International Women’s Day originated in the struggle for equal rights and the right to vote for women and was first initiated by the Social Democrat Clara Zetkin on March 19, 1911. Millions of women from several countries demonstrated publicly on that day with the battle cry “Out with women’s suffrage!” for equal pay and a right to co-determination. In 1921, Women’s Day was then set for March 8 at Zetkin’s request, because on March 8, 1917, women textile workers in St. Petersburg had gone on strike under the slogan “Peace and Bread!”, making the day globally significant.
International Women’s Day is a public holiday in 26 countries around the world. Within Germany, only in the state of Berlin – since 2019.
In keeping with Women’s Day, Furore Verlag has published four volumes of the “Mund auf statt Klappe zu” series in recent years, featuring songs from the international women’s movement from various eras and countries. The history of the women’s movement includes numerous songs that musically underscored and loudly expressed demands for equal rights, appropriate working conditions, political and social participation, self-determination and development. The selection, which ranges from workers’ songs to women’s suffrage songs and self-determination songs, takes into account different eras and countries.
Vol 1 From Ethel Smyth to Bread and Roses
The first two volumes of “Mund auf statt Klappe zu! Frauenbewegung in lauten Tönen” (Women’s Movement in Loud Tones) were ceremoniously awarded the title “Best Edition” at the International Music Fair Frankfurt 2015. They were edited by the institution CID | Fraen an Gender from Luxembourg and published by Furore Verlag.