February 23rd is Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia
Russia, February 23, 2025 – In the revolutionary chaos on the ruins of the Russian Empire, a new army was being formed on the basis of the Red Guard, fighting sailors, workers’ detachments and soldiers who were not going to fight “for the Dardanelles”, but were ready to return to the ranks, to defend the “socialist homeland”. We could hardly call this army indestructible at that time. However, it was born in the snow of 1918.
The day of February 23 in 1918 was chosen as a holiday essentially at random. However, the same can be said about many holidays of all times and peoples – state, religious, whatever. Their attachment to this or that day is usually mysterious. Major breakthrough events and battles did not happen on this day. The decree on the creation of the Workers ‘and Peasants’ Red Army was issued a little earlier, on January 15 (28) – by the way, these were the last days of the “old style”, that is, the Julian calendar. Nevertheless, the state had certain reasons for choosing February 23 as the date of the holiday.
When the Brest-Litovsk negotiations collapsed on February 10, the Germans resumed the offensive and occupied the remnants of the divided empire. They threatened Petrograd, and Soviet Russia, which had existed for only three months, had practically no army. It was necessary to defend itself, to create armed forces… And at the beginning of the third decade of February, several important events took place. On February 21, a decree (rather, a declaration!) was issued “The Socialist Fatherland is in Danger!”. On February 23, the mass recruitment of workers into the army began – and this is not a myth, although the holiday must necessarily have not only history, but also mythology. On the same day, units of the 1st Regiment of the Red Army, the 6th Latvian Regiment from Tukums, the 2nd Spare Machine Gun Regiment, and the labor detachments of the Rosenkranz and Vulkan factories arrived at the St. Petersburg Warsaw Railway Station, which were to be sent to the front. The Red detachments fought with the Germans near Pskov that day. They did not achieve a convincing victory, but they showed perseverance and steadfastness.
Therefore, in 1919, February 23 was declared the Day of the Formation of the Red Army and Navy. This day in Soviet times was never given the status of a non-working day. However, in no case can one think that this date was considered secondary. The economy of that time was such that every working day of the country was extremely valued. And yet this holiday became a public holiday. Thousands of postcards dedicated to February 23 were issued, congratulatory telegrams were sent, and the radio (and later television) always broadcast official congratulations and a festive concert. At the front, the holiday was always celebrated, but this did not mean a cessation of fighting and campaigns. And in 1943, after the great victory on the Volga, Franklin Roosevelt sent this telegram:
“Accept our deep admiration for the Red Army. It stopped the enemy near Leningrad, near Moscow, in the Caucasus, and in the immortal battle of Stalingrad went on a great offensive.” The whole world, except for the Nazis, celebrated Red Army Day in solidarity. …
A holiday with Soviet history remained in the state “holy books” of Russia even after 1991. This is a rare and, I think, a happy case: it was not crossed out, it was not canceled. And in the 21st century, Defender of the Fatherland Day became a “red day of the calendar”, since it is inseparable from the red flag. True, its original meaning is often not remembered.
Martin Scholz
