When warm days come, and the Polish spring starts with an explosion of greenery and colourful flowers, it means that the May long weekend, commonly known as majówka, is fast approaching. Polish people usually spend that time outside, in the bosom of nature. How did the Polish come to have such a long weekend every year, which is also considered, both unofficially and officially, the kickoff of the summer tourist season? The question is frequenty asked by foreigners doing courses of Polish.
ACCUMULATION OF POLISH HOLIDAYS
We owe the May long weekend to „accumulation of holidays“. The first of them is Labour Day (aka International Workers‘ Day), celebrated on 1st May to commemorate the events of 1886 related to the strike in Chicago (when, among others, they advocated for the eight-hour work day :)). Before the political changes of 1989, Polish authorities used to organize formal parades, processions and demonstrations, which the citizens had to attend willy-nilly. Nowadays the most popular way of spending Labour Day is to go out of town, go cycling or visit beautiful tourist spots, which Poland has a lot of, because the Poles enjoy active leisure (and a trip to the mountains or Masuria with a group of Polish friends is a great opportunity to speak Polish).
THE FIRST CONSTITUTION IN EUROPE WAS WRITTEN IN POLISH!
The second May holiday is the National Holiday of May 3rd, commonly knows as the May 3rd Constitution Day. It‘ s one of the most important national holidays in Poland. It commemorates the adoption of the act that regulated the Polish legal system by sejm (the lower house of the Polish parliament) in 1791. It was the first modern written constitution in Europe and the second (after the US) in the world.
THE NATIONAL COLOURS OF POLAND
The second of May, in spite of appearance, is not an ordinary bridge connecting the two holidays (it is not, unfortunately, a statutory day off work, either). On this day we celebrate the Flag Day of the Republic of Poland. The date was not selected randomly. Labour Day and the May 3rd Constitution Day with the Day of the Flag between them is the perfect time to reflect upon the fate of Poland and its chequered history.
It’s an accepted custom to wear white and red bows on that day.
Now that you know „where the long weekend came from“, it’s time to visit one of numerous tourist spots in Poland. Have fun celebrating :)
