The history of February 23 dates back to 1918. It is believed that it was then that the Red Guard won victories in Pskov and over German troops. It is these victories that become the “birthday of the Kyrgyz Republic (Red Army).”
However, today the question of the origin of this holiday is controversial. After all, in 1918, the army had just begun its formation; anyone who wished could join it. Many historians argue that the history of the occurrence of February 23 is random and practically does not coincide with historical dates.
Already on October 25, 1917, victory was won in the uprising in Petrograd, after which counter-revolutionary clashes began to occur in the Republic of Soviets, and the Soviet government fought against them. It should be noted that at that time its Armed Forces were the Red Guard of soldiers and sailors.
Later, in 1918, the government began to create permanent ones in order to protect the state from Germany. Already on January 15, Lenin signed the “RKKA” decree, and on January 29 - the “RKKF” decree, according to which the KA and CF (Red Fleet) were formed.
On February 18 of this year, German, Austrian and Turkish troops violate the truce with Soviet Russia and invade its borders, the occupation of Belarus, the Baltic states and Ukraine begins. On February 21, Minsk was captured by German troops. Therefore, on this day, the government of the Soviet Union addresses the people to urge them to defend the Fatherland. It was then that the history of February 23 begins a new countdown, since this day was already considered the day of the spacecraft even then, in 1919. Ya.M. Sverdlov, speaking at a meeting of the Workers' Council, emphasized that the Army was created with the aim of protecting the Fatherland from foreign enemies. And already in 1922, an order was issued by the Military Council of the Republic on the creation of the Day of the Red Army and the Navy.
Somewhat later, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee combined the anniversary of the Red Army (KA) with Red Gift Day (one of the propaganda events). The people were notified that the DCP had been postponed to February 23, it was on this winter day that the anniversary of the spacecraft would be celebrated in all cities of Soviet Russia and at the front. This is the history of the celebration of February 23rd.
It should also be said that it was only in 1923 that the reason for its celebration on this day was first indicated. So, back in 1918, it was on this day that the decree of the Council of People's Commissars of January 15, 1918 on the beginning of the formation of the workers' and peasants' army was published.
Only when the USSR collapsed was this holiday renamed
As seen, history February 23 is a controversial point, since some argue that this holiday originates on the day of the victory of the Soviet Guard over German troops near Pskov. Others believe that its emergence is a consequence of armed attacks by foreign troops on the territory of Soviet Russia. In any case, this winter day is considered the day of mobilization armed forces to defend the Fatherland and resist invaders.
So the story of February 23rd is enough interest Ask, which remains controversial today. Thus, since 1946, this day has been celebrated in the USSR as a national holiday and has become one of the most significant and beloved. Gradually, the traditions of its celebration changed somewhat, and it became not only the day of the military, but also of all men of the Soviet Union.
Once again, it should be recalled that throughout the history of this holiday, it had several names. So, at first it was called a day later - the birthday of the spacecraft, then - the birthday and navy, today it is called “Defender of the Fatherland Day” and is celebrated in almost every country of the former Soviet Union.
Dating back to the First World War, this holiday remains significant to every citizen to this day.
The holiday on February 23 has a history rich in various unexpected events. The celebration was repeatedly renamed and moved to other dates. The occurrence of a significant event was associated with the birth of the Red Army, but in modern Russia the holiday has been transformed from a purely military one into a more universal option, briefly called Defender of the Fatherland Day. Today, February 23 is celebrated very widely and magnificently in the country, and congratulations are accepted by all male representatives, both adults and children. On the eve of this significant day, educational institutions, enterprises and organizations hold various ceremonial events at which the strong half of humanity is honored and such people are admired in every possible way. masculine qualities, like courage, courage and the ability to always come to the rescue of those who need it.
February 23 - the history of the holiday and its modern meaning in Russia
The history of the holiday on February 23 in Russia goes back to the distant past, directly related to the moment of the overthrow of the tsarist regime and the Decree on the creation of the Red Workers' and Peasants' Army, issued by the Presidium of People's Commissars of the young Soviet Republic. This significant event happened on January 15, 1918, and the treasury allocated 20 million rubles for the formation of combat units, which at that time was considered a truly enormous amount.
