Friday, many Swiss and Swiss will display the white cross on a red background, will release their lanterns and meet around a fire to celebrate the national holiday. But from a historical point of view, national festivals are a relatively recent concept. August 1 thus offers us the opportunity to question: what are the other countries celebrate, and why?
On August 1, the date of the Swiss National Day, was chosen in 1891 to commemorate the Alliance pact concluded 600 years earlier between the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwald. An act then wanted as a founder of Confederationeven if this choice continues today to arouse debate among historians.
Revolutions and monarchies in celebration
In Francethe date of July 14 is chosen in 1880. At that time, the Republic is imposed on time, it is then necessary to find rituals, symbols of unity. The deputies retained on July 14, in reference to two historical days: in 1789, the capture of the Bastille; In 1790, the federation feast, a great celebration of national unity around the constitutional monarchy. On the one hand, a violent and liberating event; on the other, a rejoicing.
A Cuba, The national holiday also has its origin in the Revolution. She commemorated on July 26, 1953, the date on which Fidel Castro brings together the survivors of a failed attack on a military barracks. This event marks the starting point for the Cuban revolution.
For his part, Egypt Also celebrated its revolution: every July 23, the country commemorates the 1952 coup which led to the abolition of the monarchy and the proclamation of the Republic.
While some countries commemorate the power to the people, others celebrate the opposite. Like Belgium and Sweden, which mark the coronation of their kings: Leopold I for the BelgiumGustave for the Suede.
From supervision to sovereignty
For the overwhelming majority of countries in the world, national holiday marks the birth of their state, often through their independence. This is particularly the case with UNITED STATESwhere on July 4, 1776 marked the break with the British crown. But there too, it will be necessary to wait almost a century for this date to officially become a public holiday: it was not until 1870 that the US Congress made it a public holiday.
The major decolonization movements will thus give rise to a multitude of symbolic dates, marking emancipation in the face of the great empires. Everywhere in Africa, Asia or Latin America, the liberation is commemorated.
In Europe too, some countries celebrate their exit from imperial domination, such as the Latvia. Moreover, several former Soviet republics sometimes have two national festivals: one for independence from the Russian Empire in 1918, and another after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Colonial memory and controversy
Some national festivals are sometimes disputed and arouse controversy. For example, Spain, which celebrates on October 12, the day of the discovery and exploration of the Americas by Christopher Columbus. A party that successively brought the names of “Race Day”, then “Day of Hispanity”, before becoming the “National Day”. A change of title which was not enough to erase its colonial character, controversial by part of the population and which arouses many boycotts.
This is also the case with Australiawhich commemorates on January 26, date of the arrival of the first British colony in 1788. A celebration which divides: for the Aborigines, it is the day of the invasion. Many Australians demand the change in this date.
A party without triumphalism in Germany
Germany celebrated its national holiday on October 3, the day of the German unit. This date marks the official reunification of the FRG and the GDR. But unlike other countries, this celebration is not associated with a spectacular event or a popular mobilization, explains Thursday in the program A whole world Gilbert Casasus, professor emeritus in European studies at the University of Friborg.
“Helmut Kohl was due to the fact that there is no great ceremony, […] He wanted it to remain relatively simple, so as not to give the impression of a powerful Germany, “he said.
Thus, the Germans celebrate unity, but there is no question of “showing the world that Germany would have a more important strategic force than its neighbor. It would be very poorly perceived”, adds Gilbert Casasus.
Radio subject: Cédric Guigon
Adaptation web: Miroslav Mares
