Bernard WYSOCKI

              Poland flag
 

The flag of Poland is one of the national symbols of the Republic of Poland. According to the law of 31 January 1980 on the emblem, colors and anthem of the Republic of Poland and the national seal, it is a rectangular cloth adorned with the national colors arranged in two horizontal stripes surface equal, the first white and red second. These two colors are defined in the Polish constitution as the national colors. Two versions of the flag exist with or without the coat of arms of Poland in the middle of the white band. The version with the coat of arms is reserved by law for official use abroad and at sea. Naval teaching is itself a similar flag with an indentation in the middle at the right end.

The national colors are derived originally heraldic colors of the arms of Poland and Lithuania. They were officially adopted in 1831. The flag was officially adopted for its part in 1919. Since 2004, he is celebrated on May 2
The flags of Indonesia and Monaco are built the same way, except that the red tape is above the white.
The colors of the Republic of Poland are described in legal documents: the Polish Constitution of 1997 and the Law on the emblem, colors and anthem of the Republic of Poland (Ustawa godle o, i barwach hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej oraz o pieczęciach PAŃSTWOWYCH) 1980 as amended (called "Arms Act").
The law on national symbols is far from perfect. The cabinets the Act has been amended many times and refers to orders, some of which have never been published. In addition, the law contains errors, omissions and inconsistencies which make the confusing law, open to divergent interpréatations, and which the law is not often enforced.
According to Chapter I, Article 28, paragraph 2 of the Constitution, the national colors of Poland are white and red. The Law on Arms, Article 4 specifies that the colors are white and red horizontally arranged in parallel bands of the same area with the white top and bottom red.
The same article specifies further that if the colors are displayed vertically, the white strip must be placed on the left.
The Constitution does not mention to actual national flag. This is defined in the Law on Arms noting two variants to the national flag: the national flag of the Republic of Poland (flaga Państwowa Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) and the national flag with the coat of arms of the Republic of Poland (flaga Państwowa z godłem Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej). Both are defined in Article 6 of the Act as follows:
    - The state flag of the Republic of Poland is a rectangular piece of cloth with the colors of the Republic of Poland hoisted on a pylon.
    - The state flag of the Republic of Poland is also the flag specified in paragraph 1, with the middle of the white strip the coat of arms of the Republic of Poland.
The ratio of the flag is 5: 8. For the latter, the proportion between the ECU and the hoist is 2: 5. Images of the two variants are found in Annex No. 3 of the Arms Act.

Flag respect
Polish law states that every Polish citizen and all organs, state institutions or organizations have the "right and duty of reverence and respect" towards national symbols, including the flag. Disrespect, destruction, the violent removal of the flag are considered a crime punishable by a fine, restriction of freedom (forced labor) or up to one year of deprivation of liberty (prison). Official statistics show that crimes against national symbols are rare: 43 in 2003, 96 in 2004, representing less than 0.001% of all crimes registered in Poland in years.

Which can and must raise the flag
According to the Arms Act, anyone can use the Polish flag, especially during national or cultural events, as long as it is done in a respectful way. This freedom to use the national colors is relatively new. Until 2004, Polish citizens were allowed to fly the Polish flag for holidays. Any unauthorized use of national symbols was illegal and raise the flag with the cabinets from 1955 to 1985, was punishable by a fine and a prison sentence of up to one year. This restriction and the state monopolization of national symbols during the communist regime transformed the act of hoisting the Polish flag into a symbol of resistance to the government. It was customary - and it still is today - to see the flags bloom during the strikes of workers. This is why the Polish flag, as a symbol of patriotism and resistance to the communist regime of the People's Republic of Poland is part of the Solidarity logo.

 

Flag without arms
The bodies must hoist the flag without the coat of arms are:
    the Sejm (lower house of Parliament);
    the Senate (upper house);
    the President of Poland;
    the Council of Ministers of Poland and Prime Minister of Poland;
    local legislatures - only during their sessions;
    other organs of gourvenement, local or national - only on holidays.
In addition, the flag without the coat of arms is also used as a sign for river navigation.

 

Flag with coat of arms
Although the ban on using the flag with arms was lifted, this one is still restricted by law. This flag can be flown only:
    on or before the Polish embassies, consulates and other overseas offices and missions as well as the homes and vehicles of ambassadors and consuls;
    airports and heliports civilians;
    on civilian aircraft - only for international flights;
    on the buildings of the port authorities;
    as a civil ensign.
However, in practice, this restriction is often ignored and the two flags - with or without arms - are interchangeable. The version with arms is particularly often used by Polonia, the Polish diaspora, especially in the United States.
National bodies and local government must, by law, hoisting the Polish flag on the following days, other institutions as well as all

 

Polish citizens are encouraged:
    May 1 - National Day (Labor Day);
    May 2 - Flag Day
    May 3 - Constitution Day;
    November 11 - Independence Day.

