Flag of Poland
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{{Infobox flag
| Name = Poland
| Type = National
| Image = Flag of Poland (normative).svg
| Nickname = Flag of the Republic of Poland
| Use = 111000
| Proportion = 5:8
| Adoption = 1919
| Design = A horizontal bicolor of white and red
| Image2 = Flaga z godlem Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej.PNG
| Nickname2 = Flag with coat of arms of the Republic of Poland
| Use2 = 110110
| Proportion2 = 5:8
| Adoption2 = 1919; last modified 1990
| Design2 = A horizontal bicolor of white and red [[Defacement (flag)|defaced]] with the arms of Poland in the white stripe
}}
The '''[[flag]] of [[Poland]]''' consists of two horizontal stripes of equal width, the upper one white and the lower one red. The two colors are defined in the [[Constitution of Poland|Polish constitution]] as the [[national colors]]. A variant of the flag with the [[Coat of arms of Poland|national coat of arms]] in the middle of the white stripe is legally reserved for official use abroad and at sea. A similar flag with the addition of a swallow-tail is used as the [[naval ensign of Poland]].
White and red were officially adopted as national colors in 1831. They are of [[heraldry|heraldic]] origin and derive from the [[Tincture (heraldry)|tinctures]] (colors) of the coats of arms of the two constituent nations of the [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]], i.e. the White Eagle of Poland and the [[Coat of arms of Lithuania|Pursuer]] ({{lang-lt|Vytis}}, {{lang-pl|Pogoń}}) of [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|Lithuania]], a white knight riding a white horse, both on a red shield. Prior to that, Polish soldiers wore [[cockade]]s of various color combinations. The national flag was officially adopted in 1919. Since 2004, Polish [[Flag Day]] is celebrated on [[May 2]].
The flag is flown continuously on the buildings of the highest national authorities, such as the [[Sejm of the Republic of Poland|parliament]] and the [[Presidential_Palace%2C_Warsaw|presidential palace]]. Other institutions and many Polish people fly the national flag on national holidays and other special occasions of national significance. Current Polish law does not restrict the use of the national flag without the coat of arms as long as the flag is not disrespected.
Horizontal bicolor of white and red being a relatively widespread design, there are several flags that are similar but unrelated to the Polish one, most notably that of [[Bohemia]] in the [[Czech Republic]] and two national flags the red stripe above the white one: those of [[Indonesia]] and [[Monaco]]. In Poland, many flags based on the national design also feature the national colors.
{{TOClimit|limit=3}}
== Design ==
[[Image:Barwy Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej.svg|left|upright|thumb|Horizontal and vertical display of the colors of the Republic of Poland]]
=== Legal sources ===
The colors and flags of the Republic of Poland are described in two legal documents: the [[Constitution of the Republic of Poland]] of 1997,<ref name=const>Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej</ref> and the Coat of Arms, Colors and Anthem of the Republic of Poland, and State Seals Act (''Ustawa o godle, barwach i hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej oraz o pieczęciach państwowych'') of 1980 with subsequent amendments<ref name=act>Ustawa o godle... (1980, with amendments)</ref> (henceforth referred to as "the Coat of Arms Act").
Legislation concerning the national symbols is far from perfect. The Coat of Arms Act has been amended several times and refers extensively to executive ordinances, some of which have never been issued. Moreover, the Act contains errors, omissions and inconsistencies which make the law confusing, open to various interpretations and often not followed in practice.<ref name=nik>Informacja o wynikach kontroli... (NIK, 2005)</ref>
=== National colors ===
{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; clear: right; margin: 0 1em 0 1em"
|+ <small>Statutory coördinates of Polish national colors in the [[CIE 1931 color space|CIE xyY]] [[color space]] with the tolerated [[color difference]]s in the [[CIELUV color space]]<ref name=act/></small>
! colspan=2 | Color<ref name=color>
Statutory color specifications rendered into [[sRGB]] for web display, assuming the [[white point]] as 6500K. The resulting [[RGB]] values, in [[hexadecimal]] notation, are: white E9E8E7 and red D4213D. Note that the shades actually visible on you screen depend on your browser and screen settings, as well as the surrounding context and other factors. An intensely luminous light background may make the statutory white color appear gray. Also note that most websites which display the Polish national colors use a simplified approximation of the legally specified shades by using basic [[web colors|HTML colors]]: white FFFFFF and red FF0000 (see the [http://www.prezydent.pl/x.node?id=70 official website of the President of the Republic of Poland] for an example).</ref>
! align=center | x
! align=center | y
! align=center | Y
! align=center | ΔE
|-
| width=20px style="background: #E9E8E7" |
| White
| align=center | 0.315
| align=center | 0.320
| align=center | 82.0
| align=center | 4.0
|-
| style="background: #D4213D" |
| Red
| align=center | 0.570
| align=center | 0.305
| align=center | 16.0
| align=center | 8.0
|-
| colspan=6 | Illuminant C, measurement geometry d/0
|}
According to Chapter I, Article 28, paragraph 2 of the Constitution, the national colors of Poland are white and red.<ref name=const/> The Coat of Arms Act, Article 4, further specifies that the colors are white and red in two horizontal, parallel stripes of equal width, of which the top one is white and the bottom one is red.<ref name=act/> The same article further specifies that if the colors are displayed vertically, the white stripe is placed on the left from the onlooker's viewpoint. Attachment no. 2 to the Act shows the national colors in both horizontal and vertical alignment, as well as the official shades of both colors expressed as coördinates in the [[CIE xyY]] (CIE 1931) [[color space]] with the tolerated [[color difference]]s (ΔE) specified in the [[CIELUV color space|CIELUV]] (CIE 1976) color space.<ref name=act/>
=== Variants of the national flag ===
The Constitution contains no mention of a national flag. Instead, the flag is defined by the Coat of Arms Act which specifies two variants of the national flag: the '''national flag of the Republic of Poland''' (''flaga państwowa Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej'') and the '''national flag with coat of arms of the Republic of Poland''' (''flaga państwowa z godłem Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''). Both flags are defined in Article 6 of the act as follows:
[[Image:Polish flag construction sheet.PNG|right|thumb|An unofficial construction sheet of the flag with coat of arms, based on specifications in Polish law]]
{{quote|
#The state flag of the Republic of Poland is a rectangular piece of cloth in the colors of the Republic of Poland hoisted on a flagpole.''
