The 3rd of May Constitution is not only a milestone in the Polish political and social history, but it is also a landmark in the European tradition, being the second constitution ever written in the world, and the first on European soil. May 3rd was first declared a holiday in 1791. Banned during the partitions of Poland, it was again made an official Polish holiday in April 1919 under the Second Polish Republic. The May 3 holiday was banned once more during World War II by the German and Soviet occupiers. Until 1989, May 3 was a common day for anti-government and anti-communist protests. May 3 was restored as an official Polish holiday in April 1990, after the fall of communism.

Display on during May at the Polish Museum, 125 Elliot St, Howick, Auckland.

Image Credit: ‘Konstytucja 3 Maja’ by Jan Matejko (1891), National Museum of Poland, Public Domain.