Les Polonais célèbrent le 90e anniversaire de l'état moderne polonais avec une marche de la cathédrale de Westminster & rassemblement à Trafalgar Square.
3347 x 5040 px | 28,3 x 42,7 cm | 11,2 x 16,8 inches | 300dpi
Date de la prise de vue:
26 novembre 2008
Lieu:
Westminster Cathedral, Victoria St, Westminster, London, England, UK
Informations supplémentaires:
The modern state dates from the end of the First World War in 1918 when the Second Polish Republic was founded - and November 11 is celebrated in Poland as Independence Day. Although Poland had existed since the 10th century it disappeared as a state around 1795, being absorbed into Russia, Austria and Prussia, and only re-emerged with the defeat of Germany. Unfortunately, independence did not last long, as the German army invaded in September 1939, starting World War II, followed soon after by Russia occupying the eastern part of the country. After the end of the war Poland became a part of the Soviet empire. Despite a number of popular rebellions, and a growing movement around the Polish Pope's visit to Poland in 1979 and Lech Walesa and Solidarity from 1980 on, it was only in 1989 that democracy finally returned in Poland. This year is the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the modern Polish state, and celebrations took place in London a few days early on Saturday (8 Nov) in a mass that packed out Westminster Cathedral, after which several thousands marched to a rally in Trafalgar Square, attended by many Polish dignitaries, including the ambassador to London, the Polish Cardinal Jozef Glemp and other leading clerics and Ryszard Kaczorowski, the last émigré President of the Republic of Poland who handed over the insignia of state to President of the Third Polish Republic Lech Walesa in 1990.
