Russian people going about their routine activities in Petrograd, Russia, immediately following World War One. People walk on the snow covered sidewalks. The city looks metropolitan, with offices and shops. A horse-drawn sled moves on the street. Women perform heavy labor shoveling snow.
Men conversing in a hall in Leningrad, Russia. Books on the table. Buildings and houses in the city. Scenes from automobiles driving along the city streets. Cars parked on the street. Trams on the street. People in a public park. Interesting view of Mikhailovsky Palace (Inzhenernaya St, 4/2, St Petersburg, Russia, 191011) being renovated, with scaffolding in place, and statue of Lenin (no longer there) in the courtyard. Commuters waiting for buses and streetcars. Pedestrians walking across bridges.
Crowds of Russians near the Alexander Column of the Palace Square outside the Winter Palace (Palace Embankment, 32, St Petersburg, Russia, 190000) in Saint Petersburg showing their support for Serbia against Austro-Hungarian aggression. This was during the July Crisis of 1914. Crowds holding signs and Russian flags, bearing the Pan-Slavic colors, showing solidarity with Serbia, a Slavic country like Russia. Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna come out to the balcony to watch the cheering crowds.
Christmas preparation in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg), very soon after the Russian Revolution (or "October Revolution") brought Lenin, the Bolsheviks, and Soviets regime in control in Russia. People move goods on the snow covered streets using sleds. Facing shortages of fuel, people collect and carry wood to burn from a dock. Citizens stacking and carrying timbers for fuel. With men involved in revolution and in World War I, women workers clean roads of city, working together in a group with brooms.
Opening scene shows a man being roughed up by a group of men in an alleyway. A slate comments (in French) that when nations are bellicose, an assassination can cause a world war. Next, a slate shows picture of the world and states (in English) "One murder may start a world war." Another slate (in French) states that In 1914, while Europe's armies and fleets were more powerful than they had ever been, the nephew of the Emperor of Austria (Archduke Ferdinand) was assassinated. A front page is shown of newspaper, "Journal De Geneve" carrying the story. Next scene is a view of the city of Sarajevo. The ancient Emperor's Mosque dominates the scene. A slate appears asking Where is Sarajevo? It is followed by a map of Europe in 1914, which zooms in on Austria and Serbia and identifies and labels Sarajevo,in Austria, close to the Serbian border. Slates (in French) says Austria accused Serbia of War and other nations enter the melee. Animated World map shows the nations getting involved, starting with the German Empire in 1914, including its African colonies, and then successively showing Russia, France, Belgium,Great Britain, Japan, and the Ottoman Empire. Map advances to 1915, showing the Italian empire, Bulgaria,and Central Arabia. In 1916 it adds Portugal, Roumania. Next, the U.S.A. is added in, 1917, along with Central and South America, Greece, Siam, and China. Finally, the slate shows the war ending in 1918. Slate shows Armistice Day, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th Month (November), with time shown on hands of Big Ben in London.
Scenes of October revolution in Petrograd, Russia, during World War 1. Bolshevik Red Guards forces, waving red flags, charge across a square in military vehicles, followed by numerous others running to take over government buildings. on 24 October 1917.