Leningrad is a very obvious effort since Peter the Great of the early 18th century, to be like Paris.
The bridges and avenues, the sculpture, paintings—
And Isaac Cathedral—
Or the grillwork at the Summer Palace of Peter the Great or the First—
Or Peter’s Palace outside Leningrad on the way to Kronstadt (a German name) the part that Peter the First called the gateway to Europe (and the sea).
The State Dinner by Deputy Mayor Filonov, the loquacious politician (the Mayor is a lady now in Moscow) last night was—the old Nicolas the II palace for the state Council. Now it houses Leningrad’s city Soviet and Executive Committee the members of which are mostly from the workers.
Waxed poetic—white nights, art and culture and the tradition of heroism—the longest siege in history at purging platitudes.
Raining up to 4:00 PM when we reached Peter’s Palace. I had to use an overcoat and gloves.
They, however, have monuments to artists, writers and intellectuals—perhaps because of the tradition of Leningrad.
No Official Gazette entry for this day.
It is unknown where this text comes from because the handwritten entry is missing, what is available are the transcriptions from PCGG Vol. 5 p 134.