National Independence Day

National Independence Day (Polish:

Narodowe Święto Niepodległości) is the

most important Polish national holiday. On

November 11, 1918, after 123 years of

captivity, Poland regained its independence.

• After years of partitions done by

Austria, Prussia and Russia

between 1772 and 1795, national

uprisings (November Uprising of

1830 and January Uprising of

1863), struggles and efforts in

various fields, Poles, owing to

their steadfastness, patriotism and

heroism, managed to regain their

freedom. Józef Piłsudski, “First

Marshal of Poland”, played an

enormous role in Poland’s

recovery of sovereignty.

• On March 21st, the first day of spring, in

many Polish cities and towns one can see

groups of children traveling in different

directions. The groups of children are

accompanied by their teachers, and they

are on their way to a river, lake, or pond

to drown a “Marzanna”.

• Marzanna (in Polish) is a Slavic goddess

associated with seasonal agrarian rites

based on the idea of death and rebirth of

nature. She is associated with death and

winter and is often described as the

goddess of death.

Thank you for your attention !!!

• Based on:

http://en.poland.gov.pl/November,11,Polish,Independence,Day,10361.htm

l

http://europeanchildrencelebrate.wordpress.com/partners/szkola-

podstawowa-nr-4-prof-wladyslawa-szafera/the-first-day-of-spring-in-

poland/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzanna

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Independence_Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_Poland

• By: Julia Krzywicka