23 September 1917. John Reed

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

John Reed

apt. 36, 23, Troitskaya str., Petrograd, Russian Republic

As in all such times, the petty conventional life of the city went on, ignoring the Revolution as much as possible. The poets made verses–but not about the Revolution. The realistic painters painted scenes from medieval Russian history–anything but the Revolution. Young ladies from the provinces came up to the capital to learn French and cultivate their voices, and the gay young beautiful officers wore their gold-trimmed crimson bashliki and their elaborate Caucasian swords around the hotel lobbies.

All around them great Russia was in travail, bearing a new world. The servants one used to treat like animals and pay next to nothing, were getting independent. A pair of shoes cost more than a hundred rubles, and as wages averaged about thirty-five rubles a month the servants refused to stand in queue and wear out their shoes. But more than that. In the new Russia every man and woman could vote; there were working-class newspapers, saying new and startling things; there were the Soviets; and there were the Unions. The izvoshtchiki (cab-drivers) had a Union; they were also represented in the Petrograd Soviet. The waiters and hotel servants were organised, and refused tips. On the walls of restaurants they put up signs which read, “No tips taken here–” or, “Just because a man has to make his living waiting on table is no reason to insult him by offering him a tip!”

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Russkaya volya

Shoes from America

The temporary government has provided the Ministry with provisions in the amount of 22 800 000 USD. In view of this, the ministry placed its first order for American shoes to the tune of 3 000 000 pairs of shoes and 600 000 poods of leather soles.

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Vladimir Purishkevich

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Fedor Sologub

Petrograd, Russian Republic

It’s not Germany that is defeating us, it’s our own horrendous lack of discipline.

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Harry Kessler

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Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

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Nicholas II

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22 September

Feeling of religious believers: the Church asks to be shielded from mockery

"Generally speaking, my view of our future is a highly optimistic and favourable one"

"We propose to form a presidium of coalition"

1916: Year in Review.

From one revolution to another

Russia in 1917

in Petrograd

in Moscow