 

Polish Flag Day (formally: Day of the Flag of the Republic of Poland, Dzień Flagi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) was celebrated May 2, 2004 for the first time. It was established to commemorate the history and meaning of national symbols. The date was chosen to coincide with the Festival of Polonia traditionally observed by the Polish diaspora and the Senate. There is also a practical reason is that May 2 already was between two holidays. So that extra day makes three consecutive days when the flag is raised. Unlike the Labour Day and Constitution Day, Flag Day is not a holiday although many Poles who take an extra day off for the bridge.
Polish flags (white and red), papal (yellow and white) and Marian or municipal (white and blue) on the main square of Krakow in Poland during the visit of Pope Benedict XVI May 27, 2006.
The other days the Polish flag is often flown on official buildings are:
    5 May and 9 May - for the Days of Europe (the European flag);
    August 15 - Armed Forces Day Polonaise (especially on military buildings and next to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier)
    September 27 - Feast of the Polish Secret State

The flag is also flown for major sporting events like the World Cup, so of Polish athletes participating, but also during the official visits of important people, especially the Pope. During a papal visit, the national flag is hoisted alongside the traditional yellow and white flag of the Roman Catholic Church, and the white and blue flag of Mary.
According to polls, about a third of Poles admit to owning a Polish flag, and about a quarter hoisted during the national holidays. Such patriotism deployment is over in the west of Poland, especially in the Great Poland.

Protocol
The use of Polish flags is set by more than customary legal protocol. Apart from the obligation to treat the flag with respect, Polish law does not detail the correct use of the Polish flag. Some organizations and public institutions, as heraldry and vexillological Institute and the Supreme Court of Control proposed concerning the Polish flag, written protocols based on custom. These guidelines have no legal obligation.

Traditionally, the national flag is for informational or festive occasions. A copy of the flag on or before a building indicates its official role. Several flags are normally used to decorate public and private buildings for special occasions like national holidays.
In the Armorial of the Polish Nobility, the color of the charge has priority over the color of the field. In the case of the national colors, white, the color of the White Eagle, should always be placed in a better position than red, the color of Polish arms field. And for horizontal alignment, the white strip must be placed above the red. If the alignment is vertical, the white strip must be placed to the left of the outside perspective. If the flag flies vertically on the side of a street, the white strip must be placed to the left when looking at the meaning of ascending numbers. If the flag Bandiera a coffin, the white must be placed above the heart.
The flag should be hoisted before 8 o'clock morning and lowered at dusk. Whether to float the night, it must be illuminated. At a ceremony sunrise colors, "Mazurek Dąbrowskiego" is played. The duration of hoisting must match the duration of the anthem. Civilians must respect rising worthy, more, men must discover the head. People in uniform service are at attention. If the uniform includes a hat and they are not part of an organized group, they do hello to two fingers. The flagship bow their banners in front of the flag. 
According to commonly accepted standards, the national flag must never bow to a person or thing. All care must be taken to prevent the flag soil or water key below. We must also prevent it rips and falls to the ground. So it should not be raised during a heavy rain, blizzard, a very strong wind. The flag should not be flown if it is torn, wrinkled, dirty, or when the colors are passed. When it can no longer be used, it must have a dignified manner by cutting it in half as color bands and then burning them.
When presented with other flags, Polish flag should be raised first and lowered last. Each flag should be flown on a separate mast at the same height, the Polish flag should always be placed in the most honorable position. This means that if the number of flags is even, the Polish flag should be placed to the right of all the flags, if it is odd, the Polish flag is placed in the middle. You can also place two Polish flags at the ends of the series of flags. The order of precedence for flags is as follows:
    Poland flag,
    national flags of other countries (in alphabetical order)
    flags voivodship
    Flags powiat,
    flags of Commons
    European flag,
    flags of national organizations,
    Flags of international organizations,
    Flags of utilities
    corporate flags,
    other flags.

The President of the Republic may impose a period of national mourning. During this period, Polish flags are hoisted at half-mast. If the flag is hoisted on a wooden pylon instead of a mast, a black ribbon is attached to the mast in mourning and then a black flag is hoisted to the left of the national flag.