#The state flag of the Republic of Poland is also the flag specified in paragraph 1, with the coat of arms of the Republic of Poland placed in the middle of the white stripe.<ref name=act />}}
The [[Flag terminology|hoist to fly]] ratio for both flags is 5:8. For the latter flag, the proportion between the [[inescutcheon]] of the coat of arms and the hoist is 2:5. Images of both variations of the flag can be found in attachment no. 3 to the Coat of Arms Act.<ref>Ustawa o godle... (1980, original)</ref>
== Usage ==
=== Respect for the flag ===
Polish law says that treating the national symbols, including the flag, "with reverence and respect" is the "right and obligation" of every Polish citizen and all state organs, institutions and organizations.<ref name=act/> Public disrespect, destruction or violent removal of the flag is considered a crime punishable by "a [[fine]], limitation of freedom <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Penal labour|penal servitude]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> or up to one year of deprivation of freedom <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[prison|imprisonment]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>".<ref name=penal>Kodeks karny (1997)</ref> Official statistics show that crimes against national symbols are rare: 43 such crimes in 2003 and 96 in 2004 were less than 0.001% of all crimes registered in Poland in those years.<ref name=nik />
=== Right and obligation to fly the flag ===
According to the Coat of Arms Act, everyone can use the Polish flag, especially during national and cultural events, as long as it is done in a respectful manner.<ref name=act/> This liberty in the use of national colors is a relative novelty. Until 2004, Polish citizens were only allowed to fly the Polish flag on national holidays. Unauthorized use of national symbols was illegal and flying the flag with coat of arms was, from 1955 until 1985, punishable by a fine or arrest for up to one year.<ref name=nik/> This restriction and kind of state monopoly on the use of national symbols during the [[History of Poland (1945–1989)|Communist regime]] made flying the Polish flag a symbol of resistance against the government. It became customary – and still is – for workers to hoist Polish flags on plant buildings when going on [[Strike action|strike]]. This is why the Polish flag, as a symbol of patriotism and resistance against the Communist rule, is part of the [[Solidarity]] trade union [[Solidarity logo|logo]].<ref>Niezabitowska</ref>
[[Image:Sejm RP.jpg|thumb|right|Polish flag flying atop the [[Sejm]]]]
==== Flag without coat of arms ====
Organs that are required by law to fly the national flag without coat of arms on or in front of their official buildings are:
* the [[Sejm]] (lower house of parliament);
* the [[Senate of Poland|Senate]] (upper house of parliament);
* the [[President of the Republic of Poland|President of the Republic]];
* the [[Council of Ministers of Poland|Council of Ministers]] (cabinet) and the [[Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland|President of the Council of Ministers]] (Prime Minister);
* local legislatures – only during their sessions;
* other state and local government organs – only on national holidays.
Additionally, the national flag without coat of arms is used as an [[ensign]] for [[inland navigation]].<ref name=act/>
==== Flag with coat of arms ====
While the ban on using the flag without coat of arms has been lifted, the use of the national flag with coat of arms is still legally restricted. This flag should be only flown:
* on or in front of Polish [[Diplomatic mission|embassies]], [[Consul (representative)|consulates]] and other representative offices and missions abroad, as well as by Polish ambassadors and consuls on their residences and vehicles;
* at civilian [[airport]]s and [[heliport]]s;
* on civilian [[airplane]]s – only during international flights;
* on buildings of [[seaport]] authorities;
* as a [[Civil ensign|merchant (civil) ensign]].<ref name=act/>
In practice, however, this restriction is often ignored and the two flags – with and without coat of arms – are treated as interchangeable.<ref name=nik/> The variant with the coat of arms is particularly often used by the [[Polonia]], or Polish diaspora outside Poland, especially in the [[United States]].<ref name=prez>prezydent.pl</ref>
=== Flag flying days ===
[[Image:Flag of Poland.jpg|thumb|left|A Polish flag fluttering in the wind]]
State and local government organs are legally required, and other institutions and organizations as well as all citizens are encouraged to fly the Polish flag on the following days:
* [[May 1]] – State Holiday ([[May Day]], formerly [[Labour Day|Labor Day]]);
* [[May 2]] – Polish [[Flag Day]];
* [[May 3]] – [[Constitution of May 3, 1791|Constitution]] Day;
* [[November 11]] – Independence Day.<ref name=nik/>
'''Polish Flag Day''' (formally: Flag of the Republic of Poland Day, ''Dzień Flagi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej'') was first observed on [[May 2]], [[2004]]. It was established in order to educate the Polish people about the history and significance of national symbols. The date was chosen to coincide with the [[Polonia]] Day traditionally observed by Polish diaspora outside Poland and the Polish Senate on [[May 2]].<ref>Projekt ustawy o zmianie ustawy o godle... (2003)</ref> There was also a historical reason: under the Communist regime, [[May 2]] was a day when national flags, hoisted for Labor Day on [[May 1]] where being quickly removed before the Constitution Day which was banned by the authorities.<ref>Molak, Sakiewicz</ref>
Since the re-introduction of the Constitution Day in 1990<ref>Ustawa o przywróceniu Święta Narodowego Trzeciego Maja (1990)</ref>
and establishment of the Polish Flag Day, the flag is flown continuously during the first three days of May. Unlike May Day and Constitution Day, the Flag Day is not a [[Holiday#Public holidays|public holiday]],<ref>Ustawa o dniach wolnych od pracy (1951)</ref>
although making a bridge, i.e. taking a day off on that day is common practice (see [[Holidays in Poland]]).
