19 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

I sat one evening in a traktir—a kind of lower-class inn—across the street from the gates of Smolny; a low-ceilinged, loud place called “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” much frequented by Red Guards. They crowded it now, packed close around the little tables with their dirty table-cloths and enormous china tea-pots, filling the place with foul cigarette-smoke, while the harassed waiters ran about crying “Seichass! Seichass! In a minute! Right away!”

In one corner sat a man in the uniform of a captain, addressing the assembly, which interrupted him at every few words.
“You are no better than murderers!” he cried. “Shooting down your Russian brothers on the streets!”
“When did we do that?” asked a worker.
“Last Sunday you did it, when the yunkers…”
“Well, didn’t they shoot us?” One man exhibited his arm in a sling. “Haven’t I got something to remember them by, the devils?”
The captain shouted at the top of his voice. “You should remain neutral! You should remain neutral! Who are you to destroy the legal Government? Who is Lenin? A German…”
“Who are you? A counter-revolutionist! A provocator!” they bellowed at him.
When he could make himself heard the captain stood up. “All right!” said he. “You call yourselves the people of Russia. But you’re not the people of Russia. The peasants are the people of Russia. Wait until the peasants…”
“Yes,” they cried, “wait until the peasants speak. We know what the peasants will say… Aren’t they workingmen like ourselves?”

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✍ Also today

Alexandra Kollontai

7, Kazanskaya street, Petrograd, Russian Republic

Women workers still barely participate actively in the Soviets. Nonetheless, since the very first days of Soviet rule, they have been able to bring to the Soviets a lively, productive discussion about easing the burden of motherhood for women.

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Vladimir Lenin

Petrograd, Russian Republic

To Comrades Kamenev, Zinoviev, Ryazanov and Larin

Once before, the Central Committee delivered an ultima—turn to the leading exponents of your policy (Kamenev and Zinoviev), demanding complete subordination to the Central Committee’s line and decisions, and renunciation of efforts to sabotage its work and of all subversive activity. See more

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Vladimir Vernadsky

Petrograd, Russian Republic

The future feels vague and anxious. At the same time, I feel very clearly the strength of the Russian nation regardless of its anti-government movements. Today, we can see in all its stark reality the anarchism of the masses of the Russian people and of its Jewish leaders, who play a major role in these movements. See more

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Yevgeny Vakhtangov

3, Mansurovsky lane, Moscow, Russian Republic

Art should not be taken from the people. Either with the people, or against the people, but not out of them. The theatre is for the people. The theatre is with the people.

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Paul Klee

works on "Blue tower"

Summer school, Gersthofen, Bavaria, German Empire

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George Buchanan

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

There has been a serious split in the ranks of the Bolsheviks, and eight of the fourteen commissaries have tendered their resignation as a protest against such arbitrary measures as the suppression of liberty of the Press, etc. The Government is now in the hands of a small clique of extremists, who are bent on imposing their will on the country by terroristic methods. See more

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Nicholas II

Tobolsk, Russian Republic

It was a Hussar holiday. I began a new book, Fire in the Stubble. During the morning it was snowing and it warmed up until 8 o'clock in the evening. A strong wind blew for awhile and after dinner it went up to 13 degrees above frost and the barometer went down to 73.5.

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