The greeting that provides for the closed fist raised originates in Worker and trade union movement of the first decades of the twentieth century; was used by numerous political movements of Socialist, communist, trade unionist and anarchist extraction. During the 1900s, it also became a symbol of the struggle of African Americans for civil rights and battles of South Africans Against the apartheid regime and, in rare cases, it was also adopted by some far -right movements. The gesture symbolizes the unionbecause, tightening the fingers in a fist, they join different parts to form a whole. But how was it born?
The meaning of the closed fist greeting
The closed fist would be emblem of the union of different partswhich are put together to become stronger: the fist, in fact, enclosing the five fingers of one hand, has a strength greater than the sum of the fingers individually taken. Therefore, it has always been understood as symbol of solidarity and struggle. The greeting with the fist closed can be carried out differently: with the right hand or with the left; holding the arm near the body or lifting it upwards. The exact execution has in fact changed and second of the times and political movements.
The historical origins of the gesture: from the movement to the War in Spain
The closed fist was born in the first decade of the twentieth century as part of the worker movement. The exact origins are not clear, but it is certain that in 1912 it appeared on a Manifesto that promoted a workers’ strike in Budapest.
The following year the metaphor of the fist as a symbol of union was used during a unionist rally William “Big Bill” Haywoodone of the leaders of the organization Industrial Worldrs of the Worldin a speech during the strike by Paterson textile workers, in New Jersey. After the First World War, the closed -hand greeting spread to various Left and anti -fascist movements and in 1924 he was adopted by Roter Frontkämpferbund (League of fighters of the red front), the paramilitary organization of the German Communist Party, as opposed to the Greetings with the tense hand of the Nazis. During the Spanish civil war (1936-1939), the fist was used as a form of greeting from various components of the republican forces and during the Second World War it was established in some Resistance movements against Nazis.
The fist closed after the Second World War
After the war, the closed -hand greeting has spread in numerous political movements. First of all, it was adopted almost all over the world by militants of communist and socialist ideologysometimes with the name of “Red greeting” progressive movements Symbols have been introduced that contain the fist together with other elements: for example, The rose in the punch It is the symbol ofSocialist International and Socialist and Social Democratic Parties of various countries. In other cases, the fist is depicted in the act of tightening work tools.
The closed -hand greeting was also adopted by anti -racist movementslike the Black Power movement US, engaged in the defense of African American citizens’ rights. In this area, the most famous greeting is that of two athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carloson the podium of the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
The fist was also adopted by theAfrica National Congressthe South African party that led the fight against the apartheid regime. The image of Nelson Mandela is particularly famous who, released in 1990 after a long detention, greeted the crowd with the punch raised. In some cases, the symbolism of the fist was also adopted by Extreme right movementslike the white supremist movement White Power and the Israeli terrorist organization Kach Kahane Party.
