Flag of Poland: meaning, history

A flag of Poland It is a symbol of the country, formed by a rectangle divided in half with the color white in the upper portion and the color red in the lower part. The colors of the Polish flag are derived from the country's coat of arms and officially became the national colors of Poland from the 18th century onwards.

White and red are associated with Catholicism, a religion introduced in the country in the first century, and represent purity and love, respectively. There are, however, other interpretations that suggest that white symbolizes nobility and red represents the battles fought by the country throughout its history.

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Topics of this article

  • 1 - Summary about the flag of Poland
  • 2 - Meaning of the flag of Poland
  • 3 - History of the flag of Poland
  • 4 - Main characteristics of Poland
  • 5 - Curiosities about the flag of Poland

Abstract about the flag of Poland

  • The flag of Poland is one of the symbols of the country.

  • It is formed by a rectangle divided horizontally into two equal parts: the upper part is white and the lower part is red.

  • The colors of the Polish flag are derived from its coat of arms.

  • White represents spiritual purity and nobility, while red is a symbol of both battles (fire and blood) and love.

  • National colors were officially used on military insignia in 1831.

  • The shape and dimensions of the Polish flag, however, were made official only in 1919.

  • Its current composition, more specifically the shade of red currently displayed on the flag, was adopted in 1980.

  • Established in 2004, Flag Day is celebrated on May 2 in Poland.

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Poland flag meaning

The flag of Poland is a national symbol. It is formed by a rectangle divided horizontally in half in two different colors: white, in the upper half, and bright red, in the lower portion.

The colors of the Polish flag were defined from its coat of arms, which is characterized by a white eagle with a golden crown on a red background. Although it has undergone many alterations since then, there are records of the use of the eagle on coins that circulated in the territory. Polish and also on the shields used in battles since the 12th century, while the red background was inserted only in the 12th century. XIII.

Polish coat of arms, the coat of arms whose colors inspired the flag of Poland.
Coat of arms of Poland, whose colors inspired the national flag.

With the introduction of the Catholic religion into Poland in the first century of the Common Era, many in your values catholics were reproduced in the national flag. The color white is associated, in spiritual terms, with purity, and at the same time represents nobility. The symbology of red, however, finds several explanations in the literature. It represents both the fire and blood of battles and love, a principle associated with Catholicism.

Poland flag history

The Polish national colors came to be known as such from 1792, the year in which the celebration of the first anniversary of the Constitution of Poland, instituted on May 3, 1791, took place.

During the celebrations, civilians dressed in red and white clothing or accessories. Later, the two colors officially started to compose the insignia used by the Polish military on their uniforms, which happened from the November Rising (1830-1831), when Polish army officers fought to defend their territory from Russian domination.

Despite the most varied ways of displaying national colors, it was still not possible to speak of a flag Polish national flag, bearing in mind that the raised standards were based on the shields taken to the camp of battle. Also during the 19th century, the national colors of Poland were displayed by Poles who took sides in the Revolution of 1848 and by people who defended the independence of Poland.

Poland regained its independence in 1918 and legislationpolish determined O shape and proportions of the country's flag a year later. Although there have been no changes to the general design of the Polish flag since then, the shade of red used varied between 1919 and 1980, when the national constitution established the national symbols of Poland. From a darker red, the bottom half changed to an orange tone between 1927 and 1980, later returning to a more open red.

In 2004, Poland instituted Flag Day, celebrated on May 2, in reference to the events of May 2, 1945. The date is of great importance for national and national history. Europe as a whole, as it marks the end of Battle of Berlin and, mainly, from Second World War, which ended with the defeat of the Nazis and the surrender of Germany. On the occasion, the Polish flag was raised at the Reichstag Palace, by Polish soldiers who participated in the battle.

See too: Flag of Australia — a flag heavily influenced by the flag of the United Kingdom

Main features of Poland

Poland is a european country located in the central region of the continent. Its capital is the city of Warsaw. The Polish territory is bathed to the north by the Baltic Sea and borders with seven other European nations.

Depending on its location, the climate predominant in the country is the climate tempered, marked by winters cold and summers love us. O relief Polish is made up of plains, in a large part of the territory, and mountains in the southern region. Its highest point, Mount Rysy, is on the border with Slovakia, at 2499 meters above sea level. Despite this, the average altitude in Poland is around 170 meters.

Cityscape of Warsaw, capital of Poland.
Cityscape of Warsaw, capital of Poland.

Poland is the eighth most populous country in Europe, home to almost 38 million inhabitants. Most of these people still live in the rural area of ​​the country, while the cities concentrate 60% of the population. Warsaw is now the most populous city in the country, with 1.3 million inhabitants, followed by Kraków and Łódź.

The Polish economy is one of the largest among the countries of European Union, focusing on the tertiary sector and on industry, which is a major producer of iron, aluminum, machinery and ships, as well as a standout in food processing and beverage manufacturing. Note also the growth of tourism in Poland, in view of the historical importance of that country.

Facts about the flag of Poland

  • The flag of Poland is commonly used by the population at sporting events and specific national celebrations.

  • As long as it is done respectfully, all Polish citizens can use the flag. There is no strict protocol in the legislation regarding the use of the Polish flag by its population.

  • Although it is an important date, Flag Day is not considered a national holiday in Poland.

By Paloma Guitarrara
Geography Teacher

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