Google doodle celebrates Poland’s Independence Day 2021

Happy Independence Day, Poland!

Today's Doodle celebrates Poland’s Independence Day also called National Independence Day (Polish: Narodowe Święto Niepodległości). Doodle honors this solemn holiday in commemoration of the 103rd anniversary of Poland regaining its sovereignty after over a century of partition.

Poland celebrated November 11 to commemorate the anniversary of the restoration of Poland's sovereignty as the Second Polish Republic in 1918 from the German, Austro-Hungarian, 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 neighboring powers allowed the country to reemerge. It is a non-working day and a flag flying day in Poland.

The date of November 11 is the one on which Marshal Józef Piłsudski assumed control of Poland. It was a day of the military ceremony since 1920. The holiday was constituted in 1937 and was celebrated only twice before World War II. After the war, the communist authorities of the People's Republic removed Independence Day from the calendar, though reclamation of independence continued to be celebrated informally on November 11.

During the 1980s, in many cities, including Warsaw, informal marches and celebrations were held, with the outlawed Solidarity Movement supporters participating. Typically these marches were brutally dispersed by the communist militarized police forces, with many participants arrested by the security police. During this time November 11 Independence Day marches, alongside the Constitution Day on 3 May celebration gatherings, also banned by the communist authorities, were the customary dates of demonstrations by the opponents of the communist regime. As Poland emerged from communism in 1989, the original holiday—on its original November 11 date—was restored.

Source: Wikipedia, Google doodles

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