The new format of Victory Day and red poppies as a symbol of remembrance and reconciliation. Grandfathers fought: a red poppy instead of a St. George ribbon Red poppy is a symbol of what in Europe

Ukraine for the first time officially starts a new tradition of celebrating May 8 and 9 in the European spirit of remembrance and reconciliation.

Author - artist Oleksa Rudenko, engraving by Georgy Malakov

At the same time, another date will be added - September 2 - 70th anniversary of the end of World War II .

The Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance notes that the new meaning of celebrating the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation and Victory Day includes:

- rethinking the events of the Second World War, the destruction of Soviet historical myths, an honest dialogue around the difficult pages of the past;

- the same honoring the memory of everyone who fought against Nazism, emphasizing the solidarity and military brotherhood of all the United Nations, both states and then stateless peoples (Jews, Ukrainians, etc.);

- shifting the focus from the history of military operations to the stories of specific people, and then abandoning the celebration in favor of veneration.

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The symbol of the celebration of the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation and Victory Day - Red poppy. It is an international symbol of the memory of the victims of all military and civil armed conflicts, an allusion to the bloody trace of a bullet, conveys suffering and death.

The use of the red poppy flower as a symbol of remembrance originated in the poem "In the Fields of Flanders" (1915) by Canadian military doctor John McCrae. The poppy symbol is also present in Ukrainian folklore - according to legend, poppies bloom where the blood of the Cossacks was shed.

"In the fields of Flanders"

Fields in Flanders, poppies rustle here

Between the crosses, where on a row a row

He marked a place for us; in the sky, in flight,

The larks chirp boldly that song,

She is inaudible among the cannons that rumble below.

We are all dead. But just a few days ago

We lived, met the dawn and sunset,

We loved loved ones, but now we lie

In the fields in Flanders.

Rise and you to battle with the enemy:

From weakening hands we now give you

The torch, it's yours, hold it high.

If you leave faith when we are far away,

Where poppies grow, we will not fall asleep

In the fields in Flanders.

The use of the Soviet-imperial symbol of Victory Day - the "George Ribbon" - has been discredited by the participants in the current Russian aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, the "St. George's Ribbon" in Ukraine is not officially banned at the state level.

Ukrainian Institute of National Memory

In World War II, Ukrainians suffered more casualties than Great Britain, Canada, the United States and France combined. The total losses of Ukraine in this war are estimated at 8-10 million lives. The number of Ukrainian victims is comparable to the population of modern Austria.

The Ukrainians of Transcarpathia were the first in interwar Europe who did not accept the annexation of their territory. With arms in hand, they stood up to defend their freedom from aggression in March 1939. From September 1, 1939, Luftwaffe planes bombed Galicia and Volhynia.

During the Second World War, hostilities swept across the entire territory of Ukraine twice. Kharkiv, one of the largest cities in Ukraine, changed hands four times.

Ukrainians have become cannon fodder for two dictators at once - Hitler and Stalin. Every third person died in the Red Army (compared to every 20th in the British Army). The reason for such a terrible situation was simple - Stalin did not take into account any losses, based on the logic "Women still give birth!".

You probably didn’t know, but in Europe there is also a tradition to wear the memory of the war on clothes. We have a black and orange ribbon, they have a poppy flower.

At the beginning of November, the whole of Great Britain turns red, and if you find yourself in London right now, you will see how many people who care.

The symbols are different, the meaning is similar. Except for one thing: they do not scream, which they can repeat.

1 Everyone wears an artificial red poppy flower: small children, decrepit old people, white-collar workers from the City of London, and homeless people in Belfast's gateways.

2 Often poppies can be found on private cars and taxis, buses and even on aircraft liveries. All this on the eve of Memorial Day, which is celebrated on the second Sunday of November every year.

3 Flowers are not for sale, but they are not distributed for free either: they are exchanged for any donation. The collection is organized by the charitable organization "The British Royal Legion". The money raised is donated to veterans in need.

4 The most beautiful action dedicated to the Day of Remembrance took place in 2014, the year of the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, or as it is called in Britain, the Great War. Under the walls of the Tower of London "landed" almost a million artificial flowers. To be precise, 888,246 poppies, exactly as many British people died during the war. From above, the installation resembled a red river, symbolizing the river of blood spilled by people during that war.

5 Remembrance Day, Remembrance Day is celebrated in the countries of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth. This tradition has been around for almost a hundred years. It all started in 1919, shortly after the end of the First World War. King George the Fifth ordered to perpetuate the memory of the fallen soldiers of the empire. Over time, the red poppy flower has become a symbol of remembrance not only for one particular war, but also for other conflicts involving Britain. It is celebrated throughout the country, including at the highest level.

