Are there any countries having an official celebration for the annexation of foreign territory?











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Most nations/countries celebrate their independence from some foreign power, a historical victory over aggressors or the end of a war. Are there any modern era examples where a historical event of annexation is being celebrated?



Note that I do not mean the case where native populations regain the control of an area lost to invading armies, but an invasion which is celebrated by the invaders, as a glorious event.










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    Many countries try to pretend their invasions were defensive in some way.
    – Eric
    Dec 3 at 18:31






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    Does it count if they claim it's a reunification rather than an annexation? The difference is just whether the official narrative is that they previously owned the territory in the past.
    – R..
    Dec 3 at 19:57






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    Does the US holiday of Columbus Day count? Or even thanksgiving? Both are arguably celebrations of an event which ultimately led to the annexation of land.
    – terdon
    Dec 3 at 20:26






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    Fourth of July. USA celebrates annexation of British America.
    – user207421
    Dec 4 at 5:56






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    If you accept thanksgiving as an example, I'd say it's much harder to find a country which does not celebrate the annexation of foreign territory.
    – Dmitry Grigoryev
    2 days ago















up vote
32
down vote

favorite
1












Most nations/countries celebrate their independence from some foreign power, a historical victory over aggressors or the end of a war. Are there any modern era examples where a historical event of annexation is being celebrated?



Note that I do not mean the case where native populations regain the control of an area lost to invading armies, but an invasion which is celebrated by the invaders, as a glorious event.










share|improve this question




















  • 7




    Many countries try to pretend their invasions were defensive in some way.
    – Eric
    Dec 3 at 18:31






  • 8




    Does it count if they claim it's a reunification rather than an annexation? The difference is just whether the official narrative is that they previously owned the territory in the past.
    – R..
    Dec 3 at 19:57






  • 11




    Does the US holiday of Columbus Day count? Or even thanksgiving? Both are arguably celebrations of an event which ultimately led to the annexation of land.
    – terdon
    Dec 3 at 20:26






  • 5




    Fourth of July. USA celebrates annexation of British America.
    – user207421
    Dec 4 at 5:56






  • 5




    If you accept thanksgiving as an example, I'd say it's much harder to find a country which does not celebrate the annexation of foreign territory.
    – Dmitry Grigoryev
    2 days ago













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up vote
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down vote

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1





Most nations/countries celebrate their independence from some foreign power, a historical victory over aggressors or the end of a war. Are there any modern era examples where a historical event of annexation is being celebrated?



Note that I do not mean the case where native populations regain the control of an area lost to invading armies, but an invasion which is celebrated by the invaders, as a glorious event.










share|improve this question















Most nations/countries celebrate their independence from some foreign power, a historical victory over aggressors or the end of a war. Are there any modern era examples where a historical event of annexation is being celebrated?



Note that I do not mean the case where native populations regain the control of an area lost to invading armies, but an invasion which is celebrated by the invaders, as a glorious event.







invasion annexation






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edited Dec 3 at 19:19

























asked Dec 2 at 19:33









Midas

3521310




3521310








  • 7




    Many countries try to pretend their invasions were defensive in some way.
    – Eric
    Dec 3 at 18:31






  • 8




    Does it count if they claim it's a reunification rather than an annexation? The difference is just whether the official narrative is that they previously owned the territory in the past.
    – R..
    Dec 3 at 19:57






  • 11




    Does the US holiday of Columbus Day count? Or even thanksgiving? Both are arguably celebrations of an event which ultimately led to the annexation of land.
    – terdon
    Dec 3 at 20:26






  • 5




    Fourth of July. USA celebrates annexation of British America.
    – user207421
    Dec 4 at 5:56






  • 5




    If you accept thanksgiving as an example, I'd say it's much harder to find a country which does not celebrate the annexation of foreign territory.
    – Dmitry Grigoryev
    2 days ago














  • 7




    Many countries try to pretend their invasions were defensive in some way.
    – Eric
    Dec 3 at 18:31






  • 8




    Does it count if they claim it's a reunification rather than an annexation? The difference is just whether the official narrative is that they previously owned the territory in the past.
    – R..
    Dec 3 at 19:57






  • 11




    Does the US holiday of Columbus Day count? Or even thanksgiving? Both are arguably celebrations of an event which ultimately led to the annexation of land.
    – terdon
    Dec 3 at 20:26






  • 5




    Fourth of July. USA celebrates annexation of British America.
    – user207421
    Dec 4 at 5:56






  • 5




    If you accept thanksgiving as an example, I'd say it's much harder to find a country which does not celebrate the annexation of foreign territory.
    – Dmitry Grigoryev
    2 days ago








7




7




Many countries try to pretend their invasions were defensive in some way.
– Eric
Dec 3 at 18:31




Many countries try to pretend their invasions were defensive in some way.
– Eric
Dec 3 at 18:31




8




8




Does it count if they claim it's a reunification rather than an annexation? The difference is just whether the official narrative is that they previously owned the territory in the past.
– R..
Dec 3 at 19:57




Does it count if they claim it's a reunification rather than an annexation? The difference is just whether the official narrative is that they previously owned the territory in the past.
– R..
Dec 3 at 19:57




11




11




Does the US holiday of Columbus Day count? Or even thanksgiving? Both are arguably celebrations of an event which ultimately led to the annexation of land.
– terdon
Dec 3 at 20:26




Does the US holiday of Columbus Day count? Or even thanksgiving? Both are arguably celebrations of an event which ultimately led to the annexation of land.
– terdon
Dec 3 at 20:26




5




5




Fourth of July. USA celebrates annexation of British America.
– user207421
Dec 4 at 5:56




Fourth of July. USA celebrates annexation of British America.
– user207421
Dec 4 at 5:56




5




5




If you accept thanksgiving as an example, I'd say it's much harder to find a country which does not celebrate the annexation of foreign territory.
– Dmitry Grigoryev
2 days ago




If you accept thanksgiving as an example, I'd say it's much harder to find a country which does not celebrate the annexation of foreign territory.
– Dmitry Grigoryev
2 days ago










9 Answers
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Turkey celebrates "Conquest Day" on May 29th to commemorate the Fall of Constantinople. On this occasion in 1453 the Ottomans took the Byzantine capital and made it their own capital.



Conquest day TV news broadcast



Commemorative illustration of invasion



American Historical Review editor Robert A. Schneider summarized Gavin D. Brockett's paper "When Ottomans Become Turks: Commemorating the Conquest of Constantinople and Its Contribution to World History":




In the modern Turkish Republic, May 29 celebrations have been a way of appropriating the imperial past for the national present. After an initial period of ambivalence following the founding of the republic, public memory embraced the quincentenary of Constantinople’s conquest in 1953.







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    I presume that this holiday hasn't been celebrated continuously since 1453 (or has it?) Do you know anything about the history of this celebration?
    – Michael Seifert
    2 days ago






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    Seems like only Constantinople celebrates its demise. WP tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkiye%27deki_resmî_tatiller does not list that for the nation?
    – LangLangC
    2 days ago






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    Also compare hurriyetdailynews.com/… & dw.com/en/…
    – LangLangC
    2 days ago






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    But it's not an Erdo-only-thing. doi.org/10.1093/ahr/119.2.399
    – LangLangC
    2 days ago






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    @LangLangC Good finds. Anything you'd like to see added?
    – Aaron Brick
    yesterday


















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Yes, there are at least two such cases.



Guanacaste Day is celebrated in Costa Rica to commemorate the annexation Guanacaste province from Nicaragua in 1824. However, my very brief research indicates it was a peaceful annexation, not the result of war.



More recently, the Russian parliament voted to create a holiday commemorating the annexation of Crimea in 1783 to be first celebrated in 2019.






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    annexation of Crimea from the Ottomans in 1783 — that's historically inaccurate phrase, Ottomans lost control over Crimean Khanate in 1774, almost decade before. So, it was annexation, but of de-jure independent state, which was no longer part of Ottoman Empire at a time.
    – user28434
    Dec 3 at 15:43


















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Yes. Romania celebrates on December 1 (Great Union Day) the annexation of Transylvania from Austria-Hungary.






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Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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  • 14




    @Midas: There is a dispute about this between Hungarians and Romanians, but this was not part of the question. The question was that is there a country which celebrates an annexation and this is clearly the case with the Great Union Day of Romania, when the annexation of Transylvania is celebrated.
    – Adam Gyenge
    Dec 3 at 5:49








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    @Midas : there is even a dispute between Romanian historians themselves, between ultranationalisitc and more sensible ones. No one but the ultranationalists claim that Romania "owned" Transylvania before the end of WW1. In the Middle Ages there was not even the concept of a Romanian statehood. There were the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia, formed in the 13th-14th centuries, and they fought more against each other than against anyone else. Besides a brief personal union under Michael the Brave lasting less than a year, there was no "ownership", so you can't talk about "taking it back".
    – vsz
    Dec 3 at 7:16








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    @vsz: I think he meant the Dacian times. However, there is also a difficulty with equating the (probably independent and/or partly nomadic) principality of Dacia, and the Roman province Dacia (which covered only a part of the 1918 land gain of Romania). If we take it seriously, then a significant part of the land (but not the whole) was owned by the Roman Empire for a while. Then the exact relationship between Dacians, the Roman Empire and Romanians is also not completely known, or let's say, disputed, and Midas mentions this too.
    – Adam Gyenge
    Dec 3 at 7:24








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    @vsz: Anyway, what I meant (and what you probably also mean) is that the modern state of Romania then came as a new administrator of the area, so according to international law it is an annexation. The 55% romanian population of the area of course welcomed this, the 30% hungarian population of the area opposed it, while the 10% saxons also supported it.
    – Adam Gyenge
    Dec 3 at 7:24






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    Romania gained for the first time Transylvania, but also other parts of Hungary proper (Banat and some parts of Eastern Hungary that were not historically Transylvania: Crisana region); also it took back some territories (Bessarabia taken from Russia/USSR and Bukovina from Austria-Hungary, but separate from Hungary proper) that historically had been parts of Moldavia, as well as south Dobrudja from Bulgaria (first taken in 1913, lost in 1918, re-taken in 1919). All this is celebrated on December 1st in relation to that date in 1918, although part of the gains were made in 1919.
    – cipricus
    Dec 3 at 13:04




















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On 6 November every year, Morocco celebrates the Green March, which led to the annexation of Western Sahara which was held by the Spanish at the time.






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    In the current form of the question, I'd suggest Germany, Italy and Israel. Caveats apply.





    Germany



    One question in the comments below the original question that arose displays nicely how flawed the concept asked about really is as it depends very much on opinions.




    Does the Day of German Unity, observed annually on October 3, count?




    Of course that would count. This inherently essentialist and nationalistic concept of 'former owners' would be what in that case? Nazi-Germany taking it back? Of course not! Unless we recognise the Federal Republic of Germany to be the seamless continuation of statehood of the Third Reich. Did the Red Army not leave and NVA cease to exist while the NATO rolled in? Was it not explicitly an annexation as devised by the basic law of the West (as opposed to the also envisioned unification)? There are opinions out there that only speak of annexation of the GDR.





