March 08, 2015

Celebrating Women on Women's Day


Celebrating Women on Women's Day

Imagine; Valentine's Day and Mother's Day all in one! This is what International Women's Day (IWD), in Russia, is like. March 8th is a national holiday and a non-work day. Several nations celebrate IWD, but only a few acknowledge it as an official, non-working holiday. In the West, where Mother's Day falls in May, IWD is typically celebrated by feminist and women's rights groups.

On IWD, Russian men bestow gifts, flowers and other expressions of praise and gratitude on the ladies in their lives. While this holiday does have its roots in the women's rights movement, it is important to remember that it, also, reflects the respect that Russian people have for the role of women in their culture. All women are honored, not just mothers!

In 1910, German socialist, Klara Zetkin, presented the idea of marking March 8th as a day of international solidarity of women' social equality. IWD was first celebrated, in Russia, in 1913. Russian women wanted the right to hold paying jobs. Later, the Soviets agreed and opened the workplace to women. March 8th was not a non-work day. By 1966, opinion had changed and this year marked the first celebration of IWD as a non-work holiday.

Brief Chronology of IWD

1908 - Socialist, trade and professional women, in the U.S., celebrated first Women's Day, on the last Sunday of February. This was a day of demonstrations and rallies for women's equal rights and the right to vote.

1910 - Socialist International meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark, established IWD to bring attention to world-wide women's suffrage.

1911- IWD observed, for the first time on March 19th in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. March 25, 1911; so called Triangle Fire in New York City in which over 140 women garment workers were killed.

1913-1914 - First observance of IWD in Russia; held on the last Sunday of February and seen as a demonstration for peace as Europe headed into WWI.

1917 - By this time, over 2 million Russian soldiers had died in WWI. On the last Sunday of February, Russian women held a protest for bread and peace. Four days later, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated and the new Provisional Government granted Russian women the right to vote. This was February 23rd (old or Julian calendar) and March 8th on the Gregorian calendar.

1922 - Lenin proclaimed IWD an official Soviet State holiday.

IWD had encouraged world-wide attention and action regarding women's rights. In 1975, the United Nations declared this year, International Women's Year and 1975-1985 as the Decade for Women. UNESCO established March 8th as International Women's Day and UN World Conferences on Women have been held, in various locations, in 1980, 1985 and 1995.

Role of Women and Russian Cuisine

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955