In Petrograd on February 21st began active work the first point for receiving volunteers, and Vladimir Lenin spoke on the streets and squares, calling on citizens to join the ranks of the defenders of the young Socialist Fatherland. The recruitment process was quite intense, but in the end required amount people were found and freshly assembled troops were able to repel the external and internal enemy.
Initially, they wanted to celebrate the anniversary of the Red Army on the day the decree on its creation was signed, then they considered February 17 as a holiday date, but in the end they allocated the next Sunday for the celebration, which at that moment fell on February 23. True, for some mysterious reason, the military holiday did not catch on and for four years it was practically not remembered either in society or at the state level.
The date found a second life only in 1922, when the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee issued a decree on the solemn celebration in the country of the fourth anniversary of the formation of the victorious and glorious Red Army. In 1923, this significant day was celebrated very widely and pompously, not only in the capital, but in all, even the most remote regions of the state. It was then that the date first received its official name - Red Army Day, and this name was subsequently approved by the Revolutionary Military Council of the young Soviet Republic.
During the reign of Joseph Stalin, attitudes towards the holiday changed somewhat. At the insistence of the authorities, the date was surrounded by various myths and a lot of legends were created around it, saying that on February 23, 1918, brave Red Army soldiers dealt a crushing blow to the enemy troops stationed near Narva and Pskov. Thus, an attempt was made to destroy the unpleasant facts for the country about the defeat and the signing of the ultimatum presented by the German side.
After the victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War, the perception of February 23 in the country changed again. The army was admired, and the military was literally carried in their arms. Since 1946, the holiday has become one of the most beloved among the people, and almost every family considered it their duty to celebrate it. Around this time it began to be called Day Soviet army And Navy. Years passed and the holiday gradually lost its purely military overtones. Gradually, from February 23, they began to congratulate absolutely all men, including even those who, due to certain life circumstances, did not serve in the army.
The meaning and meaning of the holiday February 23 in modern Russia
Meaning and modern meaning February 23 in Russia is somewhat different from what was customary in the USSR. In 1995, deputies of the State Duma tried to assign a new name to the significant date, containing information about the victory of the Red Army over the military units of the Kaiser's Germany. However, this long and not entirely true name lasted only a few years.
In 2002, the State Duma returned to discuss this issue and renamed February 23 as Defender of the Fatherland Day. In addition, the date was declared non-working and the connection of this event with the military operations of 1918 was completely severed.
IN last years The military overtones of the holiday faded somewhat, and it became much more universal. It is celebrated not only by men who bravely defend the borders of our Motherland from enemies, but also by those who have never held a weapon in their hands and protect only their family and loved ones from dangers and hardships. In addition to adult representatives of the stronger sex, on February 23, congratulations are received by boys, young men and young people who are yet to show themselves as defenders of both the Fatherland and their relatives. The warmest, most sincere and good words on this day they also speak to brave, courageous women who have dedicated their lives to serving in the army, law enforcement agencies or structures designed to protect the population from various dangers and disasters.
The celebration of February 23 takes place in all cities brightly and magnificently. Welcome words top officials of the state, public figures and representatives of the deputy corps speak to the heroes of the occasion. Flowers and candles are laid at monuments and memorials of heroes. In the evening, the sky of the capital and large federal centers is illuminated by festive fireworks, symbolizing the power, strength and dignity of Russian weapons and the courage of Russian soldiers.
History of February 23 briefly for children - class hour in elementary school
WITH a short history origin of the holiday on February 23 students primary school can be introduced to class hour. It is not worth burdening children 7-9 years old with too detailed a narrative with a lot of details. The guys simply won’t be able to handle the abundance. historical facts, not always having a clear color. But it is, of course, worth talking about the heroism of the Red Army soldiers and some important achievements of the Red Army, as well as what exactly the Russian soldiers did in order to stop the German attack on the Soviet Union.
In the second part of the event, it is necessary to mention that today the holiday is not the prerogative of exclusively the military and promotes the qualities that every male citizen should have, regardless of age, profession and social status. Children must understand that on February 23, the country honors brave people with an open heart, always ready to help, regardless of who needs it, the state or an individual.
