Bread Queues (Khlebnye Khvosty)
빵 줄 (흘레브니예 흐보스티)
The contemporary term for the long purchase queues that formed outside bakeries and food shops in late-Imperial Russian cities, above all Petrograd, during the final winter of the First World War. The word khvost ('tail') vividly captured the sight of hundreds, sometimes over a thousand, people lining up for hours in the freezing cold. These bread queues became the immediate trigger of the February Revolution of 1917: it was in them that the anger of working-class women and housewives crystallized before erupting into the general strike of 23 February (O.S.).
Related historical events
Sources
- Wikipedia (RU) Russian Wikipedia: section «Хлебные бунты. Начало революции» explains that by late February 1917 long queues called «хвосты» formed at bread shops, and the flour supply was inadequate contrary to some memoir claims.
- 1917.tass.ru TASS 1917 project: describes how rumors of bread cards led to panic buying and the formation of «хвосты» outside bakeries; quotes French ambassador Paléologue on the angry faces of those who had spent the night in queues.
- rodina-history.ru Rodina (Russian historical journal): detailed article on the «хвосты» phenomenon; notes queues of up to 1,027 people, the centrality of women, and how queues became crucibles of rumor and aggression before the February Revolution.
- Wikipedia (EN) English Wikipedia: confirms that the revolution began with women in bread lines protesting food rationing on 23 February (O.S.) / 8 March (N.S.).
- soviethistory.msu.edu Lewis Siegelbaum (MSU): states the revolution began when working-class women took to the streets to protest food shortages and high bread prices on International Women's Day 1917.