1 May – The Labour Day in Hungary
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The first celebration — or, rather, commemoration — of 1 May was in 1890. The holiday lasted merely two decades before it was prohibited during World War I. But why is this day so important for the workers of the world and how did this phenomenon reach Hungary? Here is a glimpse into the history of the Labour Day – or International Workers’ Day.
1 May was the day of solidarity with the workers in the USA who were struggling for the introduction of 8-hour-long workdays.
It was on 1 May 1886 when the first strike began to reach this goal. Two days later, workers and the police engaged in a fight during which the policemen opened fire, killing four people. Retaliation has not defaulted: some anarchists infiltrated among the demonstrators and threw bombs to the policemen, provoking another shooting. The event resulted in more than a dozen dead. Eight anarchist leaders were brought to court, and half of them were executed soon.
The news of these events spread through the globe, awaking indignation among the people. 1 May became the day of protests commemorating the USA victims. The Second Internationale in 1889 decided about the common protest of trade unions and other workers’ associations on 1 May 1890 to show their solidarity and keep on fighting for 8-hour workdays. Two years later, they have announced 1 May as the celebration of the “international alliance of the worker class.”
Hungary also took part in this movement by commemorating the date the first time in 1890.
According to Ma.hu, the contemporary press described the event as the following:
The groups arrived marching in order. They were unfolding their flags and raising their signs high at the border of the park. On those flags, there were the “three 8s” of the Congress of Paris: 8 hours of work, 8 hours of entertainment, 8 hours of rest. Though the symbols were similar, the groups carrying them were quite variable. (…) There came a group of serious, well-built people in simple Sunday bests. Great beards, thin face, red cockade, German words.