    As there seem to be contentions evoked by the above example and its choice of sources to drive home the point about the absurdity and different interpretations possible about the term "annexation" with regard to the process that led to current form of Germany on a map –– Let's look at other languages, viewpoints? American, if you like:




    Chronology

    Feb 19 – GDR Prime Minister Modrow criticizes the plan to introduce a German currency union before elections are held in the GDR. He points out that a currency union must be combined with a social package. The participants at the Round Table protest against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

    Mar 1 – The "Alliance for Germany" adopts the campaign slogan "Freedom and affluence––never again socialism". The principal plank in their election platform is the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

    Mar 6 – In a joint declaration, East German Prime Minister Modrow and Soviet leader Gorbachev support the idea of a gradual merger of the two German states, but they warn against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law. Lothar de Maizière, leader of the East German CDU, speaks out against an unconditional annexation of the GDR by the FRG.

    July 10 – The coalition government in the GDR is divided over the question […] They also cannot agree on a date for the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

    [… quite some more …]



    Quoted from Richard T. Gray & Sabine Wilke: "German Unification and Its Discontents: Documents from the Peaceful Revolution", Washington University Press, 1996. (GBooks)




    If that still doesn't satisfy readers in terms of qualities of sources. Jürgen Habermas: "Yet Again: German Identity: A Unified Nation of Angry DM-Burghers?", New German Critique, No. 52, Special Issue on German Unification (Winter, 1991), pp. 84-101: (JSTOR)




    It is difficult not to write a satire about the first flowerings of chubby-faced DM-nationalism. The triumphant Chancellor let the thin but honest Prime Minister' know the conditions under which he was willing to buy up the GDR; in terms of monetary policy he pumped up the voters of an "Alliance for Germany" blackmailed into existence by himself; in terms of constitutional policy he set the course for annexation via article 23 of the Basic Law; and in terms of foreign policy he protested against the phrase "victorious powers" and left open the question of Poland's western border.[…]
    After his visit to Dresden, the Chancellor quickly decided on a double strategy of undisguised destabilization and quick annexation of the GDR, in order to make the Federal Republic master of the situation and at the same time preempt international friction. Evidently, the Federal government wants to enter into the difficult negotiations about distributing the burdens among the EC partners, about a transformed security system, and about decisions on a peace treaty from a position of strength provided by an economic and political annexation that is already a fait accompli. Hence, on the one hand, the Federal government stepped on the gas pedal; it effectively dramatized the number of refugees, even though no one knew how to influence their motives. On the other hand, it could reach the goal of annexation - i.e., unification according to the Federal Republic's terms - only by breaking down the GDR's resistance and creating the necessary majority for unification via Article 23 of the Basic Law.[…]

    This means, concretely, that the will of the voting public is given precedence over an annexation cleverly initiated but in the final analysis carried through only at the administrative level - an annexation which dishonestly evades one of the essential conditions for the founding of any nation of state-citizens: the public act of a carefully considered democratic decision taken in both parts of Germany. This act of foundation can only be carried out consciously and intentionally if we agree to accomplish unification via Article 23 of our Basic Law (which go the accession "of other parts of Germany")[…]

    If, now, the GDR, like the Saarland, accedes according to article 23, without any further changes in the Basic Law, the chosen method of unification will implicitly underline what the irredentists have ways affirmed: that the conditions for Article 146 have not yet been fulfilled That article states: "This Basic Law loses its validity on the day that a new constitution takes effect, chosen by the German people in free determination." And it is quite true: an "accession" of the GDR could
    not be the same thing as a free decision of the entire German people; because the citizens of the Federal Republic would have to leave the decision to the representatives of the GDR. When, then, if not now, will that day foreseen in Article 146 ever come? Are we still waiting for East Prussia and Silesia?




    The debate for clarification below the question as well at the debate that this answer has caused illustrate both brilliantly how loaded the term "annexation" is. Technically it is just nothing more than enlargement of territory, yet using that term qualifies the procedure in terms of "yep, OK vs Noway". Yet in case of Germany: "We like them, now, they won't do that!" And in the case of Russia and Crimea: "A typical! They just annex that peninsula, how dare they!".



    Just look at the idiotic argumentation in this article from the Washington Post: Russia’s bizarre proposal to condemn West Germany’s 1989 ‘annexation’ of East Germany and compare how they quote Gorbachev with what was just quoted above. "Annexation" does not describe or analyse, "annexation" approves or condemns.



    Further example: the Russian Wikipedia speaks of Crimea accession to the Russian Federation while West Germany annexed East-Germany




    2014 - the accession of the Crimea to the Russian Federation (with the formation of two new subjects - the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance Sevastopol), which did not receive international recognition.



    The unification of Germany, officially: the German reunification (German: Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) or the restoration of the unity of Germany (German: Herstellung der Einheit Deutschlands) - the incorporation of the GDR and West Berlin into the Federal Republic of Germany on October 3, 1990. At the same time, a new state was not created, and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany of 1949 was enacted in the annexed territories (German Beitrittsgebiet).




    Whatever any reader's perspective on this annexation or accession might be, since 1972–74 not only Eastern bloc states, but West-Germany, Australia, the US, the UK, the UN recognised the GDR as territory foreign to the Federal Republic of Germany.





    Israel



    Another instance would be Jerusalem day:




    Jerusalem Day (Hebrew: יום ירושלים‎, Yom Yerushalayim) is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the June 1967 Six-Day War. The day is officially marked by state ceremonies and memorial services.




    Is that former owners taking something back or blunt annexation?



    We observe an ongoing since then bloody conflict about the 'correct' opinion on that.





    Italy



    Perhaps the most extreme example – if not most bizarrely – is Italy celebrating Ferragosto. Introduced to celebrate the annexation of Egypt into the Roman Empire by emperor Augutus. As feriae Augusti on August 15, the day of his triumph when returning to Rome from conquering Egypt and annexing it, still a national holiday in Italy. (Of course, Christians say it is really the Assumption of Mary, but fascist Italy re-emphasised the conquest origin and most ordinary people today just make a holiday, any reasons disregarded).



    Also ran and further elaborations



    Hawaii celebrates being annexed, ahem, being admitted into statehood, on Statehood Day (3rd Friday in August) demonstrating once more that opinions might change over time.



    It is not really useful to ask the question in this way. "Former owners" and "foreign territory" depend on definition that sometimes can be quite arbitrary. "Annexation" is a concept that became much easier in recent years. "That's what the enemy does!" Russia reunifying with the Crimea? Iraq reunifying with its province of Kuweit? China oogling on Taiwan? Japan on the Kurils?



    Just look at the examples given under the broken definition listed at Wikipedia:




    Annexation (Latin ad, to, and nexus, joining) is the administrative action and concept in international law relating to the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state. It is generally held to be an illegal act. It is distinct from conquest, which refers to the acquisition of control over a territory involving a change of sovereignty, and differs from cession, in which territory is given or sold through treaty, since annexation is a unilateral act where territory is seized and held by one state.




    To get to the core of the question we probably have to ask something more along those lines:



    Does any country celebrate regularly past military victories with the feature of territory added to the celebrating state?



    That list might get quite long.



    To perhaps better illustrate the ambiguities involved to answer such a question: we might look at the National Day of Catalonia. Spanish nationalists celebrate the loss of autonomy of that region and Catalonian nationalists mourn the exact same thing and date. Is there any objective way to decide who's right on that matter?



    Or going again into history: Alsace-Lorraine was officially ceded to the German Reich in the treaty of Frankfurt in 1871. This was celebrated indirectly in Germany as Sedantag. France and many later victorious powers didn't like the result and called it an injustice and annexation. Yet, who were the 'former owners' and was the process illegal? In 1872 the inhabitants were given the choice of option and 90% seemed in agreement of the procedure, officially deciding to become Germans, and two thirds of those who declared their desire to stay French stayed put.

    As a historian of antiquity I deny either France or Germany that title of "former" or even "original owner". Even Romans are not the original owners of that territory. That title goes to either the Neanderthals or the Old-Europeans that were driven away or assimilated by incoming Indo-Europeans.



    "Former owners" is either just 'the state of affairs from last year' or a senseless abuse of history. Most often the latter.






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      I would elaborate, but your choice of "sources" regarding the German "annexation" basically says it all. (Two articles about the Russian Duma "evaluating" whether they want to call it thus, in 2015, and a couple of explicitly anti-German blogs.) If you'd present it as a possible viewpoint, OK, but positing it as fact crosses the line IMHO.
      – DevSolar
      Dec 3 at 15:57






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      You also say "of course that would count", "nationalistic", equating the FRG with Nazi-Germany including "funny" snide remark, claiming that "NATO rolled in" etc. etc. -- reporting instead of endorsing sounds different.
      – DevSolar
      Dec 3 at 16:06






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      @DevSolar NATO did roll in, and legally the reunification was an annexation. The GDR no longer exists, Germany is the successor of West Germany. It would be different if both GDR and FRG had ceased to exist and a new nation had been founded in place of both, but that is not what happened.
      – gerrit
      Dec 3 at 16:17






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      The key thing regarding the Germany case is that the GDR decided to join the FRG. The population had an inaccurate idea of the economic consequences, but in both German states there was a clear majority for candidates who favored some sort of reunification.
      – o.m.
      Dec 3 at 18:53






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      People ascribing opinions to others is one of my biggest pet peeves. Just read the answer for what it says and don't try to ascribe any kind of political stance to the author that isn't clearly expressed. Describing things from the viewpoint of either side of an issue is a way to make an argument and doesn't necessarily reflect opinion. LangLangC is pointing out an issue with how people see the word "annexation" by bringing up various historical events and framing them from a different perspective than we're used to. I see no attempt to actually drive any kind of political narrative.
      – Kapten-N
      2 days ago




















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    Not a complete country, but a faction within the country.



    William III invaded Britain, with popular support from the majority-Protestant population. Northern Irish Protestants still celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, where William crushed James II/VII's army and ended any real opposition to his invasion.



    Of course, this is an artifact of the fractured society of Ireland, and subsequently of Northern Ireland. Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle, because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools.






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    • If people elsewhere in the UK have heard of it, it's probably due to Northern Ireland.
      – gerrit
      Dec 3 at 15:20






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      "Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle" eh? I'm not to hot on all the details of the Battle of the Boyne, but I'm certainly aware of it. And I'd be surprised if most people didn't know of William at least as part of 'William and Mary'.
      – Orangesandlemons
      2 days ago






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      "because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools." Regardless of the situation of Ireland (both sides of which were fighting for a British King in this battle of course), claiming people not hearing about William is due to not teaching British colonial exploits is somewhat Bizarre.
      – Orangesandlemons
      2 days ago






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      @JonathanCast Too little teaching, too much history to cover. To understand European history, you need to know the background going back to Roman history at the very least, and that's too much to teach. So typically at school we end up with a "greatest hits" compilation, with a lot of gaps in between.
      – Graham
      2 days ago






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      @Graham Indeed, I'm bad at many, but William III is one of the better-known ones. Ask me about William IV and I start hemming and hawing beyond 'he was Hanoverian'
      – Orangesandlemons
      2 days ago


















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    A lot of polities or part of them have been founded as result of the conquest of their territory. Therefore, commemorating the conquest mixes with commemorating the founding of the polity.



    Istanbul Conquest Day, mentioned in another answer, is a great example - it does not commemorate the founding of the state, but the completion of the conquest of its core lands.



    As another example, Valentian National Day commemorates the conquest of Valencia by James I of Aragon from previous Muslim holders and subsequent founding of the Kingdom of Valencia.



