The Tragic Week of January 1919 was a crucial moment in Argentina's history that continues to resonate to this day. During those days, workers rose up in strike seeking better working conditions, including an 8-hour workday. The violence and repression by police and paramilitary forces resulted in a tragic toll of more than 80 dead and hundreds injured in Buenos Aires.
From January 7, 1919, the city was convulsed with a series of events that included the burning of churches, looting, and violent confrontations. Workers from the Vasena Hnos Metalworking shops initiated the strike, demanding salary and labor improvements. The situation worsened with the presence of paramilitary groups and police repression.
The struggle intensified day by day, with confrontations, attacks on media outlets, and growing state violence. Despite the signing of an agreement between the management of Vasena and the delegation of FORA IX, the strike continued and the violence did not cease. The repression resulted in more than 700 deaths and 4,000 injuries in total.
The events of the Tragic Week also included moments of solidarity and resistance from the workers and their allies, who faced repression and violence from state and paramilitary forces. Despite harsh repression, the fight for better working conditions and resistance against injustice continued to resonate in the collective memory of Argentines.
The Tragic Week of 1919 is remembered as a dark moment in the country's history, marked by labor struggle, state repression, and unleashed violence against workers. Despite the decades that have passed, the memory of those days remains a reminder of the importance of solidarity, resistance, and the fight for social justice.