[[Image:Benedykt 0041.jpg|right|thumb|Polish (white and red), papal (yellow and white) and Marian or municipal (white and blue) flags in [[Kraków]]'s [[Rynek Główny|Grand Square]] during [[Pope Benedict XVI]]'s visit to Poland on [[May 27]] [[2006]].]]
Other days when the Polish flag is often flown on official buildings include:
* [[May 5]] and [[May 9]] – [[European symbols#Europe Day|Europe Days]] (together with the [[European flag]]);
* [[August 15]] – [[Polish Armed Forces]] Day (mostly on military premises and at [[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|tombs of the Unknown Soldier]])
* [[September 27]] – [[Polish Secret State|Polish Underground State]] Day.<ref name=nik/>
The flag is also popularly flown during important sporting events, such as the [[FIFA World Cup]], if Polish athletes are participating;<ref>Magiera</ref> and during an official visit of a particularly important person, especially a [[pope]], in Poland. During a pope's visit, the national flag is usually flown together with yellow and white [[Roman Catholic Church|Church]] flags, and white and blue [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Marian]] flags.<ref>Polish Religious flags (FOTW)</ref> It is not common to fly the national flag on personal occasions, such as birthdays or weddings.<ref name=nik/>
According to polls, about one out of three Poles say they own a Polish flag, and about one out of four fly it on national holidays. Such public display of patriotism is much more common in western Poland, especially in [[Greater Poland]], than in other parts of the country.<ref name=nik />
== Flag protocol ==
[[Image:PL Sejm hall.jpg|thumb|left|Inside the [[Sejm]] chamber, example of vertical alignment of Polish national colors]]
Flags in Poland are used according to a customary, rather than legal, [[flag protocol]]. Apart from the obligation to treat the flag with due respect, Polish law does not offer a detailed code of correct usage of the Polish flag. Some organizations and public institutions, such as the Heraldic and Vexillological Institute
and the [[Supreme Chamber of Control of the Republic of Poland|Supreme Chamber of Control]] have proposed written flag protocols for the Polish flag, based on custom, flag protocols of other countries such as [[Flag of India|India]] and the [[Flag of the United States|United States]], and common sense. These guidelines, however, are not legally binding.<ref name=ihw>Protokół flagowy</ref><ref name=nik/>
Traditionally, the national flag is reserved to serve either informative of festive purposes. A single specimen of the flag on or in front of a public office building indicates its official role. Multiple flags, on the other hand, are normally used to decorate both public and private buildings to mark special occasions, such as national holidays.<ref name=nik/>
In [[Polish heraldry]], the tincture of the charge has priority in relation to the tincture of the field. In the case of Polish national colors, white, the color of the White Eagle, should always be placed in a more honorable position than red, the color of the field of the Polish coat of arms. In the most usual, horizontal alignment, this means that the white stripe is placed above the red one. If the alignment is vertical, the white stripe should be on the left from the onlooker's point of view. If the flag is hung vertically above a street, the white stripe should be placed on the left when looking in the direction of increasing house numbers. If it drapes a coffin, the white stripe should be placed over the heart.<ref name=ihw/>
The flag should be raised before 8 a.m. and lowered at sunset, and if flown at night, it should be illuminated.<ref name=nik/> During a ceremonial raising of the flag, the [[Mazurek Dąbrowskiego|national anthem]] is played so that the timing of the raising matches the duration of the anthem.<ref name=ihw /> Civilians pay respect by standing in a dignified manner; additionally, men uncover they heads. Members of uniformed services stand at attention; if their uniform includes headgear and they are not standing in an organized group, they also perform the [[two-finger salute]]. [[Color guard]]s dip their banners to the flag.<ref name=act /> ([http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=sEqYG_ynRtE See video])
[[Image:Polish, Lesser Poland and EU flags.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Example of indoor display of the flag of Poland (center) together with other flags: that of the [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship]] (left) and the [[European flag]] (right)]]
According to generally accepted standards of respect, the national flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. Care should be taken to prevent the flag from touching the ground, floor or water beneath it. It should be also secured from being torn off or falling to the ground and it should not be flown outdoors during a heavy rain, blizzard or very strong wind. The flag should never be flown dirty, torn or faded. When no longer in a fit condition to be used, it should be disposed of in a dignified manner, preferably by cutting it in half so as to separate the colors and then, burning.<ref name=ihw/><ref name=nik/>