    Australia Day is not very different from commemorating a conquest - just because of lack of serious resistance -, because it commemorates taking possession of a new land while disregarding previous inhabitants wishes and interests.



    New Caledonia Day also commemorates the incorporation of New Caledonia as a French protectorate in 1853 - not exactly a conquest but not far from it.






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    • Interesting fact about Australia! Thanks!
      – Midas
      Dec 3 at 5:40










    • In this regards US states also conquested the land, and kind of falls to the same pattern as AU :)
      – Askar Kalykov
      Dec 3 at 12:42






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      @AskarKalykov - As far as I know, US states tend to commemorate their admission day, not the day the US took the territory from somebody else.
      – Pere
      Dec 3 at 12:59


















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    Spain's National Day is celebrated on October 12th, the day Columbus (re)discovered the American continent in 1492.



    Given that every discovered territory was subsequently claimed by the Spanish Crown and promptly conquered/annexed, thus marking the birth of the Spanish Empire, this holiday can be seen as a celebration of the annexation of the American territories -- the date would hardly be a National Day if the Spanish Empire hadn't happened. In fact:




    The chosen date, the 12th of October, symbolizes the historical event in which Spain, about to conclude a State-building process rooted in our cultural and political plurality, as well as the integration of Spain's kingdoms under the same Monarchy, begins a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond European limits.
    Excerpt from the law proclaiming the 12th of October as National Day (bold mine) (full text in Spanish)




    This "State-building process" and "integration of kingdoms" would be the Reconquista, which ultimately ended with the Capitulation of Granada on January 2nd, 1492, just months before Columbus set sail.

    So this territorial unification and expansion is officially acknowledged as the motivation of the celebration, although the text of the law using a milder language (the law is from 1987 after all).






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      @EldritchWarlord There's a fair possibility that America was already known to the Nordic nations. Hence the parentheses surrounding (re): it is my way of allowing for both points of view. Sure, for all Columbus and the men and women of his time knew, he had just discovered a new land; but it was possibly not the first time someone had discovered it.
      – Luis G.
      Dec 3 at 15:31






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      I don't believe Norse knowledge of the areas beyond Greenland ever made it into the broader European community.
      – Steven Burnap
      Dec 3 at 17:49






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      @StevenBurnap Obviously. We would not be talking about Columbus' discovery if it did...
      – Luis G.
      2 days ago






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      @LangLangC There's a lot of such dates indeed, we have a very eventful history -- but OP is asking for national celebrations, and only October 12th is regarded as a National Day in Spain. You made however a very good point about the conquest of Granada, which also happened in 1492. I may edit the answer later to mention that.
      – Luis G.
      2 days ago






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      @LuisG. Even if the Norse discovery of land in modern Canada was known to other Europeans (which seems very unlikely) Columbus discovered land in the Caribbean which was unknown to any European. I guess this is just a semantic disagreement, both are in North America so as you say they discovered the same continent.
      – EldritchWarlord
      2 days ago


















    up vote
    4
    down vote













    Italy also has a (not too much celebrated, not a bank holiday) official celebration for its unification, after Piedmont had "liberated" most of the peninsula. But a man's unification/liberation is another man's conquest/annexation, depending on how words and sides turn.






    share|improve this answer








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    Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      protected by Pieter Geerkens 2 days ago



      Thank you for your interest in this question.
      Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).



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      9 Answers
      9






      active

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      9 Answers
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      active

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      active

      oldest

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      active

      oldest

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      up vote
      50
      down vote













      Turkey celebrates "Conquest Day" on May 29th to commemorate the Fall of Constantinople. On this occasion in 1453 the Ottomans took the Byzantine capital and made it their own capital.



      Conquest day TV news broadcast



      Commemorative illustration of invasion



      American Historical Review editor Robert A. Schneider summarized Gavin D. Brockett's paper "When Ottomans Become Turks: Commemorating the Conquest of Constantinople and Its Contribution to World History":




      In the modern Turkish Republic, May 29 celebrations have been a way of appropriating the imperial past for the national present. After an initial period of ambivalence following the founding of the republic, public memory embraced the quincentenary of Constantinople’s conquest in 1953.







      share|improve this answer



















      • 2




        I presume that this holiday hasn't been celebrated continuously since 1453 (or has it?) Do you know anything about the history of this celebration?
        – Michael Seifert
        2 days ago






      • 1




        Seems like only Constantinople celebrates its demise. WP tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkiye%27deki_resmî_tatiller does not list that for the nation?
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        Also compare hurriyetdailynews.com/… & dw.com/en/…
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        But it's not an Erdo-only-thing. doi.org/10.1093/ahr/119.2.399
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        @LangLangC Good finds. Anything you'd like to see added?
        – Aaron Brick
        yesterday















      up vote
      50
      down vote













      Turkey celebrates "Conquest Day" on May 29th to commemorate the Fall of Constantinople. On this occasion in 1453 the Ottomans took the Byzantine capital and made it their own capital.



      Conquest day TV news broadcast



      Commemorative illustration of invasion



      American Historical Review editor Robert A. Schneider summarized Gavin D. Brockett's paper "When Ottomans Become Turks: Commemorating the Conquest of Constantinople and Its Contribution to World History":




      In the modern Turkish Republic, May 29 celebrations have been a way of appropriating the imperial past for the national present. After an initial period of ambivalence following the founding of the republic, public memory embraced the quincentenary of Constantinople’s conquest in 1953.







      share|improve this answer



















      • 2




        I presume that this holiday hasn't been celebrated continuously since 1453 (or has it?) Do you know anything about the history of this celebration?
        – Michael Seifert
        2 days ago






      • 1




        Seems like only Constantinople celebrates its demise. WP tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkiye%27deki_resmî_tatiller does not list that for the nation?
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        Also compare hurriyetdailynews.com/… & dw.com/en/…
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        But it's not an Erdo-only-thing. doi.org/10.1093/ahr/119.2.399
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        @LangLangC Good finds. Anything you'd like to see added?
        – Aaron Brick
        yesterday













      up vote
      50
      down vote










      up vote
      50
      down vote









      Turkey celebrates "Conquest Day" on May 29th to commemorate the Fall of Constantinople. On this occasion in 1453 the Ottomans took the Byzantine capital and made it their own capital.



      Conquest day TV news broadcast



      Commemorative illustration of invasion



      American Historical Review editor Robert A. Schneider summarized Gavin D. Brockett's paper "When Ottomans Become Turks: Commemorating the Conquest of Constantinople and Its Contribution to World History":




      In the modern Turkish Republic, May 29 celebrations have been a way of appropriating the imperial past for the national present. After an initial period of ambivalence following the founding of the republic, public memory embraced the quincentenary of Constantinople’s conquest in 1953.







      share|improve this answer














      Turkey celebrates "Conquest Day" on May 29th to commemorate the Fall of Constantinople. On this occasion in 1453 the Ottomans took the Byzantine capital and made it their own capital.



      Conquest day TV news broadcast



      Commemorative illustration of invasion



      American Historical Review editor Robert A. Schneider summarized Gavin D. Brockett's paper "When Ottomans Become Turks: Commemorating the Conquest of Constantinople and Its Contribution to World History":




      In the modern Turkish Republic, May 29 celebrations have been a way of appropriating the imperial past for the national present. After an initial period of ambivalence following the founding of the republic, public memory embraced the quincentenary of Constantinople’s conquest in 1953.








      share|improve this answer














      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer








      edited yesterday

























      answered Dec 2 at 21:24









      Aaron Brick

      11.6k33080




      11.6k33080








      • 2




        I presume that this holiday hasn't been celebrated continuously since 1453 (or has it?) Do you know anything about the history of this celebration?
        – Michael Seifert
        2 days ago






      • 1




        Seems like only Constantinople celebrates its demise. WP tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkiye%27deki_resmî_tatiller does not list that for the nation?
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        Also compare hurriyetdailynews.com/… & dw.com/en/…
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        But it's not an Erdo-only-thing. doi.org/10.1093/ahr/119.2.399
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        @LangLangC Good finds. Anything you'd like to see added?
        – Aaron Brick
        yesterday














      • 2




        I presume that this holiday hasn't been celebrated continuously since 1453 (or has it?) Do you know anything about the history of this celebration?
        – Michael Seifert
        2 days ago






      • 1




        Seems like only Constantinople celebrates its demise. WP tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkiye%27deki_resmî_tatiller does not list that for the nation?
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        Also compare hurriyetdailynews.com/… & dw.com/en/…
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        But it's not an Erdo-only-thing. doi.org/10.1093/ahr/119.2.399
        – LangLangC
        2 days ago






      • 1




        @LangLangC Good finds. Anything you'd like to see added?
        – Aaron Brick
        yesterday








      2




      2




      I presume that this holiday hasn't been celebrated continuously since 1453 (or has it?) Do you know anything about the history of this celebration?
      – Michael Seifert
      2 days ago




      I presume that this holiday hasn't been celebrated continuously since 1453 (or has it?) Do you know anything about the history of this celebration?
      – Michael Seifert
      2 days ago




      1




      1




      Seems like only Constantinople celebrates its demise. WP tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkiye%27deki_resmî_tatiller does not list that for the nation?
      – LangLangC
      2 days ago




      Seems like only Constantinople celebrates its demise. WP tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkiye%27deki_resmî_tatiller does not list that for the nation?
      – LangLangC
      2 days ago




      1




      1




      Also compare hurriyetdailynews.com/… & dw.com/en/…
      – LangLangC
      2 days ago




      Also compare hurriyetdailynews.com/… & dw.com/en/…
      – LangLangC
      2 days ago




      1




      1




      But it's not an Erdo-only-thing. doi.org/10.1093/ahr/119.2.399
      – LangLangC
      2 days ago




      But it's not an Erdo-only-thing. doi.org/10.1093/ahr/119.2.399
      – LangLangC
      2 days ago




      1




      1




      @LangLangC Good finds. Anything you'd like to see added?
      – Aaron Brick
      yesterday




      @LangLangC Good finds. Anything you'd like to see added?
      – Aaron Brick
      yesterday










      up vote
      36
      down vote













      Yes, there are at least two such cases.



      Guanacaste Day is celebrated in Costa Rica to commemorate the annexation Guanacaste province from Nicaragua in 1824. However, my very brief research indicates it was a peaceful annexation, not the result of war.



      More recently, the Russian parliament voted to create a holiday commemorating the annexation of Crimea in 1783 to be first celebrated in 2019.






      share|improve this answer



















      • 4




        annexation of Crimea from the Ottomans in 1783 — that's historically inaccurate phrase, Ottomans lost control over Crimean Khanate in 1774, almost decade before. So, it was annexation, but of de-jure independent state, which was no longer part of Ottoman Empire at a time.
        – user28434
        Dec 3 at 15:43















      up vote
      36
      down vote













      Yes, there are at least two such cases.



      Guanacaste Day is celebrated in Costa Rica to commemorate the annexation Guanacaste province from Nicaragua in 1824. However, my very brief research indicates it was a peaceful annexation, not the result of war.