Photos used © John Stillwell/AFP / © Chris Jackson/Getty Images / © http://taniawinston3.blogspot.com

6 But why the poppy? This symbol is even more years old: it first appeared after the Napoleonic Wars, after which blood-red wild flowers sprouted on the fields of former battles.

7 Let's go back to the First World War. On May 2, 1915, a field doctor from Canada, John McCray, buried his friend and colleague, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, who died during a battle near the Belgian city of Ypres. His grave is located in the middle of a field dotted with red poppy flowers, not far from the hospital where John worked. It was there, impressed by the experience, that McCrae wrote the poem “In the Fields of Flanders”, which became perhaps the main work about that war, and forever made the red poppy a symbol of her memory.

Poppies sway in the fields of Flanders

Among the crosses standing behind the row,
Marking the place where we lie. And in the sky
Swallows fly, chirping bravely,
Silenced by the thunder of cannons on the ground.

We are the Dead. Not so long ago
We lived, saw sunrises, burning sunsets,
We loved and were loved, and now we
We lie on the fields of Flanders.

Take from our hands
The torch of the fight against the enemy,
He's yours, keep him high.
If you drop our faith - those who died,
We won't be able to sleep though the poppies are growing
In the fields of Flanders.

9 Today, the red poppy has become a pan-European symbol of remembrance, and since 2014 it has been used in Ukraine in commemoration of the Second World War.

10 “Wear your poppy with pride” sticker on a shop window in central London.

11 The action is really nationwide. Even representatives of different churches come together for memorial services.

12 A poppy flower on the museum cruiser Belfast off the Thames.

13 I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but even on the lampposts the flowers were painted red.

15 I liked the St. George Ribbon campaign until it discredited itself. In the early years of its implementation, I myself attached it to the antenna of the car, and the tapes were regularly stolen. It is not clear why, because they are given everywhere and for free. And it was also not clear why people wear ribbons to holes, they fade in the sun and just fray.

16 I also tried to compare and understand whether these two stocks are about the same thing or about different things. Like this and that - about memory and about war. But the ribbon is about victory, and the flower is about sorrow.

17 Red poppies near the monument to the soldiers of the Royal Tank Regiment: Through the mud and blood, to the green fields ahead.

18 If I'm not mistaken, military equipment parades are never held in the UK.

19 Maybe because the meaning of the holiday is not that “we can repeat”, but that it never happens again?

Let's talk about unhealthy food.

McDonald's is not at its best right now. At the end of 2013 sales around the world fell, and in 2014 and at the beginning of 2015 the trend continued. According to the US Customer Satisfaction Index, McDonald's has lost its position among large fast food restaurants. There is a crisis even changed the CEO. On March 1, the fast food chain was headed by Briton Steve Easterbrook, who replaced Don Thompson, who left his post.

However, every customer, visiting McDonald's in any country, knows what to expect from him. You can eat Big Mac with French fries everywhere. But there are also surprises.

• America

At home, McDonald's is in deep stagnation. The corporation is clumsy, lagging behind the market is noticeable to the naked eye. Consumer tastes are changing, but the fast food chain is not. The image is falling. McDonald's in the US is like a restaurant for the poor - empty, appropriate contingent, some establishments even impose a time limit on food.

With the arrival of Steve Easterbrook, the changes were certainly not long in coming. But not all led to the desired effect. McDonald's took on everything that was possible, and looked at what idea take root. Didn't work with fish nuggets. And because of the increased menu, it has become more difficult for customers to make their choice. Due to the change in cooking technology, the waiting time for the order increased, which also did not save the situation. Customers leave, and it will not be easy to get them back.

Unusual menu items

• Europe

McDonald's helps the rest of the world, here the network is quite popular. But even so, he needs to develop and improve. Recently, the fast food service at Frankfurt am Main Airport switched to a restaurant service scheme. A waiter with a tablet can come right up to the table and take your order. And then - collect it and bring it. At the same time, self-service terminals and cash desk workers have not disappeared.

The trend of healthy eating has not gone unnoticed. In the same Germany, they began to sell burgers from 100% organic beef German and Austrian cows. Animals feed only on ecological meadows that do not contain pesticides.

In case of popularity, such schemes will be extended to other points of the network. And this applies not only to Europe, but also to other countries. It remains to figure out where to find so many ecologically clean pastures.

Unusual menu items

McDonald's is one of the most common foreign fast foods in China. Compared to other "street" food, the prices are quite high. But fast food remains one of the few sources coffee which is hard to find in China. Therefore, the fast food chain is invariably popular with foreigners who are tired of the peculiar Asian cuisine.

The menu is numbered, even without knowing the language, you can literally place an order "on your fingers." Service developed delivery, and not only McDonald's, but also other foreign fast foods, like KFC and Pizza Hut. They try to attract the interest of the indigenous population by adding dishes from local ingredients to the menu, which at first glance may seem strange.

