Polish National Flag Day

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Polish National Flag Day
Flaga polski przy domu.jpg
Polish flag on a house
Official namePolish National Flag Day
Date2 May
Next time2 May 2022 (2022-05-02)
Frequencyannual

Polish National Flag Day is a national holiday in Poland introduced by an act issued on 20 February 2004.[1] The holiday is celebrated on the day between two national holidays: 1 May (called International Workers' Day) and 3rd of May (May 3rd Constitution Day)

On the same day, the Day of Polish Community Abroad is celebrated.

2 May is not a national holiday, however many Poles take this day off because it is the only date in the calendar which occurs between two national holidays.

Establishment of the holiday[]

On 15 October 2003, a member's bill (written by Edward Płonek[2]) was introduced to the Marshal on the amendments to which established National Polish Flag Day. According to the justification of the law introducing the holiday, the choice of 2 May was not accidental - it was supposed to be the day when Poles had a moment of reflection on Polish history, to fill in the free day between two national holidays, and to underline celebration of the  [pl].[3]

In the course of legislative work, the Senate of the Republic of Poland, in its Resolution of 12 February 2004, proposed amendments such as: replacing Polish National Flag Day with the Day of the White Eagle, recognizing the emblem as the chief among the symbols of the Republic of Poland.[4] Eventually, the Sejm rejected the amendment and, on 20 February 2004, established National Flag Day of the Republic of Poland.

Polish Flag hung in the destroyed Berlin, Germany on 2 May 1945.
Polish National Flag Day (2019),
Błonia Park and Kościuszko Mound, Krakow, Poland.

The celebration[]

Various types of patriotic actions and demonstrations are organized on this day. For example, on 2 May 2009 in Bytom, over 500 people created a white and red flag from previously prepared and simultaneously lifted umbrellas. It was probably the largest flag created in Poland on the occasion of the National Flag Day.[5]

In recent years, it has become common to wear a national cockade on that day. This custom was popularized by President Lech Kaczyński. Then it was continued by Bronisław Komorowski, and now Andrzej Duda is also maintaining the custom.

Interesting facts[]

On 2 May 1945, the First Polish Army conquering the capital of Nazi Germany put a white and red flag on the Berlin Victory Column - Siegessäule and on the Reichstag in Berlin.[6] During the time of the Polish People's Republic, on this day, the state flags were removed after celebrating 1 May, so that the flags would not be exposed on the following day - the 3 May Constitution Day[7] which was abolished by the communist authorities.

National Flag Day in the World[]

Similarly to Poland, the celebration of the national flag is also celebrated in many other countries, including the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Finland, Turkmenistan, Lithuania, Ukraine and China.

List of references[]

  1. ^ Ustawa z dnia 20 lutego 2004 o zmianie ustawy z 1980 o godle, barwach i hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej [Amendment of 20 February 2004 on the changes in the Act of 1980 on the emblem, colours and anthem of the Republic of Poland], Dz. U. z 2004 r. Nr 49, poz. 467
  2. ^ "Polish National Flag Day".
  3. ^ "Edition number 2149 – orka.sejm.gov.pl" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Senate resolution of 12 February 2004". Uchwała Senatu RP z dnia 12 lutego 2004 r. w sprawie ustawy o zmianie ustawy o godle, barwach i hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej.
  5. ^ "The Life in Bytom ("Życie Bytomskie")". 4 May 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2009.[dead link]
  6. ^ "National Flag Day". Educational website. Archived from the original on 27 December 2011.
  7. ^ "National Flag Day". Fokus TV. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
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