February 23 – history and video presentation for high school students
When telling high school students the history of the appearance of such a holiday as February 23 in the calendar, it is worth supplementing your speech with a bright and informative video presentation. Children aged 14-16 will be interested in seeing chronicles of those times or excerpts from thematic feature films. You can prepare musical accompaniment for your speech and give schoolchildren the opportunity to listen to classical and modern songs dedicated to the heroes of various wars. It would be appropriate to mention not only the heroic military, but also the employees of various rescue services, who no less often risk their lives to help people in completely peaceful conditions.
In order for the words to make a more vivid impression and be better remembered, it is worth inviting one of the veterans, active military personnel, representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, law enforcement agencies or firefighters to the event. These people will be happy to tell students about the peculiarities of their professions and show the children that they can protect people not only with weapons in their hands on the border of the state, but also in absolutely peaceful civilian conditions.
To protect the young republic from external enemies, regular armed forces were needed. For this purpose, V.I. Lenin signed on January 28, 1918, the “Decree on the creation of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army (RKKA) on a voluntary basis” and on February 11th, the “Decree on the creation of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Fleet.”
For a long time it was believed that it was on February 23 that the young red formations received a baptism of fire: they stopped the advancing German troops near Narva and Pskov. In the mid-sixties this was refuted in the press.
Let us briefly list the events of that distant period.
On February 10, 1918, the Soviet-German negotiations in Brest-Litovsk broke down. On this day, Leon Trotsky declared to them that the Soviet government would not sign peace with the Germans, but would not continue the war - it would disband its army. Taking advantage of this, German troops went on the offensive, occupying almost the entire territory of Ukraine, the Baltic states and Belarus. The remnants of the Russian army units rolled back to the east without taking the fight. The enemy quickly advanced deep into our territory, mainly by train. After Minsk, German troops were able to cover 117 miles in 20 hours, moving towards Moscow.
On February 21, the first point for recruiting volunteers into the Red Army opened in the Vyborg district of Petrograd. An emergency headquarters of the Petrograd Military District was established, Lenin wrote his appeal: “The Socialist Fatherland is in danger!” The capital was declared under siege. 20 million rubles were allocated for the creation of the army, which at that time was considered a huge amount. Within a few days, tens of thousands of people signed up to join her army, but their training was still far from professional.
By this time, German units were already approaching Pskov. Here then the headquarters of the Northern Front was located, there were warehouses for military equipment, ammunition, and food. On February 23, the Bolsheviks declared the city under siege. To defend Pskov, it was difficult to assemble a company of Red Guards and conscript soldiers numbering up to 100 people, two companies and a machine gun team of the 2nd Riga Latvian Regiment. They were joined by a small partisan detachment of volunteers and the 2nd Red Army Regiment under the command of former staff captain A.I. Cherepanov. But by the evening of February 24, the Germans, having broken individual pockets of resistance, captured the city.
After February 23, the red detachments began to increasingly resist German troops. There were battles near Pskov and Revel, in the Gdov region. Only by February 26, the situation at the front was finally stabilized, largely thanks to the negotiations resumed in Brest on February 24. And on March 3, 1918, the Brest-Litovsk Treaty was signed.
Four months later, the Decree “On universal military conscription of men aged 18 to 40” was issued, but it was at the end of February that the foundation of the Red Army was laid and its first detachments were formed. By the fall of 1918, it was possible to increase its number to 400 thousand people. In the spring of 1919, there were already 1.5 million soldiers in the Red Army, and by the end of 1920 there were almost 5 million soldiers.
To reward soldiers of the Red Army and Navy for their exploits, by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of September 16, 1918, the first award of the Soviet state was established - the Order of the Red Banner. In total, during the Civil War (as of September 1928), 14,998 people received it. 285 people were awarded two orders, 31 - three, 4 - four. Among the recipients were 58 women.
In February 1919, St. Petersburg workers, in a letter to Lenin, proposed celebrating the “memorable decade” of the end of February 1918 with a holiday in honor of the “birth of the Red Army.” It was planned to celebrate its first anniversary on the day the decree on its formation was signed, then they wanted to set the date of celebration on February 17, but in the end they set the holiday on Sunday, which fell on February 23 that year. Since then, this date has been celebrated as the Day of National Rise to Repel the Enemy.