When displayed with other flags, the Polish flag should be raised first and lowered last. Each flag must be flown from a separate pole of the same height, but the flag of Poland should be always placed in the most honorable position.<ref name=nik/> It means that if the total number of flags is even, the Polish flag should be placed to its right of the other flags. If the total number of flags is odd, it should be placed in the middle. Alternatively, two Polish flags may be placed, one at each end of the row of flags.<ref name=ihw/> The order of precedence for flags is as follows:
* flag of Poland,
* national flags of other countries (in alphabetical order),
* [[Voivodeships of Poland|voivodeship]] flags,
* [[powiat|county]] flags,
* [[gmina|commune]] flags,
* [[European flag]],
* flags of domestic organizations,
* flags of international organizations,
* public services flags,
* corporate flags,
* other flags.<ref name=ihw/>
The President of the Republic may announce a period of [[National day of mourning|national mourning]]. During that time Polish flags are flown at [[half-staff]].<ref name=act /> If a flag is flown from a wooden pole rather than a staff or mast, a black ribbon is attached to the pole as a sign of mourning or a black flag is flown to its left from the national flag.<ref name=nik />
== History ==
=== Royal banner ===
[[Image:Great Chorąży of the Polish Crown.jpg|thumb|right|Stanisław Sobieski, Grand Standard Bearer of the Polish Crown, carrying King [[Sigismund III of Poland|Sigismund III's]] double-swallow-tailed royal banner consisting of red and white stripes emblazoned with a coat of arms combining the heraldic symbols of [[Kingdom of Poland|Poland]], [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|Lithuania]], [[Swedish Empire|Sweden]] and the [[House of Vasa]] (ca. 1605)]]
{{main|Banner of Poland}}
The earliest [[vexilloid]]s (flag-like objects) used in Poland were known as ''stanice'' and probably resembled the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] ''[[vexillum]]'', that is a cloth draped vertically from a horizontal crosspiece attached to a wooden pole or [[spear]]. They served as both religious and military symbols as early as 10th century CE. With Poland's conversion to Christianity in 966, the ''stanice'' were probably Christianized by replacing pagan symbols with Christian ones. The royal [[banner of arms]] dates back to the reign of King [[Boleslaus II of Poland|Boleslaus the Generous]] (r. 1076–1079), but it was during the reign of King [[Władysław I the Elbow-high|Ladislaus the Elbow-High]] (r. 1320–1333) that a red cloth emblazoned with the White Eagle of the arms of Poland was finally established as the Banner of the Kingdom of Poland, a symbol of royal authority used at coronations and in battles.<ref name=znamier>Znamierowski</ref>
In the times of the [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]] (1569–1795), a banner of the Commonwealth was also used, combining the heraldic symbols of Poland and the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]]. The Commonwealth banner was initially plain white emblazoned with the [[Coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|arms of the Commonwealth]] which consisted of the heraldic charges of Poland (White Eagle) and Lithuania ([[Coat of arms of Lithuania|Pursuer]]). Since both Polish and Lithuanian coats of arms consisted of white (''[[Argent]]'') [[Charge (heraldry)|charges]] in a red (''[[Gules]]'') [[Field (heraldry)|field]], these two colors started to be used for the entire banner. During the 17th century, the banner was usually divided into two, three or four horizontal, often swallow-tailed, stripes of red and white.<ref name=znamier/><ref name=kuczyn>Russocki, Kuczyński, Willaume</ref>
=== National cockade ===
[[Image:Grottger-pozegnanie fragm.jpg|thumb|left|A woman fastening a red-and-white [[cockade]] to a Polish insurgent's square-shaped ''[[rogatywka]]'' cap during the [[January Uprising]] of 1863-1864]]
In the 18th and 19th centuries, European nations used [[cockade]]s, or knots of colored ribbons pinned to the hat, to denote the nationality of their military. In Poland, until 1831, there was no consensus as to what the colors of the national cockade should be. Polish soldiers wore white, white-and-red, blue-and-red or blue-white-red cockades.<ref name=znamier/>
The custom came to Poland from [[Electorate of Saxony|Saxony]] during the reign of [[Augustus II of Poland|Augustus II]] (r. 1697–1733), King of Poland and Elector of Saxony. During that time, the cockade worn by the Polish military had, like in Saxony, the form of a white silk ribbon with a knot in the middle. It was later replaced with a circular white cockade wrinkled toward the center, patterned after the cockade of the [[France|Kingdom of France]]. During the reign of King [[Stanislaus II of Poland|Stanislaus Augustus]] (r. 1764–1795), a white-and-red cockade came into use alongside the plain white one. In 1791, the Military Commission introduced a metal [[cross pattée]] as a more durable alternative to the cockade. However, many soldiers continued to either pin the cross to the cockade or wear the cockade without the cross. Polish military leaders and national heroes of the time, such as General [[Tadeusz Kościuszko]] and Prince [[Józef Poniatowski]] pinned plain white "national" cockades to their hats.<ref name=znamier />
{{double image|right|Uchwała o kokardzie narodowej.jpg|130|Powstanie Listopadowe symbol.PNG|130|National [[Cockade]] Act of [[7 February]] [[1831]]|Polish-Lithuanian coat of arms during the [[November Uprising]] of 1830–1831}}
