The Polish Independence Day is very different from the American 4th of July, with its happiness, feasts and fireworks. The atmosphere on November 11th in Poland is more serious and solemn than plainly happy, although there seems to be a trend to loosen it up a bit and get rid of all the pompousness.

The Independence Day – November 11th, 1918

Although the Polish temporary government, the Regency Council, had announced Polish Independence over a month earlier, the celebrations couldn’t have been complete without one man – Józef Piłsudski, perhaps Poland’s most important independence fighter. Piłsudski came to Warsaw a day before November 11th, and on the date that is now celebrated as Polish Independence Day he was appointed Commander in Chief of the Polish Forces and given the assignment of forming the first real Polish government after a 123-year period. November 11th wasn’t announced Independence Day until two years after Pilsudski’s death in 1935. About that time, the largest of the Kraków Mounds , devoted to Pilsudski, was erected.

After World War II the Polish People’s authorities removed Independence Day from the calendar but not from the hearts of the Polish people. The reclamation of independence continued to be celebrated annually on 11th November. In 1989 the 9th term of the Sejm government gave the holiday back to the Polish people.

Remember, Independence Day in Poland is a public holiday, so all banks, post offices and other public offices are closed.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)