Unusual menu items

• Africa

McDonald's can only be found in several African countries. The range of products is complemented by dishes popular among the local population, such as McFalafel. As in other Muslim countries, during Ramadan, a menu is available that is fully consistent with religious principles.

Africa

Egyptian McDonald's left the impression of a noisy and dirty place. But even there, the menu is more extensive than the Russian one.

Unusual menu items

In this country, the opposite is true. It is convenient to follow a small isolated market, so many innovations are being tested in Australia. The first McCafe was opened there, in 1993, in Melbourne. Now, in the same city, an official food delivery service has appeared (this is not an innovation, but it is quite rare).

At McDonald's in Australia, you can place an order through an app on your smartphone, and then show the QR code to the cashier. Food will be brought to you without any problems. You can even design your own burger from the ingredients available.

In Sydney, one of the McCafe turned into a restaurant healthy cuisine The Corner. It lacks the usual burgers, which were replaced by salads, lentils, rice and chicken breast.

Unusual menu items

What do red poppies symbolize? It can be answered with almost complete certainty that many of us have never asked this question in our lives. But the huge fiery "sea", on which the wind creates scarlet waves, is a spectacle so beautiful that you can look at it endlessly. For all peoples and at all times, this flower has been a multifaceted symbol. There are many legends and myths about him, he was dedicated to the gods and used in medicine. The red poppy is a symbol of what? What did it mean in antiquity, in the East, and in our time? It's time to find out about it.

Egypt

For the inhabitants of this country, the flower was a symbol of youth, feminine beauty and charm. Once upon a time, peasants near Thebes cultivated the kind of poppy that is grown today in our country. The upper classes could guess that the flower has narcotic properties, and ordinary people soothed with poppy water and used it as an analgesic. Because of its beauty, the poppy became a symbol of Egyptian burials, and even today flowers are found in tombs.

Antiquity

We can say that in ancient Rome and Hellas this flower was revered most of all, it is from there that several legends about its origin come from. According to one legend, after the death of Adonis, Venus wept for a long time, nothing could calm her down. And every tear of hers turned into a poppy. It's sad, of course, but the red poppy is a symbol of what else? According to another legend, the poppy was created by Hypnos in order to calm Demeter, whose daughter was kidnapped by Hades. Hypnos gave her a decoction of this flower to drink, and she consoled herself. Even today, her statues are decorated with these scarlet flowers. At the same time, the poppy was also a symbol of fertility due to the good germination of seeds.

East

In Persian culture, the poppy is a symbol of happiness, eternal love, joy, the wild flower hinted at the desire for an intimate relationship. Buddhists were firmly convinced that the poppy appeared after the falling asleep Buddha touched the ground with his eyelashes. B was associated with success, beauty, relaxation and remoteness from the hustle and bustle. However, later it became a symbol of accessible women and brothels. At the beginning of the 19th century, after the "opium war", the smoking of this drug became so popular that the flower became associated with evil and decay.

Red poppy - a symbol of what in the Middle Ages?

In their bloodthirsty and gloomy traditions, Christianity declared the poppy a sign that the Last Judgment would soon come. The flower, according to the beliefs of that time, recalled the terrible sufferings of Christ, and was also a symbol of indifference and ignorance. On the day when the Descent of the Holy Spirit took place, churches were decorated with poppies, and children during the procession carried flowers, scattered petals. Next came the priest with the holy gifts. In the 16th century, a treatise by the physician Theodorus Jakob appeared with a warning that the seeds of the flower and other parts of it should not be overused.

new time

There was a belief that red poppies grow on battlefields for a reason. They supposedly symbolize the blood of dead soldiers. It looked very plausible in the days after the First World War in Flanders. Then, after the burial of the dead soldiers, the fields suddenly turned scarlet. At that time, Professor Moina Michael turned the poppy into a symbol of charity. She sold flowers, and gave money to veterans and invalids of the war.

scarlet flower today

And today the red poppy is a symbol of what? For example, to this day this flower is the emblem of the British Legion. Every fall, artificial flowers are sold as a reminder of those who fell in armed conflicts and two world wars. In Ukraine, for example, poppy is associated with fertility and endless expanses. Petals were sprinkled so that the young would have health and many children. Also in this country is a red poppy - it has recently been decided to use it at all official events.

scarlet flower tattoo

Everyone knows that the flowers depicted on the body are of great importance. What does the red poppy mean in this case? A tattoo with this flower has always been associated with death or sleep. And these two concepts are too close to each other, for example, it often duplicates the state of death, it is so difficult to distinguish them. This is all very strange, and people have been thinking about solving the mystery for decades.

Another meaning of such a pattern on the body is truth, devotion, fidelity. When deciding to decorate the body with poppies, consider whether it is worth it. Whatever meaning you put into the drawing yourself, there will always be some secrets and meanings unknown to us.

