13 December 1917. Vladimir Lenin

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

Vladimir Lenin

Petrograd, Russian Republic

The Tasks Of The Public Library In Petrograd

It takes knowledge to participate in the revolution with intelligence, purpose and success. Because tsarism had played havoc with public education over a period of many years, the library service in Petrograd is in a very bad state. The following changes, based on principles long practised in the free countries of the West, especially Switzerland and the United States, must be made immediately and unconditionally:

(1) The public library (the former Imperial Library) must immediately start an exchange of books with all public and state libraries in Petrograd and the provinces and with foreign libraries (in Finland, Sweden, etc.).

(2) The forwarding of books from one library to another must be made post-free by law.

(3) The library’s reading-room must be open, as is the practice with private libraries and reading-rooms for the rich in civilised countries, from 8.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. daily, not excluding Sundays and holidays.

(4) The required personnel must be immediately transferred to the Public Library from the various offices of the Ministry of Education (with more women, in view of the military demand for men), where nine-tenths of the staff are engaged not merely in useless, but in downright harmful work.

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Feodor Chaliapin

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As for myself, I’ll say this: for the time being at least, life is tolerable enough. I’m performing in the People's House, which is always packed to the rafters with an appreciative public. Incidentally, I am, thank God, in fine fettle. My voice hasn’t sounded the way it does now for a long time: it’s youthful, light and sonorous. See more

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Sophie Buxhoeveden

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Petrogradsky station is in a state of indescribable chaos. As soon as the passenger trains were overwhelmed, anyone who had the chance sought to leave to the provinces, where the Bolshevik government was not yet fully recognised. See more

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Bertrand Russell

London, United Kingdom

Bolshevism is internally aristocratic and externally militant. The Communists in many ways resemble the British public-school type: they have all the good and bad traits of an aristocracy which is young and vital. See more

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Marina Tsvetaeva

Borisoglebsky lane, 6, Moscow, Russian Republic

Alya:

— "Marina! What do I do? I don't want to marry a man!"

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Vera Sudeikina

Yalta, Crimea, Russian Republic

In the evening they wanted to ruin the atmosphere by reading newspapers, but they resisted.

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Nicholas II

Tobolsk, Russian Republic

It was a nice clear day, eight degrees of frost. From 11 o'clock until lunch I was occupied with Alexis. During the day I piled firewood in the shed. After tea Olga was playing cards with Alix and she showed four bezikes.

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12 December

Bolsheviks are selling Kamchatka

Constitutional Democrats are still being arrested

“Russia has always been, deep inside, a democracy”

1916: Year in Review.

-4

in Petrograd

-6

in Moscow