Germany and Poland Mark 1791 Constitution Day: Shared Commitment to Freedom and Security
Event promoting liberty and security within EU and NATO frameworks
May 15th, 2025
The remembrance of the 3 May 1791 Constitution as a continued pursuit of liberty’s protection, emphasized by Chargé d'Affaires a.i. at the Polish Embassy in Berlin, Jan Tombiński, guided the 234th anniversary discussions between Germany and Polish representatives, as both countries share common interests in matters of liberty and security.
The 1791 Constitution stands for Poland as a symbol of national pride and a patriotic act of reform aimed at establishing a democratic constitutional monarchy. The commemoration served as a reminder for both Poland and Germany to take this Constitution as a source of inspiration regarding citizens’ rights and sovereignty. In this context, Jan Tombiński stated: “The motto of the Polish armed forces was and remains "Za naszą i waszą wolność" (For our and your freedom).
The truthfulness of these words must be constantly demonstrated in action. May we all take this thought as an inspiration, regardless of the office we hold, both privately and publicly.” This event was hence the occasion for German parliamentarians and government members to celebrate this anniversary with Poland, thereby strengthening their bilateral relationship.
This relationship is of key significance to the shared interests of Berlin and Warsaw, ranging from each country’s national priorities to their roles within the E.U. and N.A.T.O. Germany is the largest economy and contributor in the E.U., while Poland is gaining increasing political weight, particularly on issues of migration and defense, owing to its strategic location in Central Europe. From the N.A.T.O. standpoint, Germany acts as a crucial support hub, hosting major command centers such as the Allied Air Command with the Ramstein Air Base coordinating all N.A.T.O. air and missile defense operations across Europe. Meanwhile, Poland hosts the Multinational Corps Northeast headquarters in Szczecin, responsible for coordinating defense plans for the Baltic states and Poland.
On this occasion, German State Secretary Dr. Thomas Bagger highlighted Poland’s influence in shaping European discourse as EU Council Presidency. Former German Federal President Joachim Gauck underlined Poland’s historical experience, and stressed the lesson that national sovereignty is the condition for freedom, and thus needs the capability to defend itself.
“Freedom and military strength are interdependent”. This quote from Joachim Gauck summarizes the mutual understanding highlighted during this anniversary, affirming that freedom can only be safeguarded through military deterrence, consolidating both nations’ interests.
References:
- https://www.gov.pl/web/deutschland/nationalfeiertag-der-verfassung-vom-3-mai-1792 https://www.gov.pl/web/deutschland/nationalfeiertag-der-verfassung-vom-3-mai-1792
- https://ac.nato.int/ https://ac.nato.int/
- https://mncne.nato.int/ https://mncne.nato.int/
