Contents
When is the holiday celebrated
Officer’s Day is celebrated annually 21 Augustand 2022 is no exception.
history of the holiday
The rank of officer in Our Country first appeared in the 17th century during the reign of Peter I. He formed an officer corps, which included representatives of the nobility. At the end of the XNUMXth century, obtaining an officer’s rank became available to employees without a noble origin, but with military merit.
In pre-revolutionary times, officers had their own unwritten code of honor that regulated the behavior of military personnel in society. The rules of the code were consonant with the general moral foundations of society.
According to the code, an officer should not cheat, brag, borrow and lend money, beat him up during an argument, or make a loud scandal. For violation of these rules, punishment followed – as a rule, the stumbled officer regained his authority with difficulty.
After the revolution, the word “officer” was changed to the word “commander”, and returned only in 1943 along with the old shoulder straps and insignia. In modern Our Country, it is customary to call officers of all power structures of the country officers.
Officer’s Day began to be celebrated quite recently – several years ago. The initiators of the establishment of the holiday were members of the public organization “Officers of Our Country”. August 21 was chosen as a holiday date, and this was not done by chance. Those who proposed the idea of a holiday thought about what could unite officers from various departments. And the answer was obvious: of course, this is the flag of Our Country, a common symbol of courage and valor, which is important for the entire officer corps of the country. Therefore, the date of the holiday was the day before the Day of the State Flag of the Federation.
Now Officers’ Day of Our Country is an informal holiday, but the public organization “Officers of Our Country” has already sent a request to the administration of the President of the Federation for the assignment of state status to it. “The holiday, which unites such a huge number of our fellow citizens who have dedicated their lives to serving the people and the country, should receive appropriate support from both society and the state,” Major General Sergei Lipovoi, Chairman of the Presidium of the Officers, says in his address.
Holiday traditions
Officer’s Day, although not fixed by law, is widely celebrated in large and military cities. Festive concerts are held in garrisons and Officers’ Houses, and sometimes in city squares. On this day, acting officers and veterans are congratulated by families, friends and colleagues, thanked for their work and service. The heroes of the occasion themselves usually spend this day at the festive table with friends and family.
Contribution of officers to art and culture
The history of officers in Our Country is long and glorious. During this time, the servicemen not only fulfilled their duty to the Motherland, but also managed to contribute to the art and culture of the country. Officers are not only defenders, but also people with a high level of education and a subtle sense of beauty. Today we know many officers whose artworks have become real works of art. Let’s take a look at the most notable of them.
Leo Tolstoy needs no introduction as a writer. But few people know him as an officer. Lev Nikolaevich fought in the Caucasus for a long time and at the age of 26 was appointed an officer in an artillery brigade.
The famous poet of the Silver Age, Nikolai Gumilyov, also had the military rank of an officer. And not only him – the poet was awarded the St. George Cross three times for participating in the First World War.
Pyotr Karlovich Klodt is one of the most famous sculptors of the XNUMXth century. Sculptures of his horses adorn the Anichkov bridges in St. Petersburg, and the monuments to Ivan Krylov and Nicholas I are installed in the Summer Garden and St. Isaac’s Square. At the same time, Pyotr Klodt is a pupil of the Cossack school and an officer with the rank of second lieutenant.
A student of Peter Klodt was a officer, cavalry colonel, Nikolai Liberich. The sculptor was known for his “regimental gifts” – figurines that he created to order according to his unique sketches. These figurines were presented as a gift to the highest army ranks and were very much appreciated.
The difficult life story of the artist and lieutenant Evgraf von Reitern. In battle, he lost his right hand, but learned to paint with his left. And he not only learned, but also achieved significant success, becoming a painter of the imperial family.