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Poles celebrate 3 May Constitution Day

PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea 03.05.2017 11:07
Poland's annual three-day May break continued on Wednesday with Constitution Day, recalling a landmark progressive constitution passed on 3 May 1791.
Polish President Andrzej Duda (C) and PM Beata Szydło (R) attended mass on Wednesday. Photo: Twitter.com/@PremierRPPolish President Andrzej Duda (C) and PM Beata Szydło (R) attended mass on Wednesday. Photo: Twitter.com/@PremierRP

Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Beata Szydło attended mass at the St. John's Archcathedral in Warsaw.

The pioneering 3 May constitution was considered a threat to the European status quo by Russia, Austria and Prussia, especially in the light of the French Revolution, and the Polish reforms hastened the dismemberment of Poland by the aforementioned countries.

Karl Marx reflected on the 3 May Constitution that it was “initiated exclusively by the privileged classes” and that “the history of the world knows no other example of similar noble conduct by the nobility.”

However, although the 3 May became a public holiday after Poland was reborn following World War I, the holiday was banned by the Moscow-backed communist regime that took power after World II.

It was only in April 1990 that the 3 May holiday was reinstated. (rg)

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