      More recently, the Russian parliament voted to create a holiday commemorating the annexation of Crimea in 1783 to be first celebrated in 2019.






      share|improve this answer



















      • 4




        annexation of Crimea from the Ottomans in 1783 — that's historically inaccurate phrase, Ottomans lost control over Crimean Khanate in 1774, almost decade before. So, it was annexation, but of de-jure independent state, which was no longer part of Ottoman Empire at a time.
        – user28434
        Dec 3 at 15:43













      up vote
      36
      down vote










      up vote
      36
      down vote









      Yes, there are at least two such cases.



      Guanacaste Day is celebrated in Costa Rica to commemorate the annexation Guanacaste province from Nicaragua in 1824. However, my very brief research indicates it was a peaceful annexation, not the result of war.



      More recently, the Russian parliament voted to create a holiday commemorating the annexation of Crimea in 1783 to be first celebrated in 2019.






      share|improve this answer














      Yes, there are at least two such cases.



      Guanacaste Day is celebrated in Costa Rica to commemorate the annexation Guanacaste province from Nicaragua in 1824. However, my very brief research indicates it was a peaceful annexation, not the result of war.



      More recently, the Russian parliament voted to create a holiday commemorating the annexation of Crimea in 1783 to be first celebrated in 2019.







      share|improve this answer














      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer








      edited Dec 4 at 4:36

























      answered Dec 2 at 21:23









      Steven Burnap

      3,7631827




      3,7631827








      • 4




        annexation of Crimea from the Ottomans in 1783 — that's historically inaccurate phrase, Ottomans lost control over Crimean Khanate in 1774, almost decade before. So, it was annexation, but of de-jure independent state, which was no longer part of Ottoman Empire at a time.
        – user28434
        Dec 3 at 15:43














      • 4




        annexation of Crimea from the Ottomans in 1783 — that's historically inaccurate phrase, Ottomans lost control over Crimean Khanate in 1774, almost decade before. So, it was annexation, but of de-jure independent state, which was no longer part of Ottoman Empire at a time.
        – user28434
        Dec 3 at 15:43








      4




      4




      annexation of Crimea from the Ottomans in 1783 — that's historically inaccurate phrase, Ottomans lost control over Crimean Khanate in 1774, almost decade before. So, it was annexation, but of de-jure independent state, which was no longer part of Ottoman Empire at a time.
      – user28434
      Dec 3 at 15:43




      annexation of Crimea from the Ottomans in 1783 — that's historically inaccurate phrase, Ottomans lost control over Crimean Khanate in 1774, almost decade before. So, it was annexation, but of de-jure independent state, which was no longer part of Ottoman Empire at a time.
      – user28434
      Dec 3 at 15:43










      up vote
      25
      down vote













      Yes. Romania celebrates on December 1 (Great Union Day) the annexation of Transylvania from Austria-Hungary.






      share|improve this answer










      New contributor




      Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.














      • 14




        @Midas: There is a dispute about this between Hungarians and Romanians, but this was not part of the question. The question was that is there a country which celebrates an annexation and this is clearly the case with the Great Union Day of Romania, when the annexation of Transylvania is celebrated.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 5:49








      • 7




        @Midas : there is even a dispute between Romanian historians themselves, between ultranationalisitc and more sensible ones. No one but the ultranationalists claim that Romania "owned" Transylvania before the end of WW1. In the Middle Ages there was not even the concept of a Romanian statehood. There were the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia, formed in the 13th-14th centuries, and they fought more against each other than against anyone else. Besides a brief personal union under Michael the Brave lasting less than a year, there was no "ownership", so you can't talk about "taking it back".
        – vsz
        Dec 3 at 7:16








      • 1




        @vsz: I think he meant the Dacian times. However, there is also a difficulty with equating the (probably independent and/or partly nomadic) principality of Dacia, and the Roman province Dacia (which covered only a part of the 1918 land gain of Romania). If we take it seriously, then a significant part of the land (but not the whole) was owned by the Roman Empire for a while. Then the exact relationship between Dacians, the Roman Empire and Romanians is also not completely known, or let's say, disputed, and Midas mentions this too.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 7:24








      • 5




        @vsz: Anyway, what I meant (and what you probably also mean) is that the modern state of Romania then came as a new administrator of the area, so according to international law it is an annexation. The 55% romanian population of the area of course welcomed this, the 30% hungarian population of the area opposed it, while the 10% saxons also supported it.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 7:24






      • 1




        Romania gained for the first time Transylvania, but also other parts of Hungary proper (Banat and some parts of Eastern Hungary that were not historically Transylvania: Crisana region); also it took back some territories (Bessarabia taken from Russia/USSR and Bukovina from Austria-Hungary, but separate from Hungary proper) that historically had been parts of Moldavia, as well as south Dobrudja from Bulgaria (first taken in 1913, lost in 1918, re-taken in 1919). All this is celebrated on December 1st in relation to that date in 1918, although part of the gains were made in 1919.
        – cipricus
        Dec 3 at 13:04

















      up vote
      25
      down vote













      Yes. Romania celebrates on December 1 (Great Union Day) the annexation of Transylvania from Austria-Hungary.






      share|improve this answer










      New contributor




      Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.














      • 14




        @Midas: There is a dispute about this between Hungarians and Romanians, but this was not part of the question. The question was that is there a country which celebrates an annexation and this is clearly the case with the Great Union Day of Romania, when the annexation of Transylvania is celebrated.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 5:49








      • 7




        @Midas : there is even a dispute between Romanian historians themselves, between ultranationalisitc and more sensible ones. No one but the ultranationalists claim that Romania "owned" Transylvania before the end of WW1. In the Middle Ages there was not even the concept of a Romanian statehood. There were the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia, formed in the 13th-14th centuries, and they fought more against each other than against anyone else. Besides a brief personal union under Michael the Brave lasting less than a year, there was no "ownership", so you can't talk about "taking it back".
        – vsz
        Dec 3 at 7:16








      • 1




        @vsz: I think he meant the Dacian times. However, there is also a difficulty with equating the (probably independent and/or partly nomadic) principality of Dacia, and the Roman province Dacia (which covered only a part of the 1918 land gain of Romania). If we take it seriously, then a significant part of the land (but not the whole) was owned by the Roman Empire for a while. Then the exact relationship between Dacians, the Roman Empire and Romanians is also not completely known, or let's say, disputed, and Midas mentions this too.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 7:24








      • 5




        @vsz: Anyway, what I meant (and what you probably also mean) is that the modern state of Romania then came as a new administrator of the area, so according to international law it is an annexation. The 55% romanian population of the area of course welcomed this, the 30% hungarian population of the area opposed it, while the 10% saxons also supported it.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 7:24






      • 1




        Romania gained for the first time Transylvania, but also other parts of Hungary proper (Banat and some parts of Eastern Hungary that were not historically Transylvania: Crisana region); also it took back some territories (Bessarabia taken from Russia/USSR and Bukovina from Austria-Hungary, but separate from Hungary proper) that historically had been parts of Moldavia, as well as south Dobrudja from Bulgaria (first taken in 1913, lost in 1918, re-taken in 1919). All this is celebrated on December 1st in relation to that date in 1918, although part of the gains were made in 1919.
        – cipricus
        Dec 3 at 13:04















      up vote
      25
      down vote










      up vote
      25
      down vote









      Yes. Romania celebrates on December 1 (Great Union Day) the annexation of Transylvania from Austria-Hungary.






      share|improve this answer










      New contributor




      Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









      Yes. Romania celebrates on December 1 (Great Union Day) the annexation of Transylvania from Austria-Hungary.







      share|improve this answer










      New contributor




      Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer








      edited Dec 3 at 4:50





















      New contributor




      Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









      answered Dec 3 at 4:16









      Adam Gyenge

      40114




      40114




      New contributor




      Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.





      New contributor





      Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.






      Adam Gyenge is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.








      • 14




        @Midas: There is a dispute about this between Hungarians and Romanians, but this was not part of the question. The question was that is there a country which celebrates an annexation and this is clearly the case with the Great Union Day of Romania, when the annexation of Transylvania is celebrated.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 5:49








      • 7




        @Midas : there is even a dispute between Romanian historians themselves, between ultranationalisitc and more sensible ones. No one but the ultranationalists claim that Romania "owned" Transylvania before the end of WW1. In the Middle Ages there was not even the concept of a Romanian statehood. There were the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia, formed in the 13th-14th centuries, and they fought more against each other than against anyone else. Besides a brief personal union under Michael the Brave lasting less than a year, there was no "ownership", so you can't talk about "taking it back".
        – vsz
        Dec 3 at 7:16








      • 1




        @vsz: I think he meant the Dacian times. However, there is also a difficulty with equating the (probably independent and/or partly nomadic) principality of Dacia, and the Roman province Dacia (which covered only a part of the 1918 land gain of Romania). If we take it seriously, then a significant part of the land (but not the whole) was owned by the Roman Empire for a while. Then the exact relationship between Dacians, the Roman Empire and Romanians is also not completely known, or let's say, disputed, and Midas mentions this too.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 7:24








      • 5




        @vsz: Anyway, what I meant (and what you probably also mean) is that the modern state of Romania then came as a new administrator of the area, so according to international law it is an annexation. The 55% romanian population of the area of course welcomed this, the 30% hungarian population of the area opposed it, while the 10% saxons also supported it.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 7:24






      • 1




        Romania gained for the first time Transylvania, but also other parts of Hungary proper (Banat and some parts of Eastern Hungary that were not historically Transylvania: Crisana region); also it took back some territories (Bessarabia taken from Russia/USSR and Bukovina from Austria-Hungary, but separate from Hungary proper) that historically had been parts of Moldavia, as well as south Dobrudja from Bulgaria (first taken in 1913, lost in 1918, re-taken in 1919). All this is celebrated on December 1st in relation to that date in 1918, although part of the gains were made in 1919.
        – cipricus
        Dec 3 at 13:04
















      • 14




        @Midas: There is a dispute about this between Hungarians and Romanians, but this was not part of the question. The question was that is there a country which celebrates an annexation and this is clearly the case with the Great Union Day of Romania, when the annexation of Transylvania is celebrated.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 5:49








      • 7




        @Midas : there is even a dispute between Romanian historians themselves, between ultranationalisitc and more sensible ones. No one but the ultranationalists claim that Romania "owned" Transylvania before the end of WW1. In the Middle Ages there was not even the concept of a Romanian statehood. There were the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia, formed in the 13th-14th centuries, and they fought more against each other than against anyone else. Besides a brief personal union under Michael the Brave lasting less than a year, there was no "ownership", so you can't talk about "taking it back".
        – vsz
        Dec 3 at 7:16








      • 1




        @vsz: I think he meant the Dacian times. However, there is also a difficulty with equating the (probably independent and/or partly nomadic) principality of Dacia, and the Roman province Dacia (which covered only a part of the 1918 land gain of Romania). If we take it seriously, then a significant part of the land (but not the whole) was owned by the Roman Empire for a while. Then the exact relationship between Dacians, the Roman Empire and Romanians is also not completely known, or let's say, disputed, and Midas mentions this too.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 7:24








      • 5




        @vsz: Anyway, what I meant (and what you probably also mean) is that the modern state of Romania then came as a new administrator of the area, so according to international law it is an annexation. The 55% romanian population of the area of course welcomed this, the 30% hungarian population of the area opposed it, while the 10% saxons also supported it.
        – Adam Gyenge
        Dec 3 at 7:24






