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Public holidays in Poland

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Holidays in Poland are regulated by the Non-working Days Act of 18 January 1951 (Ustawa z dnia 18 stycznia 1951 o dniach wolnych od pracy; Journal of Laws 1951 No. 4, Item 28). The Act, as amended in 2010, currently defines thirteen public holidays.

Public holidays

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Note: The table below lists only public holidays i.e. holidays which are legally considered to be non-working days.

Date English Name Official Local Name (Informal Local Name) Remarks
1 January New Year's Day Nowy Rok (Nowy Rok)
6 January Epiphany Święto Trzech Króli (Trzech Króli) in effect since 2011
Movable Sunday in Spring Easter Sunday pierwszy dzień Wielkiej Nocy (Niedziela Wielkanocna)
Monday following Easter Sunday Easter Monday drugi dzień Wielkiej Nocy (Poniedziałek Wielkanocny or Lany Poniedziałek)
1 May May Day Święto Państwowe (Święto Pracy) This holiday is officially called the State Holiday (Święto Państwowe). However, it is unofficially called Labour Day (Święto Pracy), and coincides with International Workers' Day. It is also EU Accession Day marking the 2004 accession of Poland as a member of the European Union.
3 May Constitution Day Święto Narodowe 3 Maja (Święto Konstytucji 3 Maja) Celebrated on the anniversary of the adoption of the first constitution in Europe - the Constitution of 3 May 1791. Coincides with the Day of Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland.
Seventh Sunday after Easter Pentecost Sunday pierwszy dzień Zielonych Świątek (Zielone Świątki) As this holiday always falls on a Sunday, it is not widely known that it is considered a non-working day, as all Sundays are already non-working days and holidays falling on Sunday do not give the right to another free day.
Ninth Thursday after Easter Corpus Christi dzień Bożego Ciała (Boże Ciało) This is a Catholic holiday
15 August Assumption Day Wniebowzięcie Najświętszej Maryi Panny (Święto Wojska Polskiego) This is also Armed Forces Day (Święto Wojska Polskiego), celebrating Polish victory in the Battle of Warsaw.
1 November All Saints' Day Wszystkich Świętych This day is traditionally celebrated by visiting the graves of deceased family members because All Souls' Day (Zaduszki/Święto Zmarłych), which falls the day after, is not a public holiday.
11 November Independence Day Narodowe Święto Niepodległości (Dzień Niepodległości) Celebrated on the anniversary of regaining independence on 11 November 1918
25 December Christmas Day pierwszy dzień Bożego Narodzenia
26 December Second Day of Christmas drugi dzień Bożego Narodzenia This holiday coincides with St. Stephen's Day.

May holidays

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Under communist rule, 1 May was celebrated as Labour Day with government-endorsed parades, concerts and similar events. The holiday carried over to present day Poland as State Holiday, albeit without any formal connection to International Workers' Day. In addition, 3 May was reinstated as 3 May Constitution Day. The May holidays (1, 2 and 3 May) are called "majówka" in Polish (roughly translated as May-day picnic[1]).

National and state holidays

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The following are national and state holidays in Poland, although they are normally working days unless declared a public holiday.

  • 19 February - Polish Science Day (Dzień Nauki Polskiej), established in 2020
  • 1 March - National Cursed Soldiers Remembrance Day (Narodowy Dzień Pamięci „Żołnierzy Wyklętych”), established in 2011
  • 24 March - National Day for the Remembrance of Poles Rescuing Jews under German Occupation (Narodowy Dzień Pamięci Polaków ratujących Żydów pod okupacją niemiecką), established in 2018
  • 14 April - Baptism of Poland Day (Święto Chrztu Polski), established in 2019
  • 1 May - State Holiday (Święto Państwowe), public holiday, established in 1950
  • 3 May - 3 May Constitution Day (Święto Narodowe Trzeciego Maja), public holiday; first observed in 1919, disestablished in 1946, then reinstated in 1990
  • 8 May - National Victory Day (Narodowy Dzień Zwycięstwa), established in 2015 to replace the old National Victory and Freedom Day
  • 12 July- Day of Struggle and Martyrdom of the Polish Villages (Dzień Walki i Męczeństwa Wsi Polskiej), established in 2017
  • 1 August - National Warsaw Uprising Remembrance Day (Narodowy Dzień Pamięci Powstania Warszawskiego), established in 2009
  • 31 August - Day of Solidarity and Freedom (Dzień Solidarności i Wolności) set on the anniversary of August Agreement from 1980, established in 2005
  • 19 October - National Day of Remembrance for Steadfast Clergy (Narodowy Dzień Pamięci Duchownych Niezłomnych), established in 2018
  • 11 November - National Independence Day (Narodowe Święto Niepodległości), public holiday; first observed in 1937, disestablished in 1945, then reinstated in 1989
  • 27 December - Greater Poland Uprising Remebrence Day (Narodowy Dzień Pamięci Zwycięskiego Powstania Wielkopolskiego) established in 2021