Conclusion

As we can see, history is rich not only in events, but also in such important legends and beliefs about each nation interpreted this beautiful flower in its own way, the meanings are not just different for everyone, sometimes they even contradict each other. Let's dwell on the fact that this is a symbol of happiness, youth and fertility! Let's believe in the best - so it will happen!

Poppy is the pride of the Czech Republic. Its cultivation is one of the most important farming activities in the country. In the poppy market, the Czech Republic leads with great superiority, ahead of Turkey and France. The main thing is that Czech varieties of poppy are not a raw material for the production of opium, but a food additive.

Whereas in the East poppy is cultivated primarily for the production of opium, in Europe seeds and oil are considered the main poppy products. Poppy culture is of industrial importance both in the Czech Republic and in neighboring European countries. A kind of "bridge" in the poppy industry between the West and the East is the Balkans: both oilseed and opium poppy are grown there.

Czech Poppy Traditions

It is believed that poppy culture in the Czech Republic is indeed very ancient: poppy has been grown here since the ninth century. But the mass distribution and cultivation of this plant began only at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The growth of poppy consumption was facilitated by a catastrophic crop failure on olive plantations in southern France - it was necessary to replace olive oil with something.

In 1896, poppy was already being grown on an area of ​​1,700 hectares, most of all in Central Bohemia, near Prague, and also near the cities of Tabor and Caslav. Since that time, poppy plantations have gradually expanded. Today, poppy fields in the Czech Republic cover more than 60,000 hectares, most of which are located in Moravia and the east of the Czech Republic.

Rolls with poppy seeds and heroin

More than ninety percent of poppy grown in the Czech Republic is typically exported, with Russia, Poland and Ukraine being the largest consumers. For example, in 2014, poppy worth 963 billion kroons was exported to Russia. And this is not surprising, because in Slavic countries poppy seeds are often used in national cuisine recipes, especially in baking. Poppy is most in demand during religious holidays - Christmas and Easter, when the seeds become a traditional food supplement. In the Czech Republic itself, poppy is also added to bakery products, as well as to porridge. The average Czech, according to food statistics, eats about two hundred grams of poppy per year.

For the natives of Western Europe, the love of the Slavs for poppy may even seem wild, because everyone knows that heroin is obtained from this plant. Narcotic substances are contained in the condensed milky juice, which is obtained from the poppy only by hand, by cutting the still unripe poppy boxes. For this reason, poppy cultivation is prohibited in most Western countries.

Czech agronomists, over two hundred years of experiments with poppy, have managed to develop new varieties with better seeds that no longer contain as many alkaloids as, say, Turkish poppy. Despite this, there are strict rules for growing poppies in the Czech Republic: with a sown area of ​​​​more than one hundred square meters, the farmer must register his field with the customs committee. In addition, waste containing morphine alkaloids must be destroyed in such a way that this process can be controlled.

However, in the Czech Republic there have never been known cases of poppy abuse. For comparison: in neighboring Poland, poppy cultivation was banned precisely because of the numerous cases of poppy use “for other purposes”.

Poppy in pharmaceuticals

Thanks to morphine, which is formed in poppy pulp, the plant is also used for medicinal purposes. Thus, poppy production is practically waste-free. The European Union provides farmers with subsidies only on the condition that all poppy pulp is taken out of the field. Valuable poppy waste is bought from farmers by the pharmaceutical company Zentiva, the owner of a poppy processing plant in Hlohovec.

One of the reasons for the development of the poppy industry in the Czech Republic is the original technologies used by local farmers, which significantly reduce the cost per hectare of sowing. Poppy is harvested using machines, then the plant is thoroughly cleaned of impurities that can serve as narcotic raw materials. If the poppy is poorly cleaned, then it contains particles of stems, leaves and capsules, which means that, although in a very low concentration, strongly active substances are alkaloids.

During the poppy season, the fields are guarded, and people with criminal intent usually do not have the opportunity to use the parts of the plants from which the drugs are made. Despite the fact that opium poppy is not grown in the Czech Republic, at the time of plant ripening, entire groups of drug addicts sometimes go to the fields, as well as just curious people who want to cut a couple of poppy heads. Narcologist Ivan Douda spoke about this in an interview with Radio Prague: “I have been working in this area for decades and I know that every year at this time some of our clients leave somewhere for poppy fields. When the poppy is ripe, and the juice is no longer possible to get, they return to the city. Perhaps there is a placebo effect here? People just believe that opium is also found in the Czech poppy.”

Be that as it may, the Czech poppy is considered one of the most harmless in the world. And the poppy industry in the Czech Republic continues to gain momentum, remaining a record holder in this area of ​​​​production, despite crop failures and drought, which often hit Czech fields.

Photo: www.ubgarden.com