      • 1




        Romania gained for the first time Transylvania, but also other parts of Hungary proper (Banat and some parts of Eastern Hungary that were not historically Transylvania: Crisana region); also it took back some territories (Bessarabia taken from Russia/USSR and Bukovina from Austria-Hungary, but separate from Hungary proper) that historically had been parts of Moldavia, as well as south Dobrudja from Bulgaria (first taken in 1913, lost in 1918, re-taken in 1919). All this is celebrated on December 1st in relation to that date in 1918, although part of the gains were made in 1919.
        – cipricus
        Dec 3 at 13:04










      14




      14




      @Midas: There is a dispute about this between Hungarians and Romanians, but this was not part of the question. The question was that is there a country which celebrates an annexation and this is clearly the case with the Great Union Day of Romania, when the annexation of Transylvania is celebrated.
      – Adam Gyenge
      Dec 3 at 5:49






      @Midas: There is a dispute about this between Hungarians and Romanians, but this was not part of the question. The question was that is there a country which celebrates an annexation and this is clearly the case with the Great Union Day of Romania, when the annexation of Transylvania is celebrated.
      – Adam Gyenge
      Dec 3 at 5:49






      7




      7




      @Midas : there is even a dispute between Romanian historians themselves, between ultranationalisitc and more sensible ones. No one but the ultranationalists claim that Romania "owned" Transylvania before the end of WW1. In the Middle Ages there was not even the concept of a Romanian statehood. There were the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia, formed in the 13th-14th centuries, and they fought more against each other than against anyone else. Besides a brief personal union under Michael the Brave lasting less than a year, there was no "ownership", so you can't talk about "taking it back".
      – vsz
      Dec 3 at 7:16






      @Midas : there is even a dispute between Romanian historians themselves, between ultranationalisitc and more sensible ones. No one but the ultranationalists claim that Romania "owned" Transylvania before the end of WW1. In the Middle Ages there was not even the concept of a Romanian statehood. There were the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia, formed in the 13th-14th centuries, and they fought more against each other than against anyone else. Besides a brief personal union under Michael the Brave lasting less than a year, there was no "ownership", so you can't talk about "taking it back".
      – vsz
      Dec 3 at 7:16






      1




      1




      @vsz: I think he meant the Dacian times. However, there is also a difficulty with equating the (probably independent and/or partly nomadic) principality of Dacia, and the Roman province Dacia (which covered only a part of the 1918 land gain of Romania). If we take it seriously, then a significant part of the land (but not the whole) was owned by the Roman Empire for a while. Then the exact relationship between Dacians, the Roman Empire and Romanians is also not completely known, or let's say, disputed, and Midas mentions this too.
      – Adam Gyenge
      Dec 3 at 7:24






      @vsz: I think he meant the Dacian times. However, there is also a difficulty with equating the (probably independent and/or partly nomadic) principality of Dacia, and the Roman province Dacia (which covered only a part of the 1918 land gain of Romania). If we take it seriously, then a significant part of the land (but not the whole) was owned by the Roman Empire for a while. Then the exact relationship between Dacians, the Roman Empire and Romanians is also not completely known, or let's say, disputed, and Midas mentions this too.
      – Adam Gyenge
      Dec 3 at 7:24






      5




      5




      @vsz: Anyway, what I meant (and what you probably also mean) is that the modern state of Romania then came as a new administrator of the area, so according to international law it is an annexation. The 55% romanian population of the area of course welcomed this, the 30% hungarian population of the area opposed it, while the 10% saxons also supported it.
      – Adam Gyenge
      Dec 3 at 7:24




      @vsz: Anyway, what I meant (and what you probably also mean) is that the modern state of Romania then came as a new administrator of the area, so according to international law it is an annexation. The 55% romanian population of the area of course welcomed this, the 30% hungarian population of the area opposed it, while the 10% saxons also supported it.
      – Adam Gyenge
      Dec 3 at 7:24




      1




      1




      Romania gained for the first time Transylvania, but also other parts of Hungary proper (Banat and some parts of Eastern Hungary that were not historically Transylvania: Crisana region); also it took back some territories (Bessarabia taken from Russia/USSR and Bukovina from Austria-Hungary, but separate from Hungary proper) that historically had been parts of Moldavia, as well as south Dobrudja from Bulgaria (first taken in 1913, lost in 1918, re-taken in 1919). All this is celebrated on December 1st in relation to that date in 1918, although part of the gains were made in 1919.
      – cipricus
      Dec 3 at 13:04






      Romania gained for the first time Transylvania, but also other parts of Hungary proper (Banat and some parts of Eastern Hungary that were not historically Transylvania: Crisana region); also it took back some territories (Bessarabia taken from Russia/USSR and Bukovina from Austria-Hungary, but separate from Hungary proper) that historically had been parts of Moldavia, as well as south Dobrudja from Bulgaria (first taken in 1913, lost in 1918, re-taken in 1919). All this is celebrated on December 1st in relation to that date in 1918, although part of the gains were made in 1919.
      – cipricus
      Dec 3 at 13:04












      up vote
      17
      down vote













      On 6 November every year, Morocco celebrates the Green March, which led to the annexation of Western Sahara which was held by the Spanish at the time.






      share|improve this answer










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      user2384824 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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        up vote
        17
        down vote













        On 6 November every year, Morocco celebrates the Green March, which led to the annexation of Western Sahara which was held by the Spanish at the time.






        share|improve this answer










        New contributor




        user2384824 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.




















          up vote
          17
          down vote










          up vote
          17
          down vote









          On 6 November every year, Morocco celebrates the Green March, which led to the annexation of Western Sahara which was held by the Spanish at the time.






          share|improve this answer










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          user2384824 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.









          On 6 November every year, Morocco celebrates the Green March, which led to the annexation of Western Sahara which was held by the Spanish at the time.







          share|improve this answer










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          user2384824 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited Dec 3 at 12:00









          sempaiscuba

          46.1k5159205




          46.1k5159205






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          answered Dec 3 at 11:41









          user2384824

          1712




          1712




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          New contributor





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              up vote
              14
              down vote













              In the current form of the question, I'd suggest Germany, Italy and Israel. Caveats apply.





              Germany



              One question in the comments below the original question that arose displays nicely how flawed the concept asked about really is as it depends very much on opinions.




              Does the Day of German Unity, observed annually on October 3, count?




              Of course that would count. This inherently essentialist and nationalistic concept of 'former owners' would be what in that case? Nazi-Germany taking it back? Of course not! Unless we recognise the Federal Republic of Germany to be the seamless continuation of statehood of the Third Reich. Did the Red Army not leave and NVA cease to exist while the NATO rolled in? Was it not explicitly an annexation as devised by the basic law of the West (as opposed to the also envisioned unification)? There are opinions out there that only speak of annexation of the GDR.





              As there seem to be contentions evoked by the above example and its choice of sources to drive home the point about the absurdity and different interpretations possible about the term "annexation" with regard to the process that led to current form of Germany on a map –– Let's look at other languages, viewpoints? American, if you like:




              Chronology

              Feb 19 – GDR Prime Minister Modrow criticizes the plan to introduce a German currency union before elections are held in the GDR. He points out that a currency union must be combined with a social package. The participants at the Round Table protest against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              Mar 1 – The "Alliance for Germany" adopts the campaign slogan "Freedom and affluence––never again socialism". The principal plank in their election platform is the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              Mar 6 – In a joint declaration, East German Prime Minister Modrow and Soviet leader Gorbachev support the idea of a gradual merger of the two German states, but they warn against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law. Lothar de Maizière, leader of the East German CDU, speaks out against an unconditional annexation of the GDR by the FRG.

              July 10 – The coalition government in the GDR is divided over the question […] They also cannot agree on a date for the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              [… quite some more …]



              Quoted from Richard T. Gray & Sabine Wilke: "German Unification and Its Discontents: Documents from the Peaceful Revolution", Washington University Press, 1996. (GBooks)




              If that still doesn't satisfy readers in terms of qualities of sources. Jürgen Habermas: "Yet Again: German Identity: A Unified Nation of Angry DM-Burghers?", New German Critique, No. 52, Special Issue on German Unification (Winter, 1991), pp. 84-101: (JSTOR)




              It is difficult not to write a satire about the first flowerings of chubby-faced DM-nationalism. The triumphant Chancellor let the thin but honest Prime Minister' know the conditions under which he was willing to buy up the GDR; in terms of monetary policy he pumped up the voters of an "Alliance for Germany" blackmailed into existence by himself; in terms of constitutional policy he set the course for annexation via article 23 of the Basic Law; and in terms of foreign policy he protested against the phrase "victorious powers" and left open the question of Poland's western border.[…]
              After his visit to Dresden, the Chancellor quickly decided on a double strategy of undisguised destabilization and quick annexation of the GDR, in order to make the Federal Republic master of the situation and at the same time preempt international friction. Evidently, the Federal government wants to enter into the difficult negotiations about distributing the burdens among the EC partners, about a transformed security system, and about decisions on a peace treaty from a position of strength provided by an economic and political annexation that is already a fait accompli. Hence, on the one hand, the Federal government stepped on the gas pedal; it effectively dramatized the number of refugees, even though no one knew how to influence their motives. On the other hand, it could reach the goal of annexation - i.e., unification according to the Federal Republic's terms - only by breaking down the GDR's resistance and creating the necessary majority for unification via Article 23 of the Basic Law.[…]

              This means, concretely, that the will of the voting public is given precedence over an annexation cleverly initiated but in the final analysis carried through only at the administrative level - an annexation which dishonestly evades one of the essential conditions for the founding of any nation of state-citizens: the public act of a carefully considered democratic decision taken in both parts of Germany. This act of foundation can only be carried out consciously and intentionally if we agree to accomplish unification via Article 23 of our Basic Law (which go the accession "of other parts of Germany")[…]

              If, now, the GDR, like the Saarland, accedes according to article 23, without any further changes in the Basic Law, the chosen method of unification will implicitly underline what the irredentists have ways affirmed: that the conditions for Article 146 have not yet been fulfilled That article states: "This Basic Law loses its validity on the day that a new constitution takes effect, chosen by the German people in free determination." And it is quite true: an "accession" of the GDR could
              not be the same thing as a free decision of the entire German people; because the citizens of the Federal Republic would have to leave the decision to the representatives of the GDR. When, then, if not now, will that day foreseen in Article 146 ever come? Are we still waiting for East Prussia and Silesia?




              The debate for clarification below the question as well at the debate that this answer has caused illustrate both brilliantly how loaded the term "annexation" is. Technically it is just nothing more than enlargement of territory, yet using that term qualifies the procedure in terms of "yep, OK vs Noway". Yet in case of Germany: "We like them, now, they won't do that!" And in the case of Russia and Crimea: "A typical! They just annex that peninsula, how dare they!".



              Just look at the idiotic argumentation in this article from the Washington Post: Russia’s bizarre proposal to condemn West Germany’s 1989 ‘annexation’ of East Germany and compare how they quote Gorbachev with what was just quoted above. "Annexation" does not describe or analyse, "annexation" approves or condemns.



              Further example: the Russian Wikipedia speaks of Crimea accession to the Russian Federation while West Germany annexed East-Germany




              2014 - the accession of the Crimea to the Russian Federation (with the formation of two new subjects - the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance Sevastopol), which did not receive international recognition.



