Harsh Trivedi, Henry Lin and 3 others
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Maurice Paleologue
10, Kutuzova embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire
Old Prince Kurakin, a master of necromancy, has had the satisfaction of raising the ghost of Rasputin the last few nights.
He immediately sent for Protopopov, the Minister of the Interior, and Dobrovolski, the Minister of justice; they came at once. Since then, the three of them have been in secret conclave for hours every evening, listening to the dead man's solemn words.
What an extraordinary creature old Prince Kurakin is!
With his bowed frame, bald head, hook nose, pallid complexion, piercing and haggard eyes, hollow features, halting, sepulchral voice and sinister expression, he is the typical spiritualist.
At Count Witte's funeral two years ago, he was seen gazing fixedly for several minutes at the dead man's haughty features (the coffin being open in accordance with orthodox rites). Then the sepulchral voice was heard "We'll compel you to come to us to-night!"
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Russkie Vedomosti
Moscow, Russian Empire
The Tea Shop on Bolshoi Uregshskoi Street was shut down yesterday on the orders of the governor. The tea shop, which belongs to Mr Dodesh and had been shut down once before on 17 November for failure to prevent the smoking of opium on the premises, was found to have opened again under a different name. Declaring the continuing existence of a tavern at the address to be undesirable, the governor once again ordered the tea house to be shut down and gave further instructions to ensure the establishment remained closed.
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25 January
Diaghilev finds a good assistant for Leon Bakst. His name is Pablo Picasso
“The government appears to be doing deliberately all it can to sow discontent”
The Tsar’s closest friend is horrified by his politics
Leonid Andreyev
1, Moyka embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire
It would seem that there’s a way of getting drunk without resorting to vodka: exhaustion and autosuggestion. Throughout these days I have been positively, genuinely drunk. I find it rather agreeable.
By my reckoning, 1917 will be my death year.
George Sarl
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Serge Diaghilev Leon Bakst
Paris, France
I have found you a terrific atelier. Boards, wood, and canvas have already been purchased. I have found you an artist who will make a good assistant. It is of the utmost importance that you leave Paris together with me on 7 February.
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Nikolai Wrangel
Petrograd, Russian Empire
Ceaseless anti-war propaganda is sapping the will to fight. Many factories have been evacuated; in others, the workers are on strike. The government, which seems to be doing everything in its power to spread popular discontent, is widely despised. The Tsar’s authority is all but lost.
Rotaru Vlad Matei
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Anton Denikin
Romanian front, 4 Army, 8 Corps
Things have become extremely bad at home in Russia. They are cutting down the branch upon which they've been sitting since time immemorial.
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Vladimir Lenin
Zurich, Switzerland
At the root of the question of pacifism (a question of utmost importance for Switzerland) is the idea that the war is somehow not connected with capitalism, that it is somehow not a continuation of pre-war politics. This idea is a theoretical falsehood.
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Mikhail Rodzianko
32, Kirochnaya street, Petrograd, Russian Empire
We had hoped the murder wouldn’t be for naught – that Tsarskoye Selo would finally come to its senses, heed the warnings, or simply grow afraid. But things went in precisely the opposite direction. As if by perverse design, it was Rasputin’s supporters who were promoted.
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Nikolai Pokrovsky
Petrograd, Russian Empire
When I entered the ministry, there was still no Japanese ambassador, since the previous ambassador, Motono, had been appointed minister of foreign affairs. Incidentally, I’d been acquainted with him before, but only very slightly; despite his extremely unsightly, almost simian appearance, he came across as a very intelligent man possessed of a great deal of knowledge about Russian affairs. Motono was succeded by Viscount Uchida. He’d previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs: a robust fellow, he struck me as a very energetic character. Of course, he was not yet familiar with Russian life. But the staff of the Japanese embassy seemed to be more adept than others at familiarising themselves with Russian affairs. This was obvious from Uchida’s dealings with people, and from the dispatches he sent to Japan, and which we intercepted. He saw, with a clear and sober eye, our internal degeneration, and saw, too, that a revolution was approaching.
Rotaru Vlad Matei
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Maurice Paleologue
10, Kutuzova embankment, Petrograd, Russian Empire
The most devoted servants of tsarism, and even some of those who form the monarch's ordinary entourage, are beginning to be alarmed at the pace of events.
I have just learned from a very reliable source that Admiral Nilov, A.D.C. General to the Emperor and one of his closest personal friends, quite recently had the courage to point out to him the whole peril of the situation; he actually went so far as to beg him to send the Empress away---as being the only thing which could still save the empire and the dynasty. Nicholas II, who is chivalrous and worships his wife, rejected the suggestion with intense scorn.
Admiral Nilov's intervention is particularly impressive because until quite recently he has always sided with the Empress. He was a close friend of Rasputin and intimately associated with the gang and is therefore largely responsible for the discredit and disgrace into which the imperial court has now fallen. But at bottom, he is honest and patriotic. At long last he has seen the abyss which is opening at Russia's feet, and he is trying---too late---to clear his conscience.
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24 January
England and France fear that Russia will betray them
Malevich holds forth on the subject of beauty
Pasternak takes advantage of the holidays by writing for two days without a break
Julius Martov
Zurich, Switzerland
The storm-clouds over Russia seem thicker than ever before. Something must emerge from this situation: either a turbulent mass movement of some kind, or else a separate peace. If the papers are anything to go by, the prospect of the latter has never been so greatly feared in England and France.
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Maria Feodorovna
Mariyinsky Palace, Kiev, Russian Empire
I enjoyed a stroll through the garden. The weather is gorgeous. It’s warm in the sun.
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Paul Klee
at work on "Gaze of a demon"
Gersthofen, Bayern, German Empire
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Kazimir Malevich
56 Reserve Infantry Division Camp, Smolensk, Russian Empire
A painting can never be based on the word "beauty", just as saying ‘2x2 = 4’ can never be beautiful.
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Elizaveta Naryshkina
Petrograd, Russian Empire
I had a visit from State Council Chairman Scheglovitov. He believes it necessary to support the government and to postpone the principal reforms until the end of the war; if they’re instigated now, he says, “everything will fall apart”. I told him I was of the same opinion, but that, in my view, certain compromises should be sought as well.