February 23rd began to be widely celebrated only in 1922. On February 22nd, the Moscow Garrison paraded on Red Square, and in the evening the Moscow Council began to meet in a solemn atmosphere. It was in this year that the army and navy began to be called the Reds. Its first anniversary was celebrated in 1923. The Revolutionary Military Council published an order stating the celebration of February 23 as Red Army Day. Only during the celebration of the 20th anniversary of its creation in 1938 did wording appear about repelling the German invaders near Pskov and Narva.
This date acquired a completely different “sounding” during the days of the Great Patriotic War. It became a symbol of true faith and hope for victory, for the return of fathers, brothers, grandfathers, and sons home alive.
In 1949, the holiday received a new name - Day of the Soviet Army and Navy. And in 1951, another, more realistic interpretation of the holiday appeared. The “History of the Civil War in the USSR” stated that in 1919 the first anniversary of the Red Army was celebrated in connection with the mobilization of workers “to defend the socialist Fatherland, the mass entry of workers into the Red Army, the widespread formation of the first detachments and units of the new army.”
February 23 has been celebrated on a grand scale since the 50s of the last century. It was from that moment that the history of the holiday became firmly entrenched in the minds as the history of the formation of regular armed forces.
No one can say where exactly the tradition of congratulating all representatives of the male population, from children to venerable elders, came from. It appeared already in the second half of the 20th century. At first it was official congratulations in units, and after that - festive dinners and gifts in families. Over time, the line between military and non-military was completely erased, turning February 23 into a purely men's holiday.
When the Soviet Union ceased to exist, starting in 1993, the holiday was not officially celebrated for two years. In 1995, the State Duma adopted the Law on Days of Military Glory in Russia. February 23 acquired a new name: “Day of the Red Army’s victory over the Kaiser’s troops of Germany in 1918 - Defender of the Fatherland Day.”
In 2002, the State Duma adopted a resolution to rename February 23 as Defender of the Fatherland Day and declared it a non-working day.
Modern Defender of the Fatherland Day is not without military overtones, but now its meaning is much broader. Today is a holiday of valor, courage, honor and love in the Motherland. On this day, it is customary to congratulate men of all professions and ages, including the youngest, who will one day stand on the defensive lines.
In addition to Russia, February 23 is celebrated annually in Belarus, Transnistria, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
The history of the holiday on February 23 is full of incidents and contradictions. On January 28, 1918, a decree of the Council of People's Commissars was adopted on the creation of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. At the end of February 1918, just 4 months after the October Revolution, the Germans, with whom Russia was then fighting as part of World War I, began an offensive on the eastern front, and the Red Army was just beginning to take shape. German troops occupied Russian cities without any resistance, the first detachments of the Red Army fled in all directions, throwing away their weapons. Lenin, in his article dated February 25, stated that the young Soviet Republic simply did not have an army. The German ultimatum about the defeat of Russia in the war and the conclusion of the Brest-Litovsk Peace was pushed through to acceptance by Lenin at a meeting of the Council of People's Commissars, and already on March 3, under the conditions put forward by Germany, the Brest-Litovsk Peace was signed, according to which significant territories of Russia and Ukraine were ceded to the Germans.
Later, to justify the choice of date for the holiday, Soviet historians came up with a myth about the supposed resistance to the Germans provided by the nascent Red Army. In fact, pockets of resistance were so few in number that it is impossible to talk about the existence of a combat-ready army in Soviet Russia as of February 1918.
A year later, in January 1919, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee established the so-called Red Gift Day - the day when workers were supposed to give gifts to the soldiers who defended them. It was decided to hold the holiday on February 17th. But since February 17th fell on a Monday this year, they decided to organize Red Gift Day on the coming Sunday, February 23rd. For the next 2 years, the holiday was forgotten due to the outbreak of civil war. Since 1922, Red Army Day, and later Soviet Army Day, has been celebrated regularly in the USSR.