The patriotic and staunchly [[Roman Catholicism|Catholic]] members of the [[Bar Confederation]] of 1768–1772 adopted [[crimson]] – the symbol of Polish ''[[szlachta]]'', or nobility – and blue – symbolizing [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Virgin Mary]] – as their colors. These, as well as white-and-red, were considered national colors during the [[Great Sejm]] of 1788–1792. White and red were first publicly used as national colors by civilians on [[3 May]] [[1792]] in [[Warsaw]], during a celebration of the first anniversary of the adoption of the [[Constitution of May 3, 1791|Constitution of 1791]]. Meanwhile, the [[Left-wing politics|political left]] wore the blue-white-red cockades of the [[French Revolution]]. [[Polish Legions (Napoleonic period)|Polish Legions]] created in 1797 in [[French client republic|French-controlled republics]] in [[Italy]], used either national cockades of the particular Italian republics in which they served or the French tricolor cockade. In the latter case, the red and blue colors were replaced with [[crimson]] and [[navy blue]] respectively, hues considered to be traditionally Polish. The [[General Confederation of the Kingdom of Poland]], which sought to revive the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the [[French invasion of Russia]] in 1812, adopted red-and-blue cockades, symbolizing the unity of Poland (red) and Lithuania (blue).<ref name=kuczyn/> The military of the French-controlled [[Duchy of Warsaw]] (1807–1815) and the [[Russian Empire|Russian]]-controlled [[Congress Poland|Congress Kingdom of Poland]] (1815–1831) used the white cockade, which was also worn by the cadets who started the [[November Uprising]] against Russian rule on [[29 November]] [[1830]].<ref name=znamier/>
During the uprising, the Sejm realized the need for unified national insignia that could be used by the Polish military. On [[7 February]] [[1831]] it adopted white and red, the [[Tincture (heraldry)|tinctures]] (colors) of the Polish and Lithuanian coats of arms, as the national cockade of Poland. The white-and-red cockade was henceforth worn by Polish soldiers in the November Uprising, as well as by participants of the [[Kraków Uprising]] of 1846, Polish freedom fighters in the [[Grand Duchy of Posen]] and the [[Austrian Empire]] during the [[Revolutions of 1848|Spring of Nations]] of 1848, and Polish insurgents during the [[January Uprising]] of 1863–1864. White and red colors were also used by civilians to show their protest against the Russian rule, as well as by people in France, [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]], [[German Confederation|Germany]], [[Belgium]] and other countries as a sign of their sympathy with the Polish cause. The Sejm's decision was not, however, immediately accepted by all. Left-wing politicians of the time, such as [[Joachim Lelewel]], continued to regard the revolutionary blue, white and red as true national colors. Tricolor standards were used by some Polish guerrilla units during the January Uprising.<ref name=znamier/>
=== Twentieth century ===
[[Image:Opaska powstancza.jpg|thumb|left|A white-and-red [[brassard]] worn by a Polish insurgent during the [[Warsaw Uprising]] of 1944. The acronym WP stands for ''Wojsko Polskie'', or [[Polish Armed Forces]].]]
{{Double image stack|right|Polish Flag Monte Cassino2.jpg|Warsaw Uprising - Polish Flag (1944).jpg|150|A Polish flag flying on the ruins of the [[Monte Cassino]] abbey on [[18 May]] [[1944]]|A frayed Polish flag during the final days of the [[Warsaw Uprising]] of 1944}}
White-and-red flags were first waved during a patriotic demonstration on [[3 May]] [[1916]] in Warsaw. The organizing committee advised participants about the correct alignment of the colors, that is with the white stripe above the red one. Still, many demonstrators brought flags with the red stripe on top. On [[1 August]] [[1919]], almost a year after Poland regained independence in November 1918, the Sejm officially introduced a white-and-red bicolor as the Polish national flag. In order to avoid confusion with the white-and-red [[International maritime signal flags|maritime signal flag]] used internationally by harbor pilots and tugboats, the same act of Sejm introduced a variant of the flag with the coat of arms in the white stripe for use as a [[civil ensign]] and by Polish diplomats and consuls abroad.<ref name=znamier/>
Apart from changes in the legal specifications of the shades of the national colors (see the section below), the basic design of the Polish flag, including the 5:8 ratio, has remained unchanged to this day. The flag with coat of arms was only modified to adjust to the changes in the coat of arms itself. Major modifications included a change in the stylization of the eagle from [[Neoclassicism|Classicist]] to [[Baroque]] in 1927 and the removal of the crown from the eagle's head during the [[History of Poland (1945–1989)|Communist rule]] from 1944 to 1990.<ref name=kuczyn/><ref>Ustawa o zmianie przepisów o godle... (1990)</ref>
20th-century Polish insurgents wore white-and-red [[brassard]]s (armbands) which played a role similar to the cockade of the previous centuries. Such armbands were worn by Polish freedom fighters during the [[Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919)|Greater Poland Uprising]] (1918–1919) and [[Silesian Uprisings]] (1919–1921), as well as during the [[Second World War]] (1939–1945) by the soldiers of the [[Armia Krajowa|Home Army]] (AK) and [[Bataliony Chłopskie|Peasants' Battalions]] (BCh) – usually emblazoned with the acronyms of their formations.<ref name=znamier/>
