The Children of 1917

One hundred years ago, in 1917, Russia was wracked by revolution, famine, foreign war, and domestic unrest. And yet, throughout 1917, babies were born, lives were started. 

So, what exactly have we been doing in the two months since the successful closure of our crowdfunding for this project?

The Children of 1917 Expedition is underway. We began in the most logical place: in St. Petersburg...

Since we will be asking lots of questions of our interview subjects, we thought it only fair to answering some questions about ourselves, so that readers can get to know us all a bit better.

On the eve of our visit, the ambulance came for Maria Nikolayevna Ryabtsova: there was something wrong with her neck. The doctor examined her, but found nothing serious. He did an EKG and was surprised: “if only everyone had a heart like yours,” he said.

As told in two letters, two certificates and the autobiography of one centenarian, who turned 100 on June 16 and is the oldest person in her village of 100.

Our producer, Misha, wanted us to row across the Volga River to visit 100-year-old Tatyana Semyonovna. He felt it would be epic and symbolic. We disagreed...

The Children of 1917 expedition is far from over, yet we have uncovered the secret to long life and pinpointed the source of the Volga River.

In which we accompany one of our heroines for her annual check up at the hospital.

A second, more intensive phase of the Children of 1917 project has begun. Seatbelts fastened? Poyekhali!

Any good expedition has its lighter moments. We have collected nine such scenes from recent days into a one-act play for your enjoyment.

Meet two more of our heroes whose long lives have surely been made possible by the care of their family and community.

For all the romanticism commonly associated with world travel, the brutal reality is that it is often a very un-romantic undertaking to move the meat that is our bodies around in the world.

Given the historical and personal realities she faced, Maria Konyayeva was very unlikely to live to 100 when she was born in 1917. And yet here she is.

In which we are reminded of a 1924 decision about train schedules.

Photographic proof that all we have done on this trip is work, work, work... and nap.

In which we move east to Samara, on the Volga River, and meet two centenarians living alone in very different ways.

A train ride, a war hero, sunflower fields, and the Loch Ness monster - just another day on the road for the Children of 1917 team.

On the importance of coffee, academicians, a museum, a rooster, the harvesting of turf, and collectivization.

Krasnoyarsk: knocking down stereotypes about Siberia and meeting a centenarian who will not be stopped.

A second post from Krasnoyarsk, where we meet a poetry-writing, rug-weaving centenarian.

Two days in Irkutsk and one on Baikal, where we meet a soft-spoken mechanic and visit two very different tourist destinations.

On borders, learning Polish, the influence of culture, and the importance of a sense of humor.

In which a retired Polish butcher explains how to live to be 100 and serenades us on his trumpet.

Minsk is a city built for giants. And it is where we met a great soul, Maria Fyodorovna Rylik, who dedicated her life to teaching and her family.

Our last stop on the Children of 1917 expedition was Finland, namely Tampere, the country's second largest city, where we met our final two heroes.