Today is Norway's Constitution Day

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses Norway's Constitution Day, celebrated on May 17th, and touches on historical comparisons with Poland's Constitution Day. Participants share personal anecdotes, cultural observations, and reflections on national pride related to constitutional celebrations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares a photo from the Children's Parade in Oslo, highlighting the festive atmosphere of Norway's Constitution Day.
  • Another participant humorously compares the parade to a sardine tin, indicating a crowded scene.
  • A personal story is shared about a traumatic experience during the celebrations in 1945, reflecting on the historical context of the day.
  • Some participants note that Poland had its own Constitution Day on May 3, 1791, suggesting a sense of competition in historical significance.
  • There is a discussion about the circumstances surrounding the passing of the Polish Constitution, with one participant expressing uncertainty about their historical knowledge.
  • Another participant acknowledges the importance of Poland's Constitution Day and its significance in the context of Polish history.
  • A participant raises a question about the lack of celebration for the U.S. Constitution, suggesting a need for greater awareness among citizens.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of congratulations and personal reflections, but there is no consensus on the significance of the events discussed or the appropriateness of humor regarding historical contexts.

Contextual Notes

Some historical claims about the Polish Constitution and its passing are presented with uncertainty, and there are varying perspectives on the significance of constitutional celebrations in different countries.

arildno
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Today, Norwegians celebrate the day our constitution was signed, May 17th 1814.

A welcome sight are the many Children's Parades across the country, here's a photo from the main event in OSlo.

The Children's Parade in Oslo winds it way up our main street to the Royal Palace, where the Royal Family greets their people from the balcony:

[URL]http://14augustkomiteen.no/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Barnetog-karl-Johan1.jpg[/URL]
 
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Congratulations to the Norwegian people, that picture reminds me of a sardine tin :smile:
 
wolram said:
Congratulations to the Norwegian people,
Thanks!
that picture reminds me of a sardine tin :smile:
Oh, it can be worse, much worse:
My Dad's worst childhood memory was 17th of May 1945, just 9 days after Liberation Day.
He was just 7, got separated from his parents, and nearly trampled to death by the festive, tightly packed crowd...
 
We were first - Constitution of May 3, 1791 :smile:

Still, celebration is a celebration! Best wishes for inhabitants of the most expensive country I ever visited :-p
 
Borek said:
We were first - Constitution of May 3, 1791 :smile:

Still, celebration is a celebration! Best wishes for inhabitants of the most expensive country I ever visited :-p
Not a single polish nobleman vetoing that resolution?

I thought that was how Poland was ungoverned throughout the centuries..
 
arildno said:
Not a single polish nobleman vetoing that resolution?

It passed thanks to secretly moving voting to earlier date and not allowing part of the opposition to enter the Royal Castle. In 1791 Liberum veto was in practice out of use, there was some legal trick used to make it impossible. Sorry, my historical knowledge is rather weak.

I thought that was how Poland was ungoverned throughout the centuries..

Oh come on, there really is no need for Polish jokes in this thread, it is about Norway after all.

There is no doubt we wasted a strong country, but whether liberum veto was one of the main reasons is disputed.
 
Anyway, hope you Poles have made a celebration of your own Constitution Day; from what I read, that document is well worth remembering, as an enlightened reformation of a rather chaotic past, and a moment for justified national pride throughout the difficult history Poland has had from 1792 to quite recently.

:smile:
 
Hey! How come we don't celebrate our constitution here in the U.S.? We need something considering how little most of our citizens (and some lawmakers) actually know about it.
 

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