During the Second World War, Polish soldiers raised the Polish flag on several sites of their victories. On [[18 May]] [[1944]], after an Allied victory over the German forces in the [[Battle of Monte Cassino]], a patrol of the 12th Podolian Uhlan Regiment (part of the [[Polish 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division]]) raised a Polish flag on the ruins of the [[Monte Cassino]] abbey in Italy. On [[1 August]] [[1944]], the first day of the [[Warsaw Uprising]], a white-and-red flag was hoisted on the [[Prudential plc|Prudential]] building, Warsaw's tallest skyscraper of the time. During the liberation of Warsaw by Soviet forces and [[Ludowe Wojsko Polskie|Polish People's Army]] on [[17 January]] [[1945]], Polish flags were raised on the [[Belweder|Belvedere]] palace and the ruins of the [[Warsaw Main Rail Station|Main Railway Station]]. On [[2 May]] [[1945]], after the [[Battle in Berlin|capture of Berlin]], soldiers of the 7th Battery, 3rd Division, 1st Light Artillery Regiment planted Polish flags on the [[Berlin Victory Column]].<ref name=znamier/>
Polish flags were also used by anti-government demonstrators under the Communist rule. During the bloody riots of [[Poznań 1956 protests|1956 in Poznań]] and [[Polish 1970 protests|1970 in Gdańsk]], protesters carried flags that were blood-stained on the white stripe.<ref name=znamier/>
=== Shades of red ===
{| class="wikitable" style="float: left; clear: left; margin: 0 1em 1em 0"
! colspan=2 | Shades of [[red]] comparison
|-
| bgcolor=#DC143C width=15% |
| [[Crimson]]
|-
| bgcolor=#E52B50|
| [[Amaranth (color)|Amaranth]]
|-
| bgcolor=#E34234|
| [[Vermilion]]
|-
| bgcolor=#D4213D|
| Current statutory<ref name=color />
|-
| bgcolor=#FF0000|
| [[Web colors|HTML red]]
|}
Until 1927, the exact shades of the national colors were not legally specified. In practice, the actual hue, particularly of red, depended on what kind of red dye was available. In pre-partition Poland, [[crimson]], due to its high price, was a color associated with the rich and the privileged. It could be obtained from the domestically harvested [[Polish cochineal]], although imported alternatives were also available: [[Kermes (dye)|kermes]] from the Mediterranean Basin (hence ''karmazyn'', the Polish name of the color) and Mexican [[cochineal]] after the discovery of the New World. Crimson was reserved for the nobility and considered a symbol of the aristocracy, so that ''karmazyn'' became synonymous with a [[magnate]]. A royal ban on wearing this color could be a form of punishment; in the 14th century, the [[Nałęcz]] clan of [[Greater Poland]] were forbidden to dress in crimson for their ancestors' complicity in the assassination of King [[Premislaus II of Poland|Premislaus]] in 1296.<ref name=znamier /> In the first half of the 19th century, due to the influence of French fashion, crimson was largely replaced with the cheaper [[Amaranth (color)|amaranth]].<ref name=kuczyn/>
The National Cockade Act of 1831 did not specify the shade of red, for which it was criticized by Joachim Lelewel,<ref name=znamier/> nor did the Coat of Arms and National Colors Act of 1919. In 1921, the Ministry of Military Affairs issued a pamphlet with illustrations of the Polish flag and other national symbols which used the crimson shade of red.<ref>Łoza, Czaykowski</ref>
The pamphlet was not, however, an official source of law and was published for informative purpose only. The shade of red was first legally specified by a presidential decree of [[13 December]] [[1927]] which stipulated that the official shade was [[Vermilion|vermillion]]. This specification was upheld by a decree of [[7 December]] [[1955]].<ref name=znamier /> The Coat of Arms Act of [[31 January]] [[1980]]<ref name=act/> replaced the verbal prescription with [[Trichromacy|trichromatic]] coördinates in the [[CIE 1931 color space|CIE color space]] as proposed by Nikodem Sobczak, an expert in [[colorimetry]],<ref>Bajtlik</ref>
bringing the resulting hue closer to crimson again.
== Related and similar flags ==
{{See also|List of Polish flags|Gallery of flags by similarity #Red (or maroon) and white}}
{| align=left style="margin: 0 1em 0 0"
|+ '''Examples of related flags'''
| [[Image:Bandera wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej.PNG|110px|center|thumb|Polish naval ensign]]
| [[Image:Flaga lotnisk MW.PNG|90px|center|thumb|Naval airbase flag]]
|-
| [[Image:POL województwo dolnośląskie flag 1.svg|110px|center|thumb|Flag of [[Lower Silesian Voivodeship|Lower Silesia]]]]
| [[Image:POL województwo małopolskie 1 flag.svg|105px|center|thumb|Flag of [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship|Lesser Poland]]]]
|}
The flag of the [[Grand Duchy of Posen]], a Polish-populated autonomous province of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] created in 1815, was a red-and-white horizontal bicolor. Its colors were taken from the duchy's coat of arms which consisted of the Prussian [[Coat of arms of Prussia|Black Eagle]] with an inescutcheon of the Polish White Eagle. With Germany's increasingly anti-Polish policy and a rising identification of white and red as Polish national colors, the red-and-white flag of [[Province of Posen|Posen]] was replaced in 1886 with a white-black-white horizontal [[Triband (flag)|triband]].<ref>Grand Duchy of Posen... (FOTW)</ref> No other part of Poland during the time of Partitions used a flag that would incorporate Polish national colors.
