About the history of the holiday March 8, why exactly March 8 became Women's Day, when and how it was first celebrated holiday March 8. This is a story about the holiday of March 8 for adults and children. Teachers can use the materials from this article when developing holiday classroom hours and scenarios dedicated to March 8th.
Today, almost the entire planet celebrates March 8 as a day of worship of a real woman, her beauty, wisdom and femininity, who save the world.
From the history of the holiday March 8
This beloved holiday on March 8 dates back to the traditions of Ancient Rome in the 1st century BC. It was believed that the goddess Juno, the wife of the great Jupiter, was endowed with great power and had enormous capabilities. She had many names: Juno-Calendar, Juno-Coin. .. She gave people good weather, harvest, good luck in business and opened every month of the year. But most of all, the Roman women worshiped Juno - Lucia (“the bright one”), who patronizes women in general, and during childbirth in particular. She was revered in every home; gifts were brought to her upon marriage and at the birth of a child.
The most joyful holiday for the female half of Rome was March 1, dedicated to this goddess and called the Matrons. Then the whole city was transformed. Festively dressed women walked with wreaths of flowers in their hands to the temple of Juno Lucia. They prayed, brought gifts of flowers and asked their patroness for happiness in the family. It was a holiday not only for respectable Roman women, but also for slaves, whose work on this day was performed by male slaves. On March 1, men gave generous gifts to their wives, relatives and girlfriends, and did not ignore maids and slaves...
In the modern world, Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th. The history of this holiday began in the 19th century, and it was dedicated to the day of the struggle for women's rights. It was on March 8, 1857 that a demonstration of women workers in clothing and shoe factories took place in New York. Then they demanded that they be given a ten-hour working day, acceptable working conditions and equal wages with men. Before this, women worked 16 hours a day and received mere pennies for it. After March 8, 1857, women's trade unions began to emerge, and women were given the right to vote for the first time. But only in 1910, at the International Women's Conference of Socialists in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin proposed celebrating World Women's Day on March 8th. It was a kind of call to women all over the world to join the fight for independence and equality; and they responded by joining the struggle for the right to work, respect for their dignity, and for peace on earth. This holiday was first celebrated in 1911, but only on March 19, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Then more than a million men and women took to the streets of these countries, and the demonstration took place under the slogan: “Suffrage for workers - to unite forces in the fight for socialism.” In Russia, International Women's Day was first celebrated in 1913 in St. Petersburg. Its organizers called for achieving economic and political equality for women. One of the most powerful performances by women took place in Petrograd on March 7, 1917. And in 1976, International Women's Day was officially recognized by the UN.
Today March 8 is a holiday of spring and light, a tribute to the traditional role of a woman as a wife, mother, and friend.
Who was the founder of the holidays on March 8: Clara Zetkin or Esther?
Many may have a question: was Clara Zetkin really the only ancestor of March 8? Historians also believe that the celebration of this holiday is associated with the legend of Esther. Many centuries ago, she saved her people from terrible death. Therefore, the most joyful holiday of the Jewish people, the holiday of Purim, is dedicated to her. It is celebrated almost at the same time as International Women's Day: at the end of winter - beginning of spring, on March 4.
Once upon a time, in 480 BC, all the Jews captured by the Babylonians gained freedom and could freely return back to Jerusalem. However, there were practically no people willing to leave Babylon, where the Jews spent almost their entire lives. Hundreds of thousands of Jews remained in the Persian Empire, and not at all as a labor force. Many of them managed to get a very good job and earn a good living.
Over time, the Jews became so accustomed to Babylon that even the indigenous inhabitants no longer understood who conquered whom: the Persians Jerusalem or the Jews Babylon. Then one of the ministers of the powerful ruler Xerxes, Haman, came to the king and told him that Jews had invaded their state. Xerxes decided to exterminate all the Jews.
His wife Esther, who hid her ethnic origin from her husband (she was Jewish), accidentally found out about Xerxes’ terrible plan. Clever Esther did not beg the king for mercy, but decided to use Xerxes’ love for herself. When the king was under the influence of her spell, she made him promise to destroy all the enemies of her people. Xerxes agreed to everything, and only some time later he discovered that he had promised his beloved wife to destroy all the enemies of the Jews, but it was no longer possible to retreat...