Over time, the holiday turns from a purely military holiday into a general one. On February 23, in the USSR it was customary to give cards and gifts to all men, regardless of their level of training as soldiers. Since 2002, February 23 is an official non-working day and is called Defender of the Fatherland Day.
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Defender of the Fatherland Day
February 23 is one of the days of military glory of Russia, a holiday of all who defend their Fatherland. This day is also celebrated in the CIS countries: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.
The federal law the celebration of Defender of the Fatherland Day on February 23 was established and adopted on March 13, 1995 by the State Duma and signed by the President of the Russian Federation B. Yeltsin. It is generally accepted that the Red Guard detachments won their first victories over German troops near Narva and Pskov on February 23, 1918. These victories began to be called “the birthday of the Red Army.” In 1922, this date was officially named Red Army Day. In 1946, the holiday was called the Day of the Soviet Army and Navy, and after the collapse of the USSR in 1995, the date was renamed Defender of the Fatherland Day.
The holiday of February 23rd for many people is the day of men who served or are serving in the army.
Citizens of Russia and countries former USSR the majority view Defender of the Fatherland Day as a holiday - the Day of real men or defenders in the broadest sense of the word.
Today is February 23, among the long-standing traditions of the holiday of the former Soviet republics, honoring veterans, holding festive events and concerts, organizing fireworks and laying flowers at memorial sites of former military operations have been preserved.
February 23 is also celebrated:
- Pillow Fight Day
- Day of formation of the All-Russian Society of Motorists (VOA)
- Independence Day - Brunei
Holiday according to the folk calendar
Prokhor Vesnovey, Kharlampy
February 23 Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Holy Venerable Prokhor of Pechersk, who was originally from Smolensk, was an ascetic of abstinence - he used quinoa instead of bread, for which he received the nickname “swan man” and took monastic vows at the Kiev Pechersk Monastery.
The Monk Prokhor died in 1107, and he was buried in the Near Caves.
Prokhor was popularly nicknamed Vesnovey because on this day, February 23, the turn to spring begins. People associate many proverbs and sayings about the weather with this day: “Before Prokhor, the old woman groaned: oh, it’s cold. Prokhor and Vlas came: is it spring here?
On this day, they were still wary of winter and asked her: “Fire, February, don’t be fierce, and don’t frown your eyebrows for spring.” Frost, according to people, understood that he had only a short time to rule: “Winter is groaning at Prokhor, and February is raging, but it senses spring.”
On the same day, February 23, the memory of the holy martyr Charalampios is honored.
Among the Russian people, Haralampy (Kharlampy) was the guardian of sudden death without repentance. On this day, people prayed to Charalampius for deliverance from such a misfortune. This saint is also considered the patron saint of officials.
Name day February 23 from: Anna, Anton, Arkady, Valentina, Vasily, Galina Gennady, German, Gregory, Ivan, Karp, Mark, Peter, Porfiry, Prokhor, Semyon, Kharlampy
Unusual holidays
— Defender's Day
— Morale Day
- Day of preparing a delicious dinner
— Day of fulfillment of all wishes of the spouse
- Royal Blowjob Day
February 23 in history
1958 - The Victory Monument was solemnly laid in Moscow on Poklonnaya Hill.
1958 - Tagir Khuryugsky (Alimov), Lezgin poet, people's poet of Dagestan (born 1893), died.
1974 - A.I. Solzhenitsyn was deprived of Soviet citizenship and deported from the USSR for anti-Soviet and anti-state activities to please the West.
1981 - The XXVI Congress of the CPSU opens in Moscow.
1984 - The seven millionth motorcycle rolls off the Izhmash assembly line.
1984 - The first issue of the weekly magazine “Sobesednik” is published.
1988 - The population of Nagorno-Karabakh voted for NKAO to join Armenia
1993 - The first issue of the Segodnya newspaper is published.
1993 - Ukraine declares non-recognition of Russia as the sole legal successor of the USSR.
1994 - The State Duma grants amnesty to the State Emergency Committee.
1997 - A fire occurred at the Russian orbital station Mir, while the Russian-American crew was there.
2006 - Collapse of the Basmanny market in Moscow.