Today, many flags used in Poland are based on the design of the national flag. This applies especially to flags defined by Polish law and used by the Polish military and other uniformed services, such as the naval ensign – a swallow-tailed horizontal bicolor of white and red [[Defacement (flag)|defaced]] with the arms of Poland in the white stripe.<ref>Ustawa o znakach Sił Zbrojnych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (1993)</ref> Flags of some administrative subdivisions also resemble the national flag. Examples include the flag of the [[Lower Silesian Voivodeship]] – a horizontal bicolor of white and red defaced with the arms of the voivodeship – or the flag of the [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship]] – a horizontal tricolor of white, yellow and red with the yellow stripe half as wide as any of the other two.<ref>Kromer</ref>
{| align=right style="margin: 0 0 0 1em"
|+ '''Examples of unrelated but similar flags'''
| [[Image:Tirol Dienstflagge (Variation).png|100px|center|thumb|State flag of [[Tyrol (state)|Tyrol]]]]
| [[Image:Oberösterreich Dienstflagge.svg|100px|center|thumb|State flag of [[Upper Austria]]]]
|-
| [[Image:Flag of Monaco.svg|100px|center|thumb|[[Flag of Monaco]]]]
| [[Image:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg|100px|center|thumb|[[Flag of the Czech Republic]]]]
|}
Due to the horizontal bicolor being a relatively simple and widespread flag design, and white and red being the most popular colors used on flags,<ref>Colors of Flags (FOTW)</ref>
there are many flags worldwide that are similar or near identical to the flag of Poland despite being unrelated to it. For example, the little used flag of [[Bohemia]], the major historical region of Poland's southern neighbor, the [[Czech Republic]], consists of two horizontal stripes, white on top and red on bottom. Similarly to the flag of Poland, it is of heraldic origin, the [[Coat of arms of the Czech Republic|coat of arms of Bohemia]] being ''[[Gules]], a lion rampant, queue fourchée [[Argent]], crowned, langued and armed [[Or (heraldry)|Or]]'', that is a silver double-tailed lion in a red field. The white-and-red Bohemian flag came into use when Bohemia was a province of [[Austria-Hungary]] and, after the end of the First World War in 1918, it was shortly used as a flag of the newly formed [[Czechoslovakia|Czecho-Slovak Republic]]. In 1920, in order to avoid confusion with the Polish flag, a blue triangle was added to create a flag used by Czechoslovakia until its dissolution in 1993 and currently used as the [[flag of the Czech Republic]].<ref>Bohemia (FOTW)</ref>
Other examples of flags that could be confused with the Polish one include the civil flags of the following regions: [[Kranj]], [[Slovenia]]; [[Thuringia]], [[Germany]]; [[Upper Austria]] and [[Tyrol (state)|Tyrol]], [[Austria]]; as well the city of [[Honda, Tolima|Honda]], [[Colombia]]. There are currently two independent states – [[Indonesia]] and [[Monaco]] – whose national flags are horizontal bicolors of red and white, reversing the Polish flag. The Monaco and Indonesia flags differ in proportions and shades of the colors (see [[Flag of Indonesia]] and [[Flag of Monaco]]).<ref>Sarajčić</ref>
== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}
== References ==
{{Commons|Category:Flags of Poland|Flag of Poland}}
'''Books'''
* {{pl icon}} {{cite book
| author = Russocki Stanisław
| coauthors = Kuczyński Stefan, Willaume Juliusz
| title = Godło, barwy i hymn Rzeczypospolitej. Zarys dziejów
| publisher = Wiedza Powszechna
| date = 1970
| location = Warsaw}}
* {{pl icon}} {{cite book
| last = Znamierowski
| first = Alfred
| title = Stworzony do chwały
| publisher = Editions Spotkania
| date = 1995
| location = Warsaw
| isbn = 83-71-15055-5}}
'''Law'''
* {{pl icon}} [http://www.sejm.gov.pl/prawo/konst/polski/kon1.htm Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 2 kwietnia 1997 r.] ({{en icon}} [http://www.sejm.gov.pl/prawo/konst/angielski/kon1.htm Constitution of the Republic of Poland]), Dz.U. 1997 nr 78 poz. 483
* {{pl icon}} [http://isip.sejm.gov.pl/servlet/Search?todo=file&id=WDU19970880553&type=3&name=D19970553Lj.pdf Ustawa z dnia 6 czerwca 1997 r. Kodeks karny], Dz.U. 1997 nr 88 poz. 553
* {{pl icon}} [http://isip.sejm.gov.pl/servlet/Search?todo=file&id=WDU19510040028&type=3&name=D9510028.pdf Ustawa z dnia 18 stycznia 1951 r. o dniach wolnych od pracy], Dz.U. 1951 nr 4 poz. 28
* {{pl icon}} [http://isip.sejm.gov.pl/servlet/Search?todo=file&id=WDU19800070018&type=2&name=D19800018.pdf Ustawa z dnia 31 stycznia 1980 r. o godle, barwach i hymnie Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej], Dz.U. 1980 nr 7 poz. 18 (original text)
* {{pl icon}} [http://www.abc.com.pl/serwis/du/2005/2000.htm Ustawa z dnia 31 stycznia 1980 r. o godle, barwach i hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej oraz o pieczęciach państwowych], Dz.U. 1980 nr 7 poz. 18 (full text after amendments)
* {{pl icon}} [http://isip.sejm.gov.pl/servlet/Search?todo=file&id=WDU19900280160&type=2&name=D19900160.pdf Ustawa z dnia 6 kwietnia 1990 r. o przywróceniu Święta Narodowego Trzeciego Maja], Dz.U. 1990 nr 28 poz. 160
* {{pl icon}} [http://isip.sejm.gov.pl/servlet/Search?todo=file&id=WDU19900100060&type=2&name=D19900060.pdf Ustawa z dnia 9 lutego 1990 r. o zmianie przepisów o godle, barwach i hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej], Dz.U. 1990 nr 10 poz. 60
* {{pl icon}} [http://isip.sejm.gov.pl/servlet/Search?todo=file&id=WDU19930340154&type=3&name=D19930154Lj.pdf Ustawa z dnia 19 lutego 1993 r. o znakach Sił Zbrojnych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej], Dz.U. z 1993 r. Nr 34, poz. 154
'''Official documents'''
* {{pl icon}} {{Citation
| title = Informacja o wynikach kontroli używania symboli państwowych przez organy administracji publicznej
| year = 2005
| place = Warsaw
| publisher = [[The Supreme Chamber of Control of Poland|Supreme Chamber of Control]] (Najwyższa Izba Kontroli)
| url = http://bip.nik.gov.pl/pl/bip/wyniki_kontroli_wstep/inform2005/2005076/px_2005076.pdf}}
* {{pl icon}} {{fr icon}} {{cite book
| last = Łoza
| first = Stanisław
| author-link = Stanisław Łoza
| coauthors=Czaykowski, Zygmunt
| title=Godło i barwy Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej – Armoiries et couleurs de la République polonaise
| year=1921
| pages=10
| publisher=Ministry of Military Affairs
| location=Warsaw }}
* {{pl icon}} [http://www.senat.gov.pl/k5/dok/SEJM/056/2149.pdf Projekt ustawy o zmianie ustawy o godle, barwach i hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej], Druk 2149, Warsaw, [[15 October]] [[2003]]
'''News articles'''
* {{pl icon}} {{Citation
| last = Bajtlik
| first = Stanisław
| coauthors =
| title = Szyjemy flagę narodową
| newspaper = [[Gazeta Wyborcza]]
| pages =
| language =
| publisher = [[Agora SA|Agora]]
| date = [[2008-05-01]]
| url = http://www.gazetawyborcza.pl/1,75248,5164372.html?as=1&ias=5
| accessdate = 2008-05-04}}
* {{pl icon}} {{Citation
| last = Magiera
| first = Marek
| title = Zaczyna się mundial...
