9 December 1917. Vera Sudeikina

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

Vera Sudeikina

Yalta, Crimea, Russian Republic

In the night we woke up in a state of horror – a gunshot resounded; it thundered with a reverberating echo beneath us. It was three am. Till the morning, we were half dozing, but also listening. My heart was racing. By morning we woke up. As soon as we got up, Serezha set off into town to find out what this business was all about.

It turns out that there had been a pogrom of jewellers, watch shops, primarily European ones; they say that it was sailors. Some vessels and boats are standing in the port – it’s terrifying. The canteen in the boarding school in Darsanovskaia was destroyed by a gunshot. People are saying a lot of terrible things. What will become of us! How are we going to feel at night? It’s nerve-wracking and terrifying. We’ve got closer to our neighbours. The whole of Yalta is anxious. Tomorrow the Tatar squadron is expected. I am afraid lest there might be something between the Russian and Tatar sailors. Oh lord, oh lord, save us.

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