20 November 1917. Alexandre Benois

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

Alexandre Benois

38, 1st line of Vasilyevsky Island, Petrograd, Russian Republic

The Au Bon Gout pastry shop, which is in our building, is refusing from now on to bake bread for us. Now our poor servants will have to stand for hours once again in those “lines”!

Of recent political news (as per the papers) I will note the following:a. General Verkhovsky has arrived at Headquarters, but there is no news at all from Headquarters itself; b. The ministry of foreign affairs has begun operations (that's from Pravda); c. Lunacharsky has officially announced that all ministers of the former Ministry of the Court are to continue their work. He is silent on the appointment of new commissars; d. There is a (still peaceful) siege on the State Bank. Employees are not keeping the Bolsheviks away from the counters.

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Romain Rolland

Grand Hotel Chateau Bellevue, Sierre, Switzerland

The Bolsheviks are in power. Lenin, Trotsky, Lunacharsky, are national commissioners of Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and National Education. There is a truce offering with Germany. The Allies refuse to recognise the government of the Russian Revolution. And pacifists are blamed for all problems!

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Felix Yusupov

Petrograd, Russian Republic

At the train station in Petersburg, I bought a newspaper and read, “Prince Yusupov has been arrested and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress.” The servants who had read of my arrest were in tears. See more

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Mikhail Larionov

Paris, France

Nijinsky gained some weight in America, but then he lost it and danced wonderfully again.

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Jean Cocteau

Roma, Italy

Rome is a provincial city. All capitals save for Paris are provincial. They talk shop right in the middle of the street. Everyone gets together in one single café. See more

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George Buchanan

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

It would not do for me to leave Petrograd, as my presence here reassures the colony, and it is better that I should remain and await events. My Allied colleagues, with whom I have discussed the question of the attitude which we should adopt towards the new Government when it is formed, all agree that we cannot recognize it officially but differ as to whether we should or should not enter into unofficial relations with it. See more

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19 November

There has been a serious split in the ranks of the Bolsheviks

Vakhtangov: "The theatre is for the people. The theatre is with the people."

Kollontai: "Women workers have been able to bring to the Soviets a lively, productive discussion about easing the burden of motherhood for women"

1916: Year in Review.

Map of the Royal dynasties of Europe

Romanovs dangerous liaisons

-2

in Petrograd

-3

in Moscow