| newspaper = Życie Częstochowskie
| publisher = Beta Press S.C.
| date = [[2006-06-09]]
| url = http://www.zycie.czest.pl/modules/show.php?id=1438
| accessdate = 2008-02-02}}
* {{pl icon}} {{Citation
| last1 = Molak
| first1 = Wiesław
| last2 = Sakiewicz
| first2 = Tomasz
| title = Bogdan Borusewicz gościem w „Sygnałach dnia”
| work = Interview with [[Bogdan Borusewicz]] in [[Program 1 Polskiego Radia]]
| publisher = [[Law and Justice]]
| date = [[2 May]] [[2007]]
| url = http://www.pis.org.pl/article.php?id=7278
| accessdate = 2008-02-02}}
* {{en icon}} {{Citation
| last = Niezabitowska
| first = Małgorzata
| author-link = Małgorzata Niezabitowska
| title = Discovering America
| newspaper = [[National Geographic Magazine|National Geographic]]
| year = 1988
| date = January 1988
| url = }}
'''Websites'''
* {{pl icon}} {{cite web
| title = Flaga
| work = Official website of the President of the Republic of Poland
| publisher = Chancellery of the [[President of the Republic of Poland]]
| url = http://www.prezydent.pl/x.node?id=70
| accessdate = 2007-09-30 }}
* {{en icon}} [[Flags of the World]] – subpages:
** {{cite web
| title = Bohemia (Czech Republic)
| url = http://flagspot.net/flags/cz_bh.html
| accessdate = 2007-11-02 }}
** {{cite web
| title = Colors of Flags
| url = http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xf-colx.html
| accessdate = 2007-11-04 }}
** {{cite web
| title = Grand Duchy of Posen 1815-1849, Posen Province 1849-1920 (Prussia, Germany)
| url = http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/de-pr-po.html
| accessdate = 2007-11-02 }}
** {{cite web
| title = Polish Religious flags
| url = http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/Flags/pl_rel.html
| accessdate = 2008-02-02}}
* {{pl icon}} {{cite web
| last = Kromer
| first = Adam
| title = Flagi województw polskich
| work = Polskie flagi, chorągwie, bandery...
| url = http://www.akromer.republika.pl/flagi_pl.html
| accessdate = 2008-02-02 }}
* {{pl icon}} {{cite web
| title = Protokół flagowy – Jak postępować z flagami
| publisher = Instytut Heraldyczno-Weksylologiczny
| date = [[11 July]] [[2005]]
| url = http://www.pl.info.pl/IHW_WWW/index.php?act=view&ktg=32&idt=125
| accessdate = 2007-09-30 }}
* {{en icon}} {{cite web
| last = Sarajčić
| first = Ivan
| title = Flag Identifier
| work =
| publisher =
| date =
| url = http://www.flagid.org/found.asp?qa=1010000&qDI=HOR2,6,,126,,135,136,,0&ci=r,w
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2008-02-03}}
{{-}}
{{Flag of Europe}}
{{nationalflags}}
{{National symbols of Poland}}
[[Category:National flags|Poland]]
[[Category:Flags of Poland|Poland]]
[[Category:National symbols of Poland]]
[[be:Сцяг Польшчы]]
[[bs:Zastava Poljske]]
[[bg:Национално знаме на Полша]]
[[ca:Bandera de Polònia]]
[[cv:Польша ялавě]]
[[cs:Polská vlajka]]
[[cy:Baner Gwlad Pwyl]]
[[da:Polens flag]]
[[de:Flagge Polens]]
[[dsb:Pólska chórgoj]]
[[et:Poola lipp]]
[[el:Σημαία της Πολωνίας]]
[[es:Bandera de Polonia]]
[[eu:Poloniako bandera]]
[[fr:Drapeau de la Pologne]]
[[ko:폴란드의 국기]]
[[hr:Zastava Poljske]]
[[bpy:পোল্যান্ডর ফিরালহান]]
[[id:Bendera Polandia]]
[[it:Bandiera polacca]]
[[he:דגל פולין]]
[[jv:Gendera Polandia]]
[[sw:Bendera ya Poland]]
[[lt:Lenkijos vėliava]]
[[hu:Lengyelország zászlaja]]
[[nah:Polontlān pāntli]]
[[nl:Vlag van Polen]]
[[ja:ポーランドの国旗]]
[[no:Polens flagg]]
[[pl:Flaga Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej]]
[[pt:Bandeira da Polónia]]
[[ro:Drapelul Poloniei]]
[[ru:Флаг Польши]]
[[sq:Flamuri i Polonisë]]
[[simple:Flag of Poland]]
[[sk:Vlajka Poľska]]
[[sr:Застава Пољске]]
[[sh:Zastava Poljske]]
[[fi:Puolan lippu]]
[[sv:Polens flagga]]
[[uk:Прапор Польщі]]
[[zh:波蘭國旗]]