Poland observes November 11 as National Independence Day, the date that coincides with Veterans Day in the United States.
Poland’s holiday commemorates the restoration of Polish independence in 1918 after more than a century in which Polish lands had been partitioned among neighboring powers. November 11 is associated especially with Józef Piłsudski’s assumption of military authority in Warsaw and the rebuilding of an independent Polish state.
The date has a different historical meaning from U.S. Veterans Day. In the United States, November 11 honors military veterans and derives from the World War I armistice. In Poland, the day centers on national sovereignty and the recovery of statehood.
Both observances reflect the wider historical importance of the end of World War I, but they are separate national holidays with different traditions and purposes.