Krzysztof Hagemejer
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Nicholas II
Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire
At 2 we set off with all the children for Pulkova on snowmobiles; on the way we passed ravines, rode down hills and straight over fields and swamps on a route which ran alongside the Gatchinsky Highway and returned through Babolovo. Despite the deep snow not once did we get stuck, and we returned home by 4, much pleased with the unusual excursion. I also walked a little in the garden.
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Nikolay Gumilyov
Russian army camp near the Dvina river
I live just as before: two weeks fighting in the trenches, two weeks counting time with the cavalry officers. Incidentally, there has been plenty of fine snow, and if I could just get hold of skis and new books, I swear before my Maker that I’ll be born a new man.
Rotaru Vlad Matei
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Alexandre Benois
38, 1st line of Vasilyevsky Island, Petrograd, Russian Empire
Bernstein, the publisher of my monograph, brought round an acquaintance of his today – the Swiss Arthur Hessen, who once purchased one of my watercolours. The poor foreigner was horrified by local mores, and in particular by the attitude of the Russian authorities to the allies, and especially to the French. Concessions are denied; despite pre-existing arrangements, bread isn’t given out in the stipulated quantities; in a real blow to a number of French companies, a ridiculous law banning the import of luxury goods has been enacted; and so on and so forth.
Rotaru Vlad Matei
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Russkoe Slovo
Tsaritsyn, Russian Empire
The Orthodox cemetery has been revealed as the site of a large, clandestine distillery equipped with the latest technology.
A police squad arrived at the cemetery police to find the distillery in full operation. The distillery’s owner – the cemetery watchman – attempted to resist detainment, but was disarmed and arrested. One grave was found to contain 160 bottles of pure alcohol and a bundle of money.
The distillery has been operating for 4 months, with the alcohol sold wholesale and retail to shops and kebab houses.
Taco Tichelaar, Rotaru Vlad Matei
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Alexander Spiridovich
Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire
Protopopov was such a case. Putting everything above his personal career, he ultimately did everything to please Their Majesties. In Tsarskoye Selo, he pretended to be energetic, resolute, and a man ready for any fight. He confidently and boldly lied that he knows everything, foresees everything, and, most importantly, warns everyone beforehand. To decisively secure its position among the women, he didn’t hesitate to pretend to be an admirer in the memory of the murdered holy man. He pretended to believe in his prayers from beyond the grave that mysteriously assured him that the Holy Man was guiding him "from beyond."
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Alexandra Kollontai
«Turisthotell», Holmenkollen, Norway
America is a closed chapter. Leaving was hard. I’d started to get used to American life, to glean details and particulars hidden from the eyes of the superficial traveller. I’ve grown to love her literature, her incomparable libraries, and her women. We still have no such women to speak of; they’re creators and doers, women who leave a wave of vitality and activity in their wake. Over the last two months, the uniqueness of the American intelligentsia has become increasingly palpable to me – as a social stratum, I find it very much to my liking. Especially the women, as I say. The men are flatter, earthier and courser.
I wouldn’t stay in America forever, but I know I shall return. Really and truly, heading Stateside is such a trifle! It might have previously seemed that a “voyage” to America was a real step. In actual fact, though, it’s nothing more than a jaunt – at least while the ocean is placid!
Giovanna Henrique Marcelino
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Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin
9, 18th line of Vasilyevsky Island, Petrograd, Russian Empire
One prayer must now be said over and over: people will sooner come to their senses that way – because right now everything is falling apart.
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Mikhail Rodzianko
32, Kirochnaya street, Petrograd, Russian Empire
I was told that the Petrograd police are training to use machine guns. A whole slew of machine guns due to be sent to the front from Petrograd and other cites have instead been transferred into the hands of the police.
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Article
The New York Times
How the Germans rule in Poland
Read all
27 January
New York Times: “Russia has officially given its support to Wilson.”
Stravinsky’s friends draw the composer’s attention to flaws in the ballet “Petrushka”
Trotsky holds forth on the plight of blacks in America
Alexandre Benois with Sergey Prokofiev
38, 1st line of Vasilyevsky Island, Petrograd, Russian Empire
This evening I attended a concert at the Musical Drama Theatre. The symphony by Myaskovsky, who has legions of admirers, struck me as rather run-of-the-mill. When heard side by side with Myaskovsky’s music, the Prokofiev concerto is pure genius! Petrushka, which I’ve not heard in a while, disappoints me somewhat (although I concealed this from my friend), perhaps because of the incomprehensible “shift” that occurs when the “mummers” music comes in. Diaghilev and I have both pointed this out to Igor, but he refused to make any changes whatsoever.
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Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
Gatchina, Russian Empire
After lunch we went to the cinema at the "Modern" to see "Instituka", a comedy starring F. Bertini.
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Sergey Prokofiev
122, Fontanka embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire
Today I played my first piano concerto at the Imperial Russian Music Society. Concerts at the IRMS have of late been triumphant affairs played to sell-out audiences. The concerto came off very well at the rehearsal, and sounded even better in the evening. It was a great success, and two admirers, who never miss an opportunity to give me flowers at my concerts, presented me today with a wreath bearing the words “to our young genius”.
Lev Manovich
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John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
Wulverghem – Messines, the Western Front
Was declared unfit for military service.
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Vera Sudeikina
Okhotny Ryad street, Moscow, Russian Empire
Last night we were burning the candle at both ends, and this morning woke with a frightful headache. We spent the entire day on the street, leaning on each other for support and crawling our way through the city. Our beating headaches spoiled most of the day for us, but our spirits restored towards the evening, and we ordered a samovar and food to our room in preparation for Leonid’s visit, who spent the whole evening with us and taught us how to play Japanese Bridge.