Holidays April 20
Donor Day in Russia
On April 20, the Russian Federation celebrates one of the most important social events - National Donor Day, which is dedicated both to the donors themselves (people who donate their blood free for those who need transfusion), and to the medical staff who collect vital biological fluid and check for possible infection. The Donor Day holiday is timed to coincide with the event that occurred on April 20, 1832, when the young promising obstetrician Andrei Wolf first manipulated a blood transfusion. The patient soon recovered and was discharged home.
More than 1.5 million people in Russia annually need donated blood or its components. Among these people there are a lot of oncohematological children, women and the elderly. In addition, with the progression of civilization, the number of traffic accidents, other emergencies, and various natural disasters has sharply increased - these factors should undoubtedly serve as an impetus in the formation of a more efficient and cohesive donation system in Russia. However, today in the country there is a tendency only to reduce the number of donors.
In recent years, the authorities have been very active in trying to activate society for voluntary blood donation. They developed a large federal program for the development of the blood service. In 2005, a law was even introduced that every person who has passed at least forty blood donations becomes an honorary donor of the country. And for them, the legislation establishes: monetary compensation, extraordinary treatment in the conditions of state medical institutions, as well as the provision of certain benefits.
Astronomy Day (date for 2013)
On April 20, 2013, the world celebrates spring Astronomy Day (there is also Autumn Astronomy Day, celebrated, respectively, in the fall). The start of this event was given by the President of the Astronomical Association in 1973. Soon in California, a whole movement of astronomy lovers formed. His motto was the words: "Bearing astronomy to people." Astronomy Day is sponsored by fourteen of the largest companies specializing in the aerospace industry. Twice a year, as part of the holiday, hundreds of astronomical communities, clubs, observatories, museums and planetariums carry out interesting scientific and educational events, including mass displays of space images (taken from orbital telescopes), public performances of famous astronauts, and thematic games, classes and exhibitions.
April 20 on the folk calendar
Akulinin day
On April 20, the people celebrate the names of two Christian martyrs - Akilina (or Akulina) and Rufina. According to legend, the saints turned into Christianity more than one hundred Roman soldiers. Having learned about the deeds of the saints, Emperor Maximin ordered them to be killed.
In the people of Russia, there was a belief that mermaids begin to awaken from Akulina from the winter hibernation. Village girls selected some of their outfits and carried them to the river banks as a gift to mythical creatures. So the mermaids could warm themselves from the cold water. For this, "water beauties" paid with good. On this day, do not forget to note the weather. It was believed that if it rains on Akulina, then today the harvest will be bad, but the viburnum is born, at least sell and roll. Also in the evening we watched the sky: an abundance of stars portended a good fertility of shrubs and mushrooms, clear and frosty weather predicted a good harvest of buckwheat. Experienced old people noticed - what is the weather like on Akulinin’s day, such it will be on September 20.
Historical events of April 20
April 20, 1656 - Instead of silver coins in Russia began to produce copper
In the 17th century, Russia did not have mines for the manufacture of silver coins, so all the material was imported from abroad. Money for his purchase was sorely lacking. For this reason, it was customary to introduce copper coins into circulation at the price of silver. Indeed, at first copper money was in good circulation on a par with silver, however, the excessive release of unsecured coins from copper inevitably led to their depreciation. Moreover, such money could be easily faked. In 1662, the country was overtaken by collapse of inflation - the market price of copper fell fifteen times, and the cost of goods increased many times over. Thus, starvation and poverty began in Moscow, which eventually led to the “Copper Riot” that took place on August 4, 1662. The riot was immediately crushed by the government, but it did not pass without leaving a trace for the country (and the government was well aware that it was leading the country to financial collapse), and, a few months later, the imperial decree prohibited the minting of copper coins. Silver money was again put into Russian circulation.
April 20, 1901 - The grand opening of the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory took place
In honor of the solemn event, a large concert was organized, which began with the overture of "Ruslan and Lyudmila". The large hall was designed by the talented architect Zagorsky, and sculptor Aladyin and artist Bondarevsky also took part in its design. The lobby of the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory is designed according to an idea - in the spirit of antiquity. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by figures of Greek statues of Phidias and Kresilaya, who once adorned the temple of Artemis. The hall’s musically decorated decor was made by the sculptor Aladyin, and on its walls there are portraits of fourteen great composers studded with laurels (thanks to the merit of Bondarevsky). The hall has perfect acoustics. The performances of such famous musicians and singers as Scriabin, Rachmaninov, Metner, Ziloti, Chaliapin, Igumnov, Sobinov, Nezhdanova, Goldenweiser and many others turned it into a national center of high art.
Born on April 20
Adolf Gitler (1889-1945) - the founder of National Socialism, the central figure in the creation of the totalitarian dictatorship of the Third Reich, the commander of the armed forces of Germany in the 2nd World War, the German Fuhrer. When the defeat of Germany became inevitable, Hitler shot himself, taking his wife with him. Although many historians consider his death a staging and a hoax.
Napoleon III (1808-1873 gg.) - Bonaparte's nephew, the last French emperor of the period 1852-1870. He carried out moderate liberal reforms. In the areas of foreign policy, he waged aggressive wars against Syria, China, Austria and Mexico, but almost all of them were unsuccessful. Napoleon the Third brought the Empire to the brink of collapse. During the Franco-Prussian war, the emperor surrendered to the Prussian troops, and after its end he left for England and lived there the rest of his life.
Charles Gordon Curtis(1860-1953 gg.) - An outstanding American inventor. He is the creator of the steam turbine. His invention is widely used in the construction of ship engines, as well as in thermal power plants.
April 20th
Name days on April 20 are marked by: George, Evdokia, Agnes, Arkady, Rufin, Danil, Egor, Akulina (Akilina), Yuri, Vyacheslav, Peter, Maxim, Ulyana.
