#kollonati

‘Lenin’s speech was attacked from all sides, only Kollontai speaking in support of it’

The scene of Lenin’s arrival at the Finland station in Petrograd on the evening of April 3 [April 16 on the modern calendar], 1917, has been recorded by at least four eye-witnesses. He had been met at Beloostrov, the last station outside Petrograd, by a group representing the Russian bureau of the central committee and headed by Shlyapnikov. In the train Lenin plied Shlyapnikov with questions…

Funeral for the fallen heroes of the February Revolution

Bolshveik appeal of April 5 (March 23 old style), 1917:

There are memorable days in the life of mankind which run like a golden thread of popular celebration down the centuries. There are days which are equal to centuries in the history of humanity, and which proclaim that, however cruelly the people may be oppressed by violence and arbitrary rule,the hour will come when a mighty, triumphant,…

‘Ilyich straightaway took a clear uncompromising line’

One day, after lunch, when Ilyich was about to go to the library and I had finished clearing away the dishes, Bronski came in, saying: “Haven’t you heard the news? There’s a revolution in Russia!” And he told us about the latest reports published in the special editions of the newspapers. After Bronski had gone, we went down to the lake, on the shore of which all the newspapers were posted up as…