Former national and state holidays

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In the past, there were public holidays newly established by the communist authorities after the Second World War. These were intended to replace discontinued original national holidays such as the National Independence Day and the 3 May Constitution Day and to serve propaganda purposes. All were canceled after the fall of communism in Poland.

  • 9 May - National Victory and Freedom Day (Narodowe Święto Zwycięstwa i Wolności), established in 1945, disestablished in 1951 although still celebrated annually by communist authorities (celebrated for the last time in 1989)
  • 22 July - National Day of the Rebirth of Poland (Narodowe Święto Odrodzenia Polski), set on the anniversary of the PKWN Manifesto's signing, established in 1945, abolished in 1990 (celebrated for the last time in 1989)[2]
  • 7 November - Great October Socialist Revolution Day (Wielka Październikowa Rewolucja Socjalistyczna), although it wasn't an official non-working state holiday it was celebrated by communist authorities (celebrated for the last time in 1989)

Other holidays

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Holidays declared by statute

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The following are holidays declared by statute in Poland. These holidays are declared in statute and as such they form a part of law in Poland. However, these holidays are not granted the distinction of national or state holidays. These are normally working days, unless coinciding with a public holiday.

  • 27 January – Public Employment Services Worker's Day, Dzień Pracownika Publicznych Służb Zatrudnienia, established in 2010
  • 8 February – Prison Service Day, Święto Służby Więziennej, established in 2010
  • 22 February – Crime Victims Day, Dzień Ofiar Przestępstw, coinciding with European Victims Day, established in 2003
  • 2 May – Flag Day, Dzień Flagi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, established in 2004
  • 2 May – Polish Diaspora Day, Dzień Polonii i Polaków za Granicą, established in 2002
  • 4 May – Firefighters Day, Dzień Strażaka, coinciding with International Firefighters' Day, established in 2002
  • 16 May – Border Guard's Day, Święto Straży Granicznej, established in 1991 (this may coincide with Pentecost)
  • 29 May – Veterans of Overseas Military Activities Day, Dzień Weterana Działań poza Granicami Państwa, coinciding with International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, established in 2011 (this may coincide with Pentecost or Corpus Christi)
  • 12 June – State Protection Service's Day, Święto SOP, established in 2018 (this may coincide with Pentecost or Corpus Christi)
  • 13 June – Military Gendarmerie Day, Święto Żandarmerii Wojskowej, established in 2001 (this may coincide with Pentecost or Corpus Christi)
  • 24 July – Police Day, Święto Policji, established in 1995
  • 31 July – Treasury Day, Dzień Skarbowości, celebrated since 2008, established in 2010
  • 15 August – Armed Forces Day, Święto Wojska Polskiego, this holiday coincides with a public holiday (Assumption of Mary), established in 1992
  • 29 August – Municipal Police Day, Dzień Straży Gminnej, established in 1997
  • 1 September – Veterans Day, Dzień Weterana, established in 1997
  • 21 September – Customs Service Day, Dzień Służby Celnej, established in 1999
  • 13 October – Paramedics' Day, Dzień Ratownictwa Medycznego, established in 2006
  • 14 October – Teachers' Day, Dzień Edukacji Narodowej, established in 1972
  • 16 October – Saint Pope John Paul II Day, Dzień Papieża Jana Pawła II, established in 2005
  • 21 November – Social Workers' Day, Dzień Pracownika Socjalnego, established in 1990

Holidays declared by parliamentary resolution

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The following are holidays declared by parliamentary resolution in Poland. These holidays are declared by a resolution of Sejm. These holidays do not form a part of law in Poland, and consequently are not granted the distinction of national or state holidays. These are normally working days.

Other observances

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Majówka translation
  2. ^ "Święto Odrodzenia Polski - Mobilna INTERIA w INTERIA.PL". m.interia.pl. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016.
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