              The unification of Germany, officially: the German reunification (German: Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) or the restoration of the unity of Germany (German: Herstellung der Einheit Deutschlands) - the incorporation of the GDR and West Berlin into the Federal Republic of Germany on October 3, 1990. At the same time, a new state was not created, and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany of 1949 was enacted in the annexed territories (German Beitrittsgebiet).




              Whatever any reader's perspective on this annexation or accession might be, since 1972–74 not only Eastern bloc states, but West-Germany, Australia, the US, the UK, the UN recognised the GDR as territory foreign to the Federal Republic of Germany.





              Israel



              Another instance would be Jerusalem day:




              Jerusalem Day (Hebrew: יום ירושלים‎, Yom Yerushalayim) is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the June 1967 Six-Day War. The day is officially marked by state ceremonies and memorial services.




              Is that former owners taking something back or blunt annexation?



              We observe an ongoing since then bloody conflict about the 'correct' opinion on that.





              Italy



              Perhaps the most extreme example – if not most bizarrely – is Italy celebrating Ferragosto. Introduced to celebrate the annexation of Egypt into the Roman Empire by emperor Augutus. As feriae Augusti on August 15, the day of his triumph when returning to Rome from conquering Egypt and annexing it, still a national holiday in Italy. (Of course, Christians say it is really the Assumption of Mary, but fascist Italy re-emphasised the conquest origin and most ordinary people today just make a holiday, any reasons disregarded).



              Also ran and further elaborations



              Hawaii celebrates being annexed, ahem, being admitted into statehood, on Statehood Day (3rd Friday in August) demonstrating once more that opinions might change over time.



              It is not really useful to ask the question in this way. "Former owners" and "foreign territory" depend on definition that sometimes can be quite arbitrary. "Annexation" is a concept that became much easier in recent years. "That's what the enemy does!" Russia reunifying with the Crimea? Iraq reunifying with its province of Kuweit? China oogling on Taiwan? Japan on the Kurils?



              Just look at the examples given under the broken definition listed at Wikipedia:




              Annexation (Latin ad, to, and nexus, joining) is the administrative action and concept in international law relating to the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state. It is generally held to be an illegal act. It is distinct from conquest, which refers to the acquisition of control over a territory involving a change of sovereignty, and differs from cession, in which territory is given or sold through treaty, since annexation is a unilateral act where territory is seized and held by one state.




              To get to the core of the question we probably have to ask something more along those lines:



              Does any country celebrate regularly past military victories with the feature of territory added to the celebrating state?



              That list might get quite long.



              To perhaps better illustrate the ambiguities involved to answer such a question: we might look at the National Day of Catalonia. Spanish nationalists celebrate the loss of autonomy of that region and Catalonian nationalists mourn the exact same thing and date. Is there any objective way to decide who's right on that matter?



              Or going again into history: Alsace-Lorraine was officially ceded to the German Reich in the treaty of Frankfurt in 1871. This was celebrated indirectly in Germany as Sedantag. France and many later victorious powers didn't like the result and called it an injustice and annexation. Yet, who were the 'former owners' and was the process illegal? In 1872 the inhabitants were given the choice of option and 90% seemed in agreement of the procedure, officially deciding to become Germans, and two thirds of those who declared their desire to stay French stayed put.

              As a historian of antiquity I deny either France or Germany that title of "former" or even "original owner". Even Romans are not the original owners of that territory. That title goes to either the Neanderthals or the Old-Europeans that were driven away or assimilated by incoming Indo-Europeans.



              "Former owners" is either just 'the state of affairs from last year' or a senseless abuse of history. Most often the latter.






              share|improve this answer



















              • 2




                I would elaborate, but your choice of "sources" regarding the German "annexation" basically says it all. (Two articles about the Russian Duma "evaluating" whether they want to call it thus, in 2015, and a couple of explicitly anti-German blogs.) If you'd present it as a possible viewpoint, OK, but positing it as fact crosses the line IMHO.
                – DevSolar
                Dec 3 at 15:57






              • 3




                You also say "of course that would count", "nationalistic", equating the FRG with Nazi-Germany including "funny" snide remark, claiming that "NATO rolled in" etc. etc. -- reporting instead of endorsing sounds different.
                – DevSolar
                Dec 3 at 16:06






              • 3




                @DevSolar NATO did roll in, and legally the reunification was an annexation. The GDR no longer exists, Germany is the successor of West Germany. It would be different if both GDR and FRG had ceased to exist and a new nation had been founded in place of both, but that is not what happened.
                – gerrit
                Dec 3 at 16:17






              • 8




                The key thing regarding the Germany case is that the GDR decided to join the FRG. The population had an inaccurate idea of the economic consequences, but in both German states there was a clear majority for candidates who favored some sort of reunification.
                – o.m.
                Dec 3 at 18:53






              • 3




                People ascribing opinions to others is one of my biggest pet peeves. Just read the answer for what it says and don't try to ascribe any kind of political stance to the author that isn't clearly expressed. Describing things from the viewpoint of either side of an issue is a way to make an argument and doesn't necessarily reflect opinion. LangLangC is pointing out an issue with how people see the word "annexation" by bringing up various historical events and framing them from a different perspective than we're used to. I see no attempt to actually drive any kind of political narrative.
                – Kapten-N
                2 days ago

















              up vote
              14
              down vote













              In the current form of the question, I'd suggest Germany, Italy and Israel. Caveats apply.





              Germany



              One question in the comments below the original question that arose displays nicely how flawed the concept asked about really is as it depends very much on opinions.




              Does the Day of German Unity, observed annually on October 3, count?




              Of course that would count. This inherently essentialist and nationalistic concept of 'former owners' would be what in that case? Nazi-Germany taking it back? Of course not! Unless we recognise the Federal Republic of Germany to be the seamless continuation of statehood of the Third Reich. Did the Red Army not leave and NVA cease to exist while the NATO rolled in? Was it not explicitly an annexation as devised by the basic law of the West (as opposed to the also envisioned unification)? There are opinions out there that only speak of annexation of the GDR.





              As there seem to be contentions evoked by the above example and its choice of sources to drive home the point about the absurdity and different interpretations possible about the term "annexation" with regard to the process that led to current form of Germany on a map –– Let's look at other languages, viewpoints? American, if you like:




              Chronology

              Feb 19 – GDR Prime Minister Modrow criticizes the plan to introduce a German currency union before elections are held in the GDR. He points out that a currency union must be combined with a social package. The participants at the Round Table protest against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              Mar 1 – The "Alliance for Germany" adopts the campaign slogan "Freedom and affluence––never again socialism". The principal plank in their election platform is the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              Mar 6 – In a joint declaration, East German Prime Minister Modrow and Soviet leader Gorbachev support the idea of a gradual merger of the two German states, but they warn against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law. Lothar de Maizière, leader of the East German CDU, speaks out against an unconditional annexation of the GDR by the FRG.

              July 10 – The coalition government in the GDR is divided over the question […] They also cannot agree on a date for the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              [… quite some more …]



              Quoted from Richard T. Gray & Sabine Wilke: "German Unification and Its Discontents: Documents from the Peaceful Revolution", Washington University Press, 1996. (GBooks)




              If that still doesn't satisfy readers in terms of qualities of sources. Jürgen Habermas: "Yet Again: German Identity: A Unified Nation of Angry DM-Burghers?", New German Critique, No. 52, Special Issue on German Unification (Winter, 1991), pp. 84-101: (JSTOR)




              It is difficult not to write a satire about the first flowerings of chubby-faced DM-nationalism. The triumphant Chancellor let the thin but honest Prime Minister' know the conditions under which he was willing to buy up the GDR; in terms of monetary policy he pumped up the voters of an "Alliance for Germany" blackmailed into existence by himself; in terms of constitutional policy he set the course for annexation via article 23 of the Basic Law; and in terms of foreign policy he protested against the phrase "victorious powers" and left open the question of Poland's western border.[…]
              After his visit to Dresden, the Chancellor quickly decided on a double strategy of undisguised destabilization and quick annexation of the GDR, in order to make the Federal Republic master of the situation and at the same time preempt international friction. Evidently, the Federal government wants to enter into the difficult negotiations about distributing the burdens among the EC partners, about a transformed security system, and about decisions on a peace treaty from a position of strength provided by an economic and political annexation that is already a fait accompli. Hence, on the one hand, the Federal government stepped on the gas pedal; it effectively dramatized the number of refugees, even though no one knew how to influence their motives. On the other hand, it could reach the goal of annexation - i.e., unification according to the Federal Republic's terms - only by breaking down the GDR's resistance and creating the necessary majority for unification via Article 23 of the Basic Law.[…]

              This means, concretely, that the will of the voting public is given precedence over an annexation cleverly initiated but in the final analysis carried through only at the administrative level - an annexation which dishonestly evades one of the essential conditions for the founding of any nation of state-citizens: the public act of a carefully considered democratic decision taken in both parts of Germany. This act of foundation can only be carried out consciously and intentionally if we agree to accomplish unification via Article 23 of our Basic Law (which go the accession "of other parts of Germany")[…]

              If, now, the GDR, like the Saarland, accedes according to article 23, without any further changes in the Basic Law, the chosen method of unification will implicitly underline what the irredentists have ways affirmed: that the conditions for Article 146 have not yet been fulfilled That article states: "This Basic Law loses its validity on the day that a new constitution takes effect, chosen by the German people in free determination." And it is quite true: an "accession" of the GDR could
              not be the same thing as a free decision of the entire German people; because the citizens of the Federal Republic would have to leave the decision to the representatives of the GDR. When, then, if not now, will that day foreseen in Article 146 ever come? Are we still waiting for East Prussia and Silesia?




              The debate for clarification below the question as well at the debate that this answer has caused illustrate both brilliantly how loaded the term "annexation" is. Technically it is just nothing more than enlargement of territory, yet using that term qualifies the procedure in terms of "yep, OK vs Noway". Yet in case of Germany: "We like them, now, they won't do that!" And in the case of Russia and Crimea: "A typical! They just annex that peninsula, how dare they!".



              Just look at the idiotic argumentation in this article from the Washington Post: Russia’s bizarre proposal to condemn West Germany’s 1989 ‘annexation’ of East Germany and compare how they quote Gorbachev with what was just quoted above. "Annexation" does not describe or analyse, "annexation" approves or condemns.



              Further example: the Russian Wikipedia speaks of Crimea accession to the Russian Federation while West Germany annexed East-Germany




              2014 - the accession of the Crimea to the Russian Federation (with the formation of two new subjects - the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance Sevastopol), which did not receive international recognition.



              The unification of Germany, officially: the German reunification (German: Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) or the restoration of the unity of Germany (German: Herstellung der Einheit Deutschlands) - the incorporation of the GDR and West Berlin into the Federal Republic of Germany on October 3, 1990. At the same time, a new state was not created, and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany of 1949 was enacted in the annexed territories (German Beitrittsgebiet).




              Whatever any reader's perspective on this annexation or accession might be, since 1972–74 not only Eastern bloc states, but West-Germany, Australia, the US, the UK, the UN recognised the GDR as territory foreign to the Federal Republic of Germany.





              Israel



              Another instance would be Jerusalem day:




              Jerusalem Day (Hebrew: יום ירושלים‎, Yom Yerushalayim) is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the June 1967 Six-Day War. The day is officially marked by state ceremonies and memorial services.




