The history of the white and red flag
The history of the white and red flag
The history of the white and red flag
The roots of Polish national colours can be traced back to the Middle Ages. In 13th century, the White Eagle was placed against the red background of the shields, which were decorating flags of Piast dynasty kings, Mieszko I and Boleslaw Chrobry. The flags including those colours are also in the paintings illustrating the battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko and Wojciech Kossak. Although the image of the eagle itself changed several times, it was always accompanied by white and red colours.
The national colours have their origins in the old Republic of Poland, when three types of the national flags were in use: heraldic flag with Polish and Lithuanian coat of arms combined, which symbolised the whole Republic of Poland, as well as flags of the Crown and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Crown had a red flag with the image of the White Eagle, and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania had a red flag with a white Pursuer – a knight galloping on a horse.
In the second half of 18th century during the Duchy of Warsaw, white and red colours have been used in the round bows worn in the then Polish Army on the headgears. Other significant event was the first celebration of passing the Constitution of 3rd May 1792, during which the ladies were wearing white dresses tied with the red ribbon and the gentlemen wore white and red sash.
An important moment in the history of our national colours was 7 February 1831, when the insurrectionary Sejm officially decided that the national Bow would be made up of the colours of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. That act was the first document in our history that documented the issue of Polish national colours, introducing it into use. The white came from the image of the Eagle, which was Poland’s coat of arm and the image of Pursuer, coat of arm of Lithuania, and the red was a colour of the background for those coats of arms. Because in our heraldry the colour of the coat of arm is more important than the background colour, the white colour was placed over the red one.
Another important moment in the history of our national colours was 125th anniversary of passing the Constitution of 3rd May, when during the celebration held in Warsaw, for the first time white and red flags were used on a large scale.
After regaining the independence, the national colours were passed in the independent Poland by the Sejm. The act of 1 August 1919 determined that “the colours of the Republic of Poland are white and red in longitudinal, parallel strips, where the upper one is white and the lower one red.” This act passed also “the national flag with the coat of arms”, initially assigning it for Polish diplomatic missions, consulates and trade ships.
However, the act of 1919 did not specify the shade of the red colour. Not until two years later, in 1921, the Ministry of Military Affairs prepared booklet “Emblems and colours of the Republic of Poland” which included the colourful images of the national symbols, where the red colour in the national flag was crimson. In the regulation of the President of the Republic of Poland of 13 December 1927, the red shade was changed into cinnabar. This colour was approved in the act of 1955 – the same that sanctioned Polish National Emblem without the crown. Currently binding shade of the national flag was approved by the act on the national emblem, colours and anthem of the Republic of Poland as well as state stamps, of 31 January 1980. This act determined also that the national flag can be displayed only during the holidays, celebrations and state anniversaries. Displaying national colours on other occasions was punishable.
Only on 20 February 2004, in the amendment of the act of 1980, this provision was abolished. Currently every citizen has a right to display the flag including national colours, keeping in mind that it should be appropriately honoured and respected. The same act established 2 May – Day of the Flag of the Republic of Poland.
