National Independence Day is a national day in Poland celebrated on November 11 to commemorate the anniversary of the restoration of Poland’s sovereignty as the Second Polish Republic in 1918 from the German, Austrian and Russian Empires. Following the partitions in the late 18th century, Poland ceased to exist for 123 years until the end of World War I, when the destruction of the neighbouring powers allowed the country to reemerge. For Poland, however, the tragedy of the WW I was tempered by what had been accomplished at its end: the restoration of a sovereign Polish state that had been lost entirely in the partitions of Poland, after 123 years of struggle. The Polish holiday is therefore simultaneously a celebration of the reemergence of a Polish state and a commemoration of those who fought for it.
It is a non-working day in Poland.
The restoration of Poland’s independence was gradual. The date of November 11 is the one on which Marshal Józef Piłsudski assumed control of Poland.
The holiday was constituted in 1937 and was celebrated only twice before World War II. After the war, the authorities of the Polish People’s Republic removed Independence Day from the calendar. The holiday was officially replaced by the National Day of Poland’s Revival as Poland’s National Day, celebrated on July 22, anniversary of the communist PKWN Manifesto. During the 1980s, in many cities, including Warsaw, informal marches and celebrations were held, with the outlawed Solidarity Movement supporters participating. During this time the November 11 Independence Day marches, alongside the Constitution Day on 3 May celebration gatherings, were the customary dates of demonstrations by the opponents of the ruling power. In 1989, the national holiday – on its original 11 November date – was restored.