              Is that former owners taking something back or blunt annexation?



              We observe an ongoing since then bloody conflict about the 'correct' opinion on that.





              Italy



              Perhaps the most extreme example – if not most bizarrely – is Italy celebrating Ferragosto. Introduced to celebrate the annexation of Egypt into the Roman Empire by emperor Augutus. As feriae Augusti on August 15, the day of his triumph when returning to Rome from conquering Egypt and annexing it, still a national holiday in Italy. (Of course, Christians say it is really the Assumption of Mary, but fascist Italy re-emphasised the conquest origin and most ordinary people today just make a holiday, any reasons disregarded).



              Also ran and further elaborations



              Hawaii celebrates being annexed, ahem, being admitted into statehood, on Statehood Day (3rd Friday in August) demonstrating once more that opinions might change over time.



              It is not really useful to ask the question in this way. "Former owners" and "foreign territory" depend on definition that sometimes can be quite arbitrary. "Annexation" is a concept that became much easier in recent years. "That's what the enemy does!" Russia reunifying with the Crimea? Iraq reunifying with its province of Kuweit? China oogling on Taiwan? Japan on the Kurils?



              Just look at the examples given under the broken definition listed at Wikipedia:




              Annexation (Latin ad, to, and nexus, joining) is the administrative action and concept in international law relating to the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state. It is generally held to be an illegal act. It is distinct from conquest, which refers to the acquisition of control over a territory involving a change of sovereignty, and differs from cession, in which territory is given or sold through treaty, since annexation is a unilateral act where territory is seized and held by one state.




              To get to the core of the question we probably have to ask something more along those lines:



              Does any country celebrate regularly past military victories with the feature of territory added to the celebrating state?



              That list might get quite long.



              To perhaps better illustrate the ambiguities involved to answer such a question: we might look at the National Day of Catalonia. Spanish nationalists celebrate the loss of autonomy of that region and Catalonian nationalists mourn the exact same thing and date. Is there any objective way to decide who's right on that matter?



              Or going again into history: Alsace-Lorraine was officially ceded to the German Reich in the treaty of Frankfurt in 1871. This was celebrated indirectly in Germany as Sedantag. France and many later victorious powers didn't like the result and called it an injustice and annexation. Yet, who were the 'former owners' and was the process illegal? In 1872 the inhabitants were given the choice of option and 90% seemed in agreement of the procedure, officially deciding to become Germans, and two thirds of those who declared their desire to stay French stayed put.

              As a historian of antiquity I deny either France or Germany that title of "former" or even "original owner". Even Romans are not the original owners of that territory. That title goes to either the Neanderthals or the Old-Europeans that were driven away or assimilated by incoming Indo-Europeans.



              "Former owners" is either just 'the state of affairs from last year' or a senseless abuse of history. Most often the latter.






              share|improve this answer



















              • 2




                I would elaborate, but your choice of "sources" regarding the German "annexation" basically says it all. (Two articles about the Russian Duma "evaluating" whether they want to call it thus, in 2015, and a couple of explicitly anti-German blogs.) If you'd present it as a possible viewpoint, OK, but positing it as fact crosses the line IMHO.
                – DevSolar
                Dec 3 at 15:57






              • 3




                You also say "of course that would count", "nationalistic", equating the FRG with Nazi-Germany including "funny" snide remark, claiming that "NATO rolled in" etc. etc. -- reporting instead of endorsing sounds different.
                – DevSolar
                Dec 3 at 16:06






              • 3




                @DevSolar NATO did roll in, and legally the reunification was an annexation. The GDR no longer exists, Germany is the successor of West Germany. It would be different if both GDR and FRG had ceased to exist and a new nation had been founded in place of both, but that is not what happened.
                – gerrit
                Dec 3 at 16:17






              • 8




                The key thing regarding the Germany case is that the GDR decided to join the FRG. The population had an inaccurate idea of the economic consequences, but in both German states there was a clear majority for candidates who favored some sort of reunification.
                – o.m.
                Dec 3 at 18:53






              • 3




                People ascribing opinions to others is one of my biggest pet peeves. Just read the answer for what it says and don't try to ascribe any kind of political stance to the author that isn't clearly expressed. Describing things from the viewpoint of either side of an issue is a way to make an argument and doesn't necessarily reflect opinion. LangLangC is pointing out an issue with how people see the word "annexation" by bringing up various historical events and framing them from a different perspective than we're used to. I see no attempt to actually drive any kind of political narrative.
                – Kapten-N
                2 days ago















              up vote
              14
              down vote










              up vote
              14
              down vote









              In the current form of the question, I'd suggest Germany, Italy and Israel. Caveats apply.





              Germany



              One question in the comments below the original question that arose displays nicely how flawed the concept asked about really is as it depends very much on opinions.




              Does the Day of German Unity, observed annually on October 3, count?




              Of course that would count. This inherently essentialist and nationalistic concept of 'former owners' would be what in that case? Nazi-Germany taking it back? Of course not! Unless we recognise the Federal Republic of Germany to be the seamless continuation of statehood of the Third Reich. Did the Red Army not leave and NVA cease to exist while the NATO rolled in? Was it not explicitly an annexation as devised by the basic law of the West (as opposed to the also envisioned unification)? There are opinions out there that only speak of annexation of the GDR.





              As there seem to be contentions evoked by the above example and its choice of sources to drive home the point about the absurdity and different interpretations possible about the term "annexation" with regard to the process that led to current form of Germany on a map –– Let's look at other languages, viewpoints? American, if you like:




              Chronology

              Feb 19 – GDR Prime Minister Modrow criticizes the plan to introduce a German currency union before elections are held in the GDR. He points out that a currency union must be combined with a social package. The participants at the Round Table protest against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              Mar 1 – The "Alliance for Germany" adopts the campaign slogan "Freedom and affluence––never again socialism". The principal plank in their election platform is the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              Mar 6 – In a joint declaration, East German Prime Minister Modrow and Soviet leader Gorbachev support the idea of a gradual merger of the two German states, but they warn against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law. Lothar de Maizière, leader of the East German CDU, speaks out against an unconditional annexation of the GDR by the FRG.

              July 10 – The coalition government in the GDR is divided over the question […] They also cannot agree on a date for the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              [… quite some more …]



              Quoted from Richard T. Gray & Sabine Wilke: "German Unification and Its Discontents: Documents from the Peaceful Revolution", Washington University Press, 1996. (GBooks)




              If that still doesn't satisfy readers in terms of qualities of sources. Jürgen Habermas: "Yet Again: German Identity: A Unified Nation of Angry DM-Burghers?", New German Critique, No. 52, Special Issue on German Unification (Winter, 1991), pp. 84-101: (JSTOR)




              It is difficult not to write a satire about the first flowerings of chubby-faced DM-nationalism. The triumphant Chancellor let the thin but honest Prime Minister' know the conditions under which he was willing to buy up the GDR; in terms of monetary policy he pumped up the voters of an "Alliance for Germany" blackmailed into existence by himself; in terms of constitutional policy he set the course for annexation via article 23 of the Basic Law; and in terms of foreign policy he protested against the phrase "victorious powers" and left open the question of Poland's western border.[…]
              After his visit to Dresden, the Chancellor quickly decided on a double strategy of undisguised destabilization and quick annexation of the GDR, in order to make the Federal Republic master of the situation and at the same time preempt international friction. Evidently, the Federal government wants to enter into the difficult negotiations about distributing the burdens among the EC partners, about a transformed security system, and about decisions on a peace treaty from a position of strength provided by an economic and political annexation that is already a fait accompli. Hence, on the one hand, the Federal government stepped on the gas pedal; it effectively dramatized the number of refugees, even though no one knew how to influence their motives. On the other hand, it could reach the goal of annexation - i.e., unification according to the Federal Republic's terms - only by breaking down the GDR's resistance and creating the necessary majority for unification via Article 23 of the Basic Law.[…]

              This means, concretely, that the will of the voting public is given precedence over an annexation cleverly initiated but in the final analysis carried through only at the administrative level - an annexation which dishonestly evades one of the essential conditions for the founding of any nation of state-citizens: the public act of a carefully considered democratic decision taken in both parts of Germany. This act of foundation can only be carried out consciously and intentionally if we agree to accomplish unification via Article 23 of our Basic Law (which go the accession "of other parts of Germany")[…]

              If, now, the GDR, like the Saarland, accedes according to article 23, without any further changes in the Basic Law, the chosen method of unification will implicitly underline what the irredentists have ways affirmed: that the conditions for Article 146 have not yet been fulfilled That article states: "This Basic Law loses its validity on the day that a new constitution takes effect, chosen by the German people in free determination." And it is quite true: an "accession" of the GDR could
              not be the same thing as a free decision of the entire German people; because the citizens of the Federal Republic would have to leave the decision to the representatives of the GDR. When, then, if not now, will that day foreseen in Article 146 ever come? Are we still waiting for East Prussia and Silesia?




              The debate for clarification below the question as well at the debate that this answer has caused illustrate both brilliantly how loaded the term "annexation" is. Technically it is just nothing more than enlargement of territory, yet using that term qualifies the procedure in terms of "yep, OK vs Noway". Yet in case of Germany: "We like them, now, they won't do that!" And in the case of Russia and Crimea: "A typical! They just annex that peninsula, how dare they!".



              Just look at the idiotic argumentation in this article from the Washington Post: Russia’s bizarre proposal to condemn West Germany’s 1989 ‘annexation’ of East Germany and compare how they quote Gorbachev with what was just quoted above. "Annexation" does not describe or analyse, "annexation" approves or condemns.



              Further example: the Russian Wikipedia speaks of Crimea accession to the Russian Federation while West Germany annexed East-Germany




              2014 - the accession of the Crimea to the Russian Federation (with the formation of two new subjects - the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance Sevastopol), which did not receive international recognition.



              The unification of Germany, officially: the German reunification (German: Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) or the restoration of the unity of Germany (German: Herstellung der Einheit Deutschlands) - the incorporation of the GDR and West Berlin into the Federal Republic of Germany on October 3, 1990. At the same time, a new state was not created, and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany of 1949 was enacted in the annexed territories (German Beitrittsgebiet).




              Whatever any reader's perspective on this annexation or accession might be, since 1972–74 not only Eastern bloc states, but West-Germany, Australia, the US, the UK, the UN recognised the GDR as territory foreign to the Federal Republic of Germany.





              Israel



              Another instance would be Jerusalem day:




              Jerusalem Day (Hebrew: יום ירושלים‎, Yom Yerushalayim) is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the June 1967 Six-Day War. The day is officially marked by state ceremonies and memorial services.




              Is that former owners taking something back or blunt annexation?



              We observe an ongoing since then bloody conflict about the 'correct' opinion on that.





              Italy



              Perhaps the most extreme example – if not most bizarrely – is Italy celebrating Ferragosto. Introduced to celebrate the annexation of Egypt into the Roman Empire by emperor Augutus. As feriae Augusti on August 15, the day of his triumph when returning to Rome from conquering Egypt and annexing it, still a national holiday in Italy. (Of course, Christians say it is really the Assumption of Mary, but fascist Italy re-emphasised the conquest origin and most ordinary people today just make a holiday, any reasons disregarded).