And on the 13th of Adar (a month in the Jewish calendar: approximately the end of February - the beginning of March), a royal decree regarding pogroms is spread throughout the Persian Empire. But it was radically different from what was originally intended to be created: Xerxes allowed this decree to be drawn up by Esther and her cousin and educator Mordecai.
“And the king’s scribes were called, and everything was written as Mordecai had ordered to the rulers of one hundred and twenty-seven regions in the name of the king - that the king allows the Jews who are in every city to gather and stand up for their lives, to destroy, to kill and destroy all the mighty in the people and in the region who are at enmity with them, children and wives, and plunder their goods” (Esther 8:8-11). And for two days “all the princes in the regions, and the satraps, and the executors of the king’s affairs supported the Jews. And the Jews slew all their enemies, and destroyed them, and dealt with their enemies according to their own will” (Esther 9:3-5).
Minister Haman, who gave Xerxes the idea of exterminating the Jews, was executed by hanging along with his entire family. During this struggle, about 75 thousand Persians were destroyed. The Persian Empire was practically destroyed. The day of this significant victory for the Jews is still honored and celebrated.
Among the greatest sages, “there is even an opinion that when all the books of the prophets and hagiographers are forgotten, the book of Esther will still not be forgotten, and the holiday of Purim will not cease to be observed.”
Perhaps this legend was true, and Esther actually saved her people. And in gratitude for such a feat, Jews still honor the savior today, celebrating Purim. And everyone understands that such a legend about the celebration of World Women’s Day also has a right to exist.
They are as old as time and are known to everyone. Just in case, I checked with my colleagues and realized that many only know the official version. On the eve of Women's Day, we decided to collect all the stories that, in one way or another, relate to the creation of International Women's Day. Some of them may shock and even discourage you from celebrating this day at all.
Version one, official: Day of Solidarity of Working Women
The official version of the USSR states that the tradition of celebrating March 8 is associated with the “March of Empty Pots,” which was held on this day in 1857 by New York textile workers. They protested against unacceptable working conditions and low wages. It is interesting that there was not a single note about the strike in the press of that time. And historians have found out that March 8, 1857 was actually a Sunday. It is very strange to organize strikes on a day off.In 1910, at a women's forum in Copenhagen, German communist Clara Zetkin called on the world to establish International Women's Day on March 8th. She meant that on this day women would organize rallies and marches, and thereby draw public attention to their problems. Well, we all already know this story.
Initially, the holiday was called the International Day of Women's Solidarity in the Fight for Their Rights. The date of March 8 was summed up by the same textile workers' strike, which, perhaps, never actually happened. More precisely, there was, but it was not the textile workers who went on strike. But more on that later.
This holiday was brought to the USSR by Zetkin’s friend, the fiery revolutionary Alexandra Kollontai. The same one that conquered the Soviet Union with the “great phrase”: “You should give yourself to the first man you meet as easily as drinking a glass of water.”
Version two, Jewish: praise of the Jewish queen
Historians have never agreed on whether Clara Zetkin was Jewish. Some sources claim that she was born into the family of a Jewish shoemaker, and others into a German teacher. Go figure it out. However, Zetkin’s desire to connect March 8 with the Jewish holiday of Purim cannot be silenced.So, the second version says that Zetkin wanted to connect the history of Women’s Day with the history of the Jewish people. According to legend, the beloved of the Persian king Xerxes, Esther, saved the Jewish people from extermination by using her charms. Xerxes wanted to exterminate all the Jews, but Esther convinced him not only not to kill the Jews, but, on the contrary, to destroy all their enemies, including the Persians themselves.
This happened on the 13th day of Ard according to the Jewish calendar (this month falls at the end of February - beginning of March). Praising Esther, Jews began to celebrate Purim. The date of the celebration was flexible, but in 1910 it fell on March 8th.
Version three, about women of the oldest profession
The third version is perhaps the most scandalous for all representatives of the fair sex, anxiously awaiting International Women's Day.In 1857, women did protest in New York, but they were not textile workers, but prostitutes. Representatives of the oldest profession demanded to pay wages to sailors who used their services but did not have the money to pay.
