23 September 1917. Harry Kessler

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

Harry Kessler

Frankfurt am Main, German Empire

I went to Darmstadt with Frankenstein and Fürstner to set up a new staging of “Palestrina”. There was an opening night of a bad opera “Venice” in Frankfurt tonight. It’s a mix of Strauss, Hofmannstal and Puccini.

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Marina Tsvetaeva

Moscow, Russian Republic

Adam, Eve, the Serpent. There is nothing else and there will be nothing else.

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Aleksandr Zhirkevich

Simbirsk, Russian Republic

This whole "Republic" thing is some sort of a blunder. Kerensky has proclaimed it and seemingly choked on it.

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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. See more

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Zinaida Gippius

Sergievskaya 83, Petrograd, Russian Republic

The Executive Committee (Chkheidze , Skobelev, Tsereteli and others) left in the days following the adoption of the Bolshevik revolution. Yesterday, a re-election was held… and failed. The winners – Trotsky, Kamenev, Lunacharsky, Nahamkes – are beside themselves in triumph. Their case is working out. “We’ve turned over a new leaf”. Of course…

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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

Petrograd, Russian Republic

I’m a monarchist, but alas, now I am but a monarchist ideologue, because I have no candidates. Who? Nicholas Nicholas II? A sickly heir and the regency of Alexandra Feodorovna – a woman, whose name I cannot hear without wincing? Mikhail Alexandrovich, the man who openly declared that he is waiting for the decision of the Constituent Assembly? Who? Tell me, for I do not know of anybody suitable. Kere

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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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Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

Gatchina, Russian Republic

Captain Koz’min has visited us at 3.30. I asked him to tell Kerensky to remove the arrest.

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Nicholas II

Tobolsk, Russian Republic

The morning was clear, but towards midday it rained. The service of the Mass was held at home. I went into the backyard and then into the garden about 2 o'clock. During the evening Valya read aloud quite well and distinctly.

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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.

in Petrograd

in Moscow