September 1st: The First Day of School

📕 Ever wondered why Russian schools all start on the same day? The answer is a fascinating piece of Russian history.

Before the Soviet era, there was no single starting date for the school year across Russia. Gymnasiums and schools could begin classes anytime from August through December, depending on their location. City kids often headed back to class earlier than their rural counterparts, as many rural families needed their children to help with the late summer and autumn harvest.

This all changed under the Soviet Union, though not all at once. A 1930 decree first introduced an "autumn" start for all 8-10 year olds. It wasn't until 1935 that a definitive, nationwide rule was established by a joint decree, officially setting September 1st as the uniform first day of school for the entire USSR. 📚

📕      But this day wasn't an official celebration of the first Day of School yet. That final touch came much later. On June 15, 1984, the Supreme Soviet Presidium declared September 1st to be the "Day of Knowledge" (Den Znaniy), transforming the first day of school from an administrative date into a nationwide celebration. This tradition continues today not only in Russia but in many other former Soviet republics.

The credit for creating the festive traditions of the Day of Knowledge goes to Fedor Bryukhovetsky, the principal of a school in Krasnodar and an honored teacher of the USSR. We'll share the story of this pioneering educator in our next post! 📚


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The Founder of "Knowledge Day"

📕 The man behind the “Knowledge Day” was Fedor Bryukhovetsky, the principal of a school in Krasnodar and an Honored Teacher of the USSR. He believed in turning important school milestones into memorable celebrations for his students. Back in the 1950s, at his own school, he introduced traditions like the Knowledge Day and the "Last Bell" ceremony (celebrated by graduates on their last day of school, before the final exams). These customs quickly spread throughout the region and eventually became nationwide traditions. 📚

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September 1st: The Opening of Moscow State University's Main Building

📕 On this day in 1953, the iconic main building of Moscow State University (MSU) on Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills) was officially opened.

This skyscraper instantly became the symbol of the university and, at the time of its completion, was the tallest building in Europe. It remains the university's central landmark to this day. The building houses several faculties, including the Department of Mechanics and Mathematics, as well as the Departments of Geology and Geography.

Its construction was a monumental feat of Soviet engineering, symbolizing a push for technological progress and innovation. To overcome the area's unstable ground, engineers pioneered the use of a special steel frame for the foundation—a groundbreaking technique that allowed the massive structure to be built both tall and stable.📕

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September 1st: Russia's First Public Library Opens

📕 On September 1, 1714, a landmark institution opened in St. Petersburg: Russia's first state public library.
Founded with the revolutionary goal of providing access to books for all literate citizens seeking an education, it was a monumental step for public knowledge in the empire.

📔 Today, it is known as the Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences and is the third-largest library in Russia. Its collection had grown to over 3.5 million volumes by 1924.

📕 The library endured a catastrophe in 1988 when a devastating fire ravaged its collections. At that time, the library held about 2.5 million volumes, and the fire irreversibly destroyed over 500,000 books and a third of its newspaper archives.
In a fitting tribute for its 290th anniversary in 2004, a minor planet (discovered in 1976) was named BiblioRAN (30722) in the library's honor. 📖

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September 1st: Tragedy at the Beslan School 🤎

September 1, 2004, marks the date of a horrific terrorist attack on School No.1 in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia.
The attack occurred in the morning during a ceremonial assembly held to celebrate the first day of the school year. At the time, there were more than 1,100 people inside the school, the vast majority of them children.

After a three-day siege, federal forces made the decision to storm the building on September 3. The operation to eliminate the terrorists continued into the night of September 4. According to official figures, the siege resulted in the deaths of 334 people, including 186 children. Many of the student hostages suffered from gunshot and shrapnel wounds, severe burns, and dehydration. Tragically, as many parents had brought their infants to the festivities while accompanying older children, some of the youngest also perished. In total, more than 700 people were injured, nearly half of them children.

Nearly none of the children orphaned by the siege ended up in state orphanages; they were adopted by relatives. The scale of the loss was so immense that a special memorial cemetery had to be established in the town.

Two weeks later, one of the leaders of the Chechen separatist movement, Shamil Basayev, claimed responsibility for the attack. Basayev was designated a terrorist by the United Nations, the U.S. State Department, the European Union, and was Russia's most-wanted terrorist.

On September 6, 2004, the European Council began its session with a minute of silence in memory of the Beslan victims. Flags were flown at half-mast outside the Council's building in Strasbourg.

In Beslan, September 1st is now observed annually as a day of mourning.

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