In the news1914
Entry Into World War I
Russia entered the First World War, which caused severe food shortages, hyperinflation, and massive casualties among the civilian population.
Moscow, 22 Oct 1916 – New York City, 2 Dec 1983
6 facts1 source
22 Oct 1916
Born in Moscow
25 Mar 1955
A son is born
2 Dec 1983
Dies in New York City, aged 67
She lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Moscow.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
Who governed
President of the United States, 1913–1921 · United States
In the news1914
Russia entered the First World War, which caused severe food shortages, hyperinflation, and massive casualties among the civilian population.
Music
Khorovod circle dances
Traditional khorovod round dances could involve up to one hundred participants moving in a sunwise circle or in complex lines.
Around the world · 1918–1920The Spanish flu. A flu pandemic infected a third of humanity and killed some 50 million people, more than the war that had just ended.
Daily life
Rural school life and meals
During the winter school days, children often walked long distances to class and typically ate only bread washed down with water for their midday meal. While attendance was consistent, only about one in three children who enrolled actually completed the three-grade primary school program.
In the news1917
The Russian Revolution led to the abdication of the Tsar and the eventual establishment of a communist state.
What people wore
Versatile Outerwear and Fashionable Galoshes
A sheepskin coat (polushubok) was a vital, multi-purpose garment for many ordinary people, serving as both clothing and bedding regardless of the season. By the early 20th century, fashionable country women began wearing galoshes even in hot weather as a status symbol.
Getting around
Slow river travel against the current
River travel against the current was slow; barges pulled by human haulers (burlaks) from Astrakhan to Nizhny Novgorod covered only about 30 km per day, requiring 70 to 75 days for the trip.