In 1894, on March 8, prostitutes demonstrated again in Paris. This time they demanded that their rights be recognized on an equal basis with those women who sew clothes or bake bread, and that special trade unions be established. This was repeated in 1895 in Chicago, and in 1896 in New York - shortly before the memorable suffragette convention in 1910, where it was decided to declare this day a women's and international day at Zetkin's suggestion.
By the way, Clara herself carried out similar actions. All in the same 1910, together with her friend Rosa Luxemburg, she brought prostitutes onto the streets of German cities demanding an end to police excesses. But in the Soviet version, prostitutes were replaced with “working women.”
Why was March 8 introduced?
Many historians agree that March 8 is an ordinary political campaign of the Social Democrats.At the beginning of the 20th century, women protested throughout Europe. And to attract attention, they didn’t even need to show their breasts. It was enough to simply walk through the streets with posters on which socialist slogans were written, and public attention was guaranteed. And to the leaders of the Social Democratic Party, a tick, they say, progressive women are in solidarity with us.
Stalin also decided to increase his popularity and ordered to recognize March 8 as International Women's Day. But since it was difficult to tie it to historical events, the story had to be slightly adjusted. But no one really bothered to look into it. Since the leader said it, it means it was so.
International Women's Day (or the UN International Day for Women's Rights and International Peace) is celebrated on March 8th.
In a number of countries, International Women's Day March 8 is a national holiday: in China, North Korea, Angola, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia and Uganda.
After the collapse of the USSR, some republics of the former Union continue to celebrate March 8, some hastened to get rid of the Soviet legacy. In Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Abkhazia, March 8 is still celebrated as International Women's Day.
In Tajikistan, on the initiative of the country's president, since 2009 the holiday began to be called Mother's Day. This day remains a non-working day in Tajikistan.
In Turkmenistan, International Women's Day was not celebrated until 2008 - the women's holiday was moved to March 21 (vernal equinox), combined with Navruz - the national spring holiday, and was called the National Spring and Women's Day. In January 2008, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov introduced changes to the Labor Code and
Today, March 8, many women and their men celebrate the main women's holiday. Unfortunately, since women are not valued, we have to set aside a day a year to remind men of their existence. International Women's Day has a history, although there are different versions of it.
It's your personal choice which version to choose. The main thing to remember is that one day a year for a woman is the most humiliating thing that can be done for the fair half of humanity. Every day women need to be given attention, given flowers and spent time with them.
And there are many versions of the origin of this holiday. For example, Wikipedia calls the American version the main version, which will be discussed below. The “land of Soviets” had its own adapted version.
"Roman" version of the origin of the women's holiday
Many historians consider the “Spring Festival” in Ancient Rome to be precisely the holiday that is celebrated today on March 8th. So at the beginning of spring, women who were not slaves and were married (matrons) received various gifts from their men. They were surrounded with attention and love.
Even slaves got a day off on this day. But the so-called matrons themselves went in the best clothes with wreaths on their heads to the temple of Vesta, who was considered the “goddess” of the hearth. This was always the custom while the empire existed; when it collapsed, they forgot about the holiday.
“American” version of the origin of the holiday
The most popular version of the origin of International Women's Day is associated with the United States. More than 160 years ago in New York on March 8, women gathered at a rally who, working as seamstresses and shoemakers, demanded a reduction in the working day from 16 hours to 10-12 hours, as well as an increase in wages, which were very small.
They wanted their working conditions and pay to be the same as men's. In principle, from that moment a positive shift in this issue began. Women even organized their own trade union, in which there were only women. This trade union later organized many such rallies.
In the USSR, a version associated with Clara Zetkin was popular
Well, in Europe, Clara Zetkin became a woman who defended women’s rights, Wordyou reports. She was a revolutionary and it was with her that they associated, in the “land of the Soviets.” More than a hundred years ago, at a conference of socialist women in Copenhagen, she proposed celebrating Women's Day on March 8th. This, she believed, would provide the basis for the unity of all women in the fight for their rights.
She was actively supported, and rallies began throughout Europe. It was first celebrated in 1911, but on March 19 in several European countries. As a result, women achieved their goal and received voting and labor rights.
It is true that in the USSR they said that Zetkin gathered “workers” for the first rallies, but these were ordinary prostitutes who demanded that they be given equal rights with other workers and that their payment for their “labor” not be withheld.
