Galilée, 54, hôtel «Galilee»

Dear Anichka, you must no doubt be angry that I’ve not written you for so long, but I was purposely waiting for my fate to be decided. Now it has been. See more

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Vladimir Dzhunkovskiy

Grushevka, Belarus

I went to my native 29th regiment, 8th division, who were celebrating their regimental holiday. On the tables stood full flasks of wine and vodka. See more

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Nicholas II

Tobolsk, Russian Empire

It was a nice, warm day. Now every morning I drink tea together with the children. We spent an hour in the so-called, garden and the larger part of the day on the balcony, which is warm from the sun. Until tea I puttered around in the garden. The children played on the swings.

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28 August

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Why did the Russian Empire collapse

Map of the Royal dynasties of Europe

Romanovs dangerous liaisons

+18

in Petrograd

+16

in Moscow