There are many professional holidays in Russia. About some holidays only those to whom they are dedicated know. But some holidays are known to all. Among them is the day of the railwayman.
We cannot imagine our life without railways. In our country, stretching over 11 time zones, railways serve as a circulatory system that unites the country into a single whole. No wonder in the 19th century, the profession of a railway engineer was one of the most prestigious. And this holiday has a long history.
Railway Day History
This holiday in Russia was established on July 10, 1896, by order of the Minister of Transport, Prince Mikhail Khilkov. The date of the order was dedicated to the birthday of Emperor Nicholas I, during the reign of which the railroads were built from Tsarskoye Selo to St. Petersburg and the highway from St. Petersburg to Moscow.
Sovereign Emperor, in commemoration of the birthday of Emperor Nicholas I, whose sovereign will laid the foundation for the construction and operation of railways in Russia, according to our most comprehensive report, on June 28 of this year, the Supreme Command deigned: to establish the annual celebration of the anniversary of Emperor Nicholas I by all central and local institutions in charge of railways in Russia. Such a High Will has been announced by the Ministry of Railways.
- Minister of Railways Prince M. Khilkov.
On this day, festivities were arranged, the railway employees did not work. Solemn prayers were held in the temples, and a gala reception was held at the Ministry of Railways in St. Petersburg and the Fontanka, which was also attended by senior officials.
In those days, railway stations had not only a utilitarian purpose of serving passengers, but also served as cultural centers in the suburbs of St. Petersburg and Moscow. On that day, musical performances and concerts were held at the train stations.
Railroad Day was regularly celebrated in Russia until July 25, 1917. The revolution and civil war interrupted this tradition.
History of the Soviet era
After the revolution, the holiday was canceled, along with all the dates of the "old regime", and was renewed only in 1936. The holiday was scheduled for July 30 and coincided with the meeting of Comrade Stalin with the participants in the Meeting of Railway Workers in Moscow. It became known as the "All-Union Stalin Railroad Day"
In 1940, the day was moved to the nearest Sunday on August 4, and subsequently it began to be celebrated on the first Sunday of August. Since 2003, this holiday has been a corporate holiday of Russian Railways.
Everyone knows what a huge contribution Soviet railroad workers made during the Great Patriotic War. Under bombing and shelling, they uninterruptedly delivered troops and cargo to the front. Without them, it would be impossible to create enterprises in the rear. Not for nothing in Soviet times, many trains were given the names of heroes. For example, one of the commuter trains in Soviet times was named after the senior engineer of the steam train convoy Elena Chukhniuk.
Railroad holidays in the countries of the former USSR
This day exists not only in Russia. It is celebrated in the countries of the former USSR: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Estonia. In some countries, this is also the first Sunday of August, in some there is a fixed date dedicated to any event. In Lithuania, for example, the holiday is celebrated on August 28. On this day, the first steam engine arrived in Vilnius from Dinaburg (present-day Daugavpils) in 1860.
What date this date is celebrated, all countries decide independently.
Railway holidays in the world
This professional holiday exists in other countries. It is celebrated in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In today's Germany, such a day does not officially exist. But in the former GDR, it was widely celebrated. Germany is now conducting rail transport advertising campaigns for employees and passengers. These companies are held locally by region in both the eastern and western parts of the country.
What date does each country decide the day of the railwayman in accordance with its principles.
Holiday Gifts
For every holiday it is customary to give gifts. Railroad Day is no exception. Gifts are made at all levels. At the official level, these are government awards, diplomas, honorary diplomas and cash prizes. They are awarded by the best employees of the holding. The signs "Honorary Worker of Transport" and "Honorary Railway Worker." In all divisions of Russian Railways, the results of the work are also trying to coincide with the holiday date.
But if among your loved ones there are workers in this field, you probably want to please them. In this case, gifts should be chosen without regard to professional affiliation. Otherwise, it will look ridiculous, and may cause confusion. The gift should be from the heart and choosing it, you will surely take into account the tastes and characteristics of the person to whom it is intended.
Congratulations
What a holiday, can do without congratulations. After the official celebrations, everyone wants to gather in a narrow circle, exchange warm words, joke, laugh. Rail workers are no exception. They not only readily listen to jokes to themselves, but also compose them themselves. Congratulations on the day of the railwayman are cool, addressed to people of different specialties: drivers, railway men, signalmen, dispatchers.
The evolution of railways
Since the time of the Cherepanov brothers, who in 1833 in Nizhny Tagil invented the prototype of a steam locomotive, called the "self-propelled steamer", the development of railways has not stopped for a minute. Now new ways are being built and old ones are being modernized. High-speed Sapsan trains and comfortable Swallow trains go on the oldest Nikolaev road. The Moscow Central Ring (MCC), which for many decades was used only for cargo transportation, was commissioned for passenger travel. The Baikal-Amur Railway continues to improve. Work is underway to create magnetic cushion trains. And modern staff are not stokers with a shovel. These are highly educated engineers and workers who have at their disposal the entire arsenal of modern technology and information technology.
Railroad Day in Russia in 2018 will be celebrated on August 5.