#1917LIVE finale: 17 best tweets

RT’s interactive project #1917LIVE, dedicated to 100 years since the Revolution in Russia, is wrapping up. Here is a countdown of 17 of the most popular messages from historical characters re-enacted on Twitter.

17. Student Vladimir

An excited tweet by math student Vladimir Khlebtsevich who studied at Petrograd University in 1917. He won’t live to be 23, falling victim to the Revolution during protests.

16. Kronstadt Sailors

Sailors at the Kronstadt Naval Base were a turbulent bunch, first rejecting monarchy, then the Provisional Government that was in charge after the Emperor abdicated his throne.

15. Pavel Zavarzin

Gendarme Zavarzin tweeted this photo of a youthful Stalin in hopes that the revolution would not happen. Little did he know…

14. Bolshevik Mikhailov

Bolshevik Lev Mikhailov tweeted this GIF during the first uprising of 1917, known as the February Revolution (which happened in March after the calendar was changed from Julian to Gregorian).

13. Romanov Sisters 

Everyone loves a good mirror selfie. This gem went up thanks to British author and historian, Helen Rappaport, who took up the account of the Romanov sisters, Nicholas II’ and Alexandra’s four daughters.

12. French Embassy 

This early tweet by the French Embassy showing footage of a snowy Moscow from a century ago was a hit.

11. US Embassy 

As the events of WWI neatly unfolded in Twitter according to their timeline, by February the 1917 US Embassy announced Woodrow Wilson’s stance against Germany. 

10. Grachev Brothers

An account of a jewelry store in St. Petersburg of 1917 tweeted this photo following the February unrest, illustrating how daily life in the capital was changing.

9. Petrograd Soviet

Petrograd Council of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies posted this artwork by Alexander Apsit, one of the founders of political posters in Russia.

8. Leon Trotsky  

Leon Trotsky celebrated his birthday in style, right in the middle of the October Revolution.

7. Vladimir Abrosimov

Another Stalin tweet shot secret police officer Vladimir Abrosimov to fame.

6. Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee

An announcement that the Soviets won power in the October Revolution.

5. Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin congratulated Twitter on International Workers’ Day and the feed loved it.

4. Cruiser Aurora

The October Revolution was set off by a blast from Cruiser Aurora docked in Petrograd. This tweet is lit.

3. Nicholas II

Opening the top three of our list, is Nicholas II and his announcement of leaving the Emperor’s throne.

2. Mata Hari

At number two comes Mata Hari, an account run by none other than award-winning author Paolo Coehlo.

1. Vladimir Lenin

And the leader of the revolution, Vladimir Lenin, is at the top of the list with the most popular tweet. He was also recently voted Person of the Year in an open vote conducted by Revolutionary Times, a fictional news outlet that started off as Russian Telegraph.