National Independence Day

What the day marks

For Poles, 11 November is the anniversary of the day the country became a sovereign state again. After the partitions of the late eighteenth century, Poland had no unified existence as an independent state for 123 years. That ended at the close of the First World War, when all three powers that had divided the country were defeated or collapsed. The day is both a celebration of the state that re-emerged and a commemoration of everyone who fought for it. It is a non-working day, and the national flag is flown.

The path to 1918

Independence came in stages, not in a single morning. In November 1916 the occupying powers issued an act creating a Regency Kingdom of Poland. A Provisional Council of State began work in January 1917, and a Regency Council took on the duties of head of state that November. During 1918 events moved fast. That October the Regency Council proclaimed independence, and in Kraków a Polish Liquidation Committee took over the running of Galicia and Cieszyn Silesia from Austrian officials. In Lublin, in early November, Ignacy Daszyński set up a provisional people's government. Józef Piłsudski, freed from a German prison, reached Warsaw on 10 November and was given command of the army the next day.

The Warsaw ceremony

Each year the president, as commander in chief of the armed forces, presides over the main national ceremony at Piłsudski Square in Warsaw, which is televised. Two battalions form up: one of soldiers and one of uniformed civilian services. The ceremony starts at 10am. The defence minister and the prime minister inspect the troops before the president arrives. After inspecting the formations, the president greets them, then honours the Unknown Soldier, buried there in 1925. A colour guard raises the flag while the anthem, Poland Is Not Yet Lost, is sung, a roll of remembrance is read, and a 21-gun salute sounds. Scouts carry a ceremonial candle to the tomb.

Years without the holiday

From 1920 the day carried military ceremonies, and in 1926 Józef Piłsudski, then prime minister, ordered that 11 November be a day off for state officials. He inspected the Warsaw garrison himself until 1934. The holiday was formally constituted in 1937 but could be held only twice before the Second World War. The post-war communist government struck it from the calendar and gave the country a different national day, on 22 July, tied to the 1944 manifesto issued under Stalin. Poles continued to mark 11 November in smaller, unofficial ways, and during the 1980s marches in Warsaw and other cities were broken up by police, with arrests. The original date returned in 1989.

Today and meaning

The day still pairs celebration with mourning. In several other countries 11 November is Armistice Day, marking the end of the First World War, and those holidays grew out of grief at the war's cost. For Poland the same war ended with something gained, a state that had been erased in the partitions. So the Polish day holds both feelings at once. Families meet, concerts and marches are organised in many towns, and the flag is flown on public buildings and by private households. Veterans, reservists and scouts take part alongside serving soldiers.

How National Independence Day is kept

The president leads the national ceremony in Warsaw as commander in chief, and it is shown on television. The defence minister and prime minister inspect the assembled troops first. Two battalions then form up, one from the armed forces and one from the uniformed civilian services, together with bands, veterans, reservists and scouts. When the president arrives, a fanfare sounds and he inspects the parade, greets the ranks and honours the Unknown Soldier. A colour guard raises the flag to the national anthem, a roll of remembrance is read, a 21-gun salute is fired and scouts carry a candle to the tomb.

When and where

It falls on 11 November each year, always the same date. That day in 1918 was when the Regency Council named Józef Piłsudski commander in chief and gave him the job of forming a national government.

Poland keeps the day nationwide, and the central event is in Warsaw, at Piłsudski Square by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The president presides there. Towns and cities around the country hold their own parades, concerts and meetings, and the flag is flown on public buildings.

What National Independence Day means

For Poles the day carries two things at once. It marks the recovery of a state that had been wiped off the map for 123 years, and it honours the people who struggled for that recovery, including the soldiers and civilians who died in later wars. Elsewhere 11 November is a day of grief for the dead of the First World War. In Poland the same war ended with independence restored, so remembrance and celebration sit together.

Questions people ask about National Independence Day

See also

March of the LivingAn annual two-week journey to Poland ending in a silent walk from Auschwitz to BirkenauVictory in Europe DayThe day Nazi Germany's surrender was accepted, marking the end of the war in EuropeChristmas treeA decorated evergreen or artificial tree placed indoors to mark the Christmas season.Christmas EveThe evening before Christmas, marked by church services, family meals, and gift preparations across Christian cultures.

Good reading and sources

• National Independence Day (Poland) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.