French Community in Vienna Celebrates the French National Day (Bastille Day)
On 14 July, France celebrates National Day. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, as well as the Federation Festival (Fête de la Fédération) in 1790, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution after the popular uprising that year.
A large military parade is held in Paris on National Day. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons, U.S. Department of State from United States, Public domain
Today, 14 July, is French National Day. The holiday, celebrated by French people all over the world, commemorates the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 and the Federation Festival (Fête de la Fédération) in 1790, which referred to the popular uprising the previous year, and thus the beginning of the French Revolution.
Le #14juillet partout en France et en Autriche.
— Frz. Botschaft Österreich (@France_Autriche) July 14, 2022
Françaises, Français, avec nos ami(e)s d’Autriche et de toutes nationalités se retrouvent pour célébrer ce jour !
Vive l'amitié
Bon 14 juillet à tous, fröhlicher Nationalfeiertag pic.twitter.com/Z0Twjm3F60
National Day, or "Bastille Day" as it is often called, has been celebrated extensively in Paris every year since 1980 with a military parade on the Champs-Élysées.
La guerre a ressurgi sur notre continent. Nous nous sommes adaptés. En mer, notamment en Méditerranée orientale, dans les airs, notamment dans les pays baltes, et sur terre en Roumanie et en Estonie. Nos armées sont réactives, exemplaires et reconnues par nos Alliés. pic.twitter.com/9fnR0Bd1mw
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 14, 2022
This special day is the expression of commemoration of shared memories and common hopes - the transfigured and transcended history is exalted in the good mood of a summer evening.
In the glow of fireworks, citizens have the opportunity to unite around the motto of the French Republic: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.
Historical background
Despite its nickname, French people do not primarily celebrate the storming of the Bastille on their bank holidays, but the anniversary of the entry into force of the new constitution - which itself was adopted on 14 July 1790, the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (14 July 1789).
This is due to the fact that the storming of the Bastille went down in the history books as a particularly violent and bloody event, it was agreed in 1887 that it was unsuitable as a day of commemoration.
The first bank holidays was finally celebrated in the summer of 1880, when there were celebrations throughout the country and troop parades were held.