Eighth of March in the history of Russia and the USSR
For the first time in Russia, this holiday was celebrated 105 years ago in St. Petersburg. First, they received permission and on March 2 the women gathered to discuss how to fight for their rights.
As a result, women, as they say, came out with a taste and began to achieve their goal. At the end of February 17, women began to call for peace, and a few days later Nicholas abdicated the throne.
In 1921, it was decided that Women's Day should be attributed to the events of the February Revolution. In 1965, March 8th became an official day off.
Each of us associates the holiday of March 8 with spring, flowers, beauty and tenderness. But few people know that initially this date had a political connotation, as it is the day when the revolutionaries announced their intention to fight for the whole world. How was it? How did the holiday March 8th appear? We'll talk about this in this article.
How did it all start?
Back in 1857, workers in footwear and clothing factories came out to demonstrate in New York City. At that time, their working day was a full 16 hours a day, and their wages were minimal, they did not even correspond to the subsistence level. The workers put forward the following demands: a ten-hour working day, improved working conditions (dry rooms, new equipment), increased wages, women's participation in the labor force. And so, on March 8, 1857, hundreds of American working women came out to rallies. This protest march yielded positive results: employers revised the requirements for up to 10 hours. In addition, the first trade union organizations arose in many enterprises, headed by representatives of the fairer sex.
Where did the holiday March 8 come from? We say "Thank you!" for this Clara Zetkin
In 1910, a conference was held in Copenhagen, in which socialist women from many countries participated. Clara Zetkin in her speech made a proposal to declare the date of March 8 as International Women's Day. The idea of the holiday was to show the whole world that women are ready and able to fight for their rights. Representatives of many countries supported this proposal. Since then, revolutionary Clara Zetkin has been considered the author of the idea of celebrating Women's Day.
The first "swallows"
Literally a year after the conference in Copenhagen, at the beginning of spring, Women's Day began to be celebrated in many countries. On March 19, 1911, this date was celebrated in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark. More than one million people, both women and men, came out to demonstrate. As a result of these events, working women gained the right not only to participate in election campaigns, but also to occupy leadership positions. In production activities, their work began to be valued and rewarded in the same way as the work of men. In 1912, this event was celebrated on May 12.
History of March 8 in Russia
Our country first celebrated International Women's Day in 1913. This happened in St. Petersburg. On March 2, scientific readings were held in the grain exchange building, where issues of women’s voting rights and ensuring maternity were discussed.
The idea of celebrating this date was brought to Russia by revolutionary Alexandra Kollontai. In our country, she was supported by millions of women who were ready to equal rights with the stronger half of humanity.
How did the March 8 holiday appear in our country at such a difficult time for it? In the last days of February 1917, working women took to the streets of cities for rallies. In their hands were slogans with the inscription “Bread and Peace.” On these same days, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated power. The new government, among other promises, guaranteed equal rights to all women and men. This historical event happened on February 23 according to the old style. According to the new calendar, Gregorian, it is March 8.
The history of the holiday (as a state holiday) dates back to 1918. This date became a day off only in 1965.
On this day, ceremonial meetings were held at all enterprises, where government representatives presented a report on the implementation of political programs regarding women. The best workers at these events were awarded awards and valuable gifts. But over time, March 8 becomes simply a women's holiday, losing its political meaning.
International Women's Day in the countries of the former USSR
Women's Day in other countries: traditions
Continuing the topic of how the March 8 holiday appeared, it is interesting to know how such a day is celebrated in different parts of the world. And the ideas for carrying it out can be quite unusual. For example, in China, Women's Day is a day off only for the fair sex. The traditions of this country allow ladies to go out and have fun, while men go to work, and then prepare a festive dinner. In Colombia, on this day, representatives of the stronger half of humanity are prohibited from going out, so as not to spoil the holiday for women with their presence. In Italy, young ladies gather in large groups and party noisily in entertainment venues without their significant other, thus demonstrating independence and autonomy.
How did the holiday March 8th appear? From the article you learned that the process of the emergence of International Women's Day was very difficult. But thanks to the courage and strength of working women, we have the opportunity every year at the beginning of spring to celebrate a good date, symbolizing, in our understanding, beauty, tenderness and love.