1 November 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

In the factories the committee-rooms were filled with stacks of rifles, couriers came and went, the Red Guard drilled. In all the barracks meetings every night, and all day long interminable hot arguments.

On the streets the crowds thickened toward gloomy evening, pouring in slow voluble tides up and down the Nevsky, fighting for the newspapers. Hold-ups increased to such an extent that it was dangerous to walk down side streets. On the Sadovaya one afternoon I saw a crowd of several hundred people beat and trample to death a soldier caught stealing.

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Vladimir Vernadsky

Petrograd, Russian Republic

It feels very uneasy. As if it's the beginning of a civil war.

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Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

Gatchina, Russian Republic

We're expecting a Bolshevik uprising any day now.

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Zinaida Gippius

Sergievskaya 83, Petrograd, Russian Empire

For already two weeks now the Bolsheviks, having first separated themselves from all the other parties (their support being the dark mobs of the garrison, sailors and all sorts of rejects, plus anarchists and plain pogromists), have been keeping the city in a state of trepidation: they are promising a general declaration, a pogrom with the following aim: ‘all power to the Soviets’ (i.e. to the Bolsheviks).

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Vladimir Lenin

Petrograd, Russian Republic

No self-respecting party can tolerate strike-breaking and blacklegs in its midst. That is obvious. The more we reflect upon Zinoviev’s and Kamenev’s statement in the non-Party press, the more self-evident it becomes that their action is strike-breaking in the full sense of the term. See more

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Marina Tsvetaeva

Koktebel, Crimea, Russian Republic

Dear Serezhenka, you aren’t writing to me at all. I was so looking forward to the mailman’s arrival yesterday – and nothing. Only a letter for Asya from Kamkova. Asya is still on the estate. She was nursing Zelinskii’s son back to health after his appendicitis; he was lying in bed ill at her residence for three weeks, and now his parents idolise her as if she were a God. I didn’t go – at first they wanted everyone to go together, but I don’t like staying at other people’s; old people have an oppressive effect on me, I feel guilty for all my rings and bracelets. I am keeping watch over Andryusha. I am completely indifferent towards him, as he is to me and – in general – to everyone. With him the role of a mother is reduced to the role of a slave: he returns not even the slightest feeling – stone.

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W. Somerset Maugham

Scotland, United Kingdom

I can't think of a single Russian novel in which one of the characters goes to a picture gallery.

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Harry Kessler

Berlin, German Empire

A victory by Tagliamento, 60 000 captives. The news arrived at an unusual time, before lunch. Our first significant victory on the Western front after Marne.

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Nicholas II

Tobolsk, Russian Republic

It was warm, with a wet snow falling. Before breakfast, I sat for a while with Kastritsky. I read for awhile. During the evening I began to read aloud Dracula.

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