6 October 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

Petrograd, Russian Republic

September and October are the worst months of the Russian year–especially the Petrograd year. Under dull grey skies, in the shortening days, the rain fell drenching, incessant. The mud underfoot was deep, slippery and clinging, tracked everywhere by heavy boots, and worse than usual because of the complete break-down of the Municipal administration.

Bitter damp winds rushed in from the Gulf of Finland, and the chill fog rolled through the streets. At night, for motives of economy as well as fear of Zeppelins, the street-lights were few and far between; in private dwellings and apartment-houses the electricity was turned on from six o’clock until midnight, with candles forty cents apiece and little kerosene to be had. It was dark from three in the afternoon to ten in the morning. Robberies and housebreakings increased. In apartment houses the men took turns at all-night guard duty, armed with loaded rifles. This was under the Provisional Government.

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✍ Also today

Alexandra Feodorovna

Tobolsk, Russian Republic

Grey morning and raining, later fine. At 10 ¼ - ¾ Tatiana - German reading. Then: Isaiah 58-65. Lunched with Baby. The wine crates brought to us were emptied into the river, following the wish of the garrison soldiers. See more

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Sofia Tolstaya

Yasnaya Pol'yana, Tul'skaya guberniya, Russian Empire

1/11

Leo and Sofia Tolstoy. 1906.

Today is my wedding day. I've collected a flower bouquet, decked the grave. I was strolling alone in the garden, reminiscing of my younger years.

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Catherine Breshkovsky

Petrograd, Russian Republic

Land and Liberty! We've been saying these words for years, and both Land and Liberty were far away from us. We've been stretching our arms towards them; we've been telling our children about them, describing them as distant happiness we should fight for. See more

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Pierre Pascal

Petrograd, Russian Republic

On the tram, in the second carriage; I very much enjoy being amongst the soldiers here. They joke: “the civies ought to sit at the back.” – “There aren’t any civies left! The caps are going cheap.” A warrant officer came in: one of the soldiers asked him whether he had far to go yet. He answered with a smile: “Far”. “Then sit down, it’ll be more comfortable for you here, Major.” See more

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Nicholas Roerich

works on «Footsteps»

83 Moyka embarkment, Petrograd, Russian Republic

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Konstantin Somov

Petrograd, Russian Republic

I drew for quite a long time after breakfast, was finishing off a drawing I started over two years ago – an imaginary portrait of a marquise with a powdered face, for sale, a silly thing.

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Raymond Poincare

presents award weapons to soldiers that have distinguished themselves during the battle of Noyon

Noyon, Oise department, France

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Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

Gatchina, Russian Republic

I've spent the whole day lying on the terrace, as usual, having opened the windows into the garden. Before breakfast Natasha, Baby and miss Nim went to the market to get milk-caps.

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Russkoe Slovo

Russian Republic

The situation has changed, and according to sources in Finland, Lenin has arrived in Petrograd. On the day of his arrival, the Bolshevik leader held a meeting with his political allies. It is possible that Lenin himself will deliver a major speech in the name of that faction about the events of July 3-5 at the United Conference of Democratic Organizations. See more

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in Petrograd

+12

in Moscow