              Also ran and further elaborations



              Hawaii celebrates being annexed, ahem, being admitted into statehood, on Statehood Day (3rd Friday in August) demonstrating once more that opinions might change over time.



              It is not really useful to ask the question in this way. "Former owners" and "foreign territory" depend on definition that sometimes can be quite arbitrary. "Annexation" is a concept that became much easier in recent years. "That's what the enemy does!" Russia reunifying with the Crimea? Iraq reunifying with its province of Kuweit? China oogling on Taiwan? Japan on the Kurils?



              Just look at the examples given under the broken definition listed at Wikipedia:




              Annexation (Latin ad, to, and nexus, joining) is the administrative action and concept in international law relating to the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state. It is generally held to be an illegal act. It is distinct from conquest, which refers to the acquisition of control over a territory involving a change of sovereignty, and differs from cession, in which territory is given or sold through treaty, since annexation is a unilateral act where territory is seized and held by one state.




              To get to the core of the question we probably have to ask something more along those lines:



              Does any country celebrate regularly past military victories with the feature of territory added to the celebrating state?



              That list might get quite long.



              To perhaps better illustrate the ambiguities involved to answer such a question: we might look at the National Day of Catalonia. Spanish nationalists celebrate the loss of autonomy of that region and Catalonian nationalists mourn the exact same thing and date. Is there any objective way to decide who's right on that matter?



              Or going again into history: Alsace-Lorraine was officially ceded to the German Reich in the treaty of Frankfurt in 1871. This was celebrated indirectly in Germany as Sedantag. France and many later victorious powers didn't like the result and called it an injustice and annexation. Yet, who were the 'former owners' and was the process illegal? In 1872 the inhabitants were given the choice of option and 90% seemed in agreement of the procedure, officially deciding to become Germans, and two thirds of those who declared their desire to stay French stayed put.

              As a historian of antiquity I deny either France or Germany that title of "former" or even "original owner". Even Romans are not the original owners of that territory. That title goes to either the Neanderthals or the Old-Europeans that were driven away or assimilated by incoming Indo-Europeans.



              "Former owners" is either just 'the state of affairs from last year' or a senseless abuse of history. Most often the latter.






              share|improve this answer














              In the current form of the question, I'd suggest Germany, Italy and Israel. Caveats apply.





              Germany



              One question in the comments below the original question that arose displays nicely how flawed the concept asked about really is as it depends very much on opinions.




              Does the Day of German Unity, observed annually on October 3, count?




              Of course that would count. This inherently essentialist and nationalistic concept of 'former owners' would be what in that case? Nazi-Germany taking it back? Of course not! Unless we recognise the Federal Republic of Germany to be the seamless continuation of statehood of the Third Reich. Did the Red Army not leave and NVA cease to exist while the NATO rolled in? Was it not explicitly an annexation as devised by the basic law of the West (as opposed to the also envisioned unification)? There are opinions out there that only speak of annexation of the GDR.





              As there seem to be contentions evoked by the above example and its choice of sources to drive home the point about the absurdity and different interpretations possible about the term "annexation" with regard to the process that led to current form of Germany on a map –– Let's look at other languages, viewpoints? American, if you like:




              Chronology

              Feb 19 – GDR Prime Minister Modrow criticizes the plan to introduce a German currency union before elections are held in the GDR. He points out that a currency union must be combined with a social package. The participants at the Round Table protest against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              Mar 1 – The "Alliance for Germany" adopts the campaign slogan "Freedom and affluence––never again socialism". The principal plank in their election platform is the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              Mar 6 – In a joint declaration, East German Prime Minister Modrow and Soviet leader Gorbachev support the idea of a gradual merger of the two German states, but they warn against the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law. Lothar de Maizière, leader of the East German CDU, speaks out against an unconditional annexation of the GDR by the FRG.

              July 10 – The coalition government in the GDR is divided over the question […] They also cannot agree on a date for the annexation of the GDR by the FRG according to Article 23 of the West German Basic Law.

              [… quite some more …]



              Quoted from Richard T. Gray & Sabine Wilke: "German Unification and Its Discontents: Documents from the Peaceful Revolution", Washington University Press, 1996. (GBooks)




              If that still doesn't satisfy readers in terms of qualities of sources. Jürgen Habermas: "Yet Again: German Identity: A Unified Nation of Angry DM-Burghers?", New German Critique, No. 52, Special Issue on German Unification (Winter, 1991), pp. 84-101: (JSTOR)




              It is difficult not to write a satire about the first flowerings of chubby-faced DM-nationalism. The triumphant Chancellor let the thin but honest Prime Minister' know the conditions under which he was willing to buy up the GDR; in terms of monetary policy he pumped up the voters of an "Alliance for Germany" blackmailed into existence by himself; in terms of constitutional policy he set the course for annexation via article 23 of the Basic Law; and in terms of foreign policy he protested against the phrase "victorious powers" and left open the question of Poland's western border.[…]
              After his visit to Dresden, the Chancellor quickly decided on a double strategy of undisguised destabilization and quick annexation of the GDR, in order to make the Federal Republic master of the situation and at the same time preempt international friction. Evidently, the Federal government wants to enter into the difficult negotiations about distributing the burdens among the EC partners, about a transformed security system, and about decisions on a peace treaty from a position of strength provided by an economic and political annexation that is already a fait accompli. Hence, on the one hand, the Federal government stepped on the gas pedal; it effectively dramatized the number of refugees, even though no one knew how to influence their motives. On the other hand, it could reach the goal of annexation - i.e., unification according to the Federal Republic's terms - only by breaking down the GDR's resistance and creating the necessary majority for unification via Article 23 of the Basic Law.[…]

              This means, concretely, that the will of the voting public is given precedence over an annexation cleverly initiated but in the final analysis carried through only at the administrative level - an annexation which dishonestly evades one of the essential conditions for the founding of any nation of state-citizens: the public act of a carefully considered democratic decision taken in both parts of Germany. This act of foundation can only be carried out consciously and intentionally if we agree to accomplish unification via Article 23 of our Basic Law (which go the accession "of other parts of Germany")[…]

              If, now, the GDR, like the Saarland, accedes according to article 23, without any further changes in the Basic Law, the chosen method of unification will implicitly underline what the irredentists have ways affirmed: that the conditions for Article 146 have not yet been fulfilled That article states: "This Basic Law loses its validity on the day that a new constitution takes effect, chosen by the German people in free determination." And it is quite true: an "accession" of the GDR could
              not be the same thing as a free decision of the entire German people; because the citizens of the Federal Republic would have to leave the decision to the representatives of the GDR. When, then, if not now, will that day foreseen in Article 146 ever come? Are we still waiting for East Prussia and Silesia?




              The debate for clarification below the question as well at the debate that this answer has caused illustrate both brilliantly how loaded the term "annexation" is. Technically it is just nothing more than enlargement of territory, yet using that term qualifies the procedure in terms of "yep, OK vs Noway". Yet in case of Germany: "We like them, now, they won't do that!" And in the case of Russia and Crimea: "A typical! They just annex that peninsula, how dare they!".



              Just look at the idiotic argumentation in this article from the Washington Post: Russia’s bizarre proposal to condemn West Germany’s 1989 ‘annexation’ of East Germany and compare how they quote Gorbachev with what was just quoted above. "Annexation" does not describe or analyse, "annexation" approves or condemns.



              Further example: the Russian Wikipedia speaks of Crimea accession to the Russian Federation while West Germany annexed East-Germany




              2014 - the accession of the Crimea to the Russian Federation (with the formation of two new subjects - the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance Sevastopol), which did not receive international recognition.



              The unification of Germany, officially: the German reunification (German: Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) or the restoration of the unity of Germany (German: Herstellung der Einheit Deutschlands) - the incorporation of the GDR and West Berlin into the Federal Republic of Germany on October 3, 1990. At the same time, a new state was not created, and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany of 1949 was enacted in the annexed territories (German Beitrittsgebiet).




              Whatever any reader's perspective on this annexation or accession might be, since 1972–74 not only Eastern bloc states, but West-Germany, Australia, the US, the UK, the UN recognised the GDR as territory foreign to the Federal Republic of Germany.





              Israel



              Another instance would be Jerusalem day:




              Jerusalem Day (Hebrew: יום ירושלים‎, Yom Yerushalayim) is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the June 1967 Six-Day War. The day is officially marked by state ceremonies and memorial services.




              Is that former owners taking something back or blunt annexation?



              We observe an ongoing since then bloody conflict about the 'correct' opinion on that.





              Italy



              Perhaps the most extreme example – if not most bizarrely – is Italy celebrating Ferragosto. Introduced to celebrate the annexation of Egypt into the Roman Empire by emperor Augutus. As feriae Augusti on August 15, the day of his triumph when returning to Rome from conquering Egypt and annexing it, still a national holiday in Italy. (Of course, Christians say it is really the Assumption of Mary, but fascist Italy re-emphasised the conquest origin and most ordinary people today just make a holiday, any reasons disregarded).



              Also ran and further elaborations



              Hawaii celebrates being annexed, ahem, being admitted into statehood, on Statehood Day (3rd Friday in August) demonstrating once more that opinions might change over time.



              It is not really useful to ask the question in this way. "Former owners" and "foreign territory" depend on definition that sometimes can be quite arbitrary. "Annexation" is a concept that became much easier in recent years. "That's what the enemy does!" Russia reunifying with the Crimea? Iraq reunifying with its province of Kuweit? China oogling on Taiwan? Japan on the Kurils?



              Just look at the examples given under the broken definition listed at Wikipedia:




              Annexation (Latin ad, to, and nexus, joining) is the administrative action and concept in international law relating to the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state. It is generally held to be an illegal act. It is distinct from conquest, which refers to the acquisition of control over a territory involving a change of sovereignty, and differs from cession, in which territory is given or sold through treaty, since annexation is a unilateral act where territory is seized and held by one state.




              To get to the core of the question we probably have to ask something more along those lines:



              Does any country celebrate regularly past military victories with the feature of territory added to the celebrating state?



              That list might get quite long.



              To perhaps better illustrate the ambiguities involved to answer such a question: we might look at the National Day of Catalonia. Spanish nationalists celebrate the loss of autonomy of that region and Catalonian nationalists mourn the exact same thing and date. Is there any objective way to decide who's right on that matter?



              Or going again into history: Alsace-Lorraine was officially ceded to the German Reich in the treaty of Frankfurt in 1871. This was celebrated indirectly in Germany as Sedantag. France and many later victorious powers didn't like the result and called it an injustice and annexation. Yet, who were the 'former owners' and was the process illegal? In 1872 the inhabitants were given the choice of option and 90% seemed in agreement of the procedure, officially deciding to become Germans, and two thirds of those who declared their desire to stay French stayed put.

              As a historian of antiquity I deny either France or Germany that title of "former" or even "original owner". Even Romans are not the original owners of that territory. That title goes to either the Neanderthals or the Old-Europeans that were driven away or assimilated by incoming Indo-Europeans.



              "Former owners" is either just 'the state of affairs from last year' or a senseless abuse of history. Most often the latter.







              share|improve this answer














              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer








              edited 13 hours ago









              david

              1032




              1032










              answered Dec 3 at 12:36









              LangLangC

              20.2k368107




              20.2k368107








              • 2




                I would elaborate, but your choice of "sources" regarding the German "annexation" basically says it all. (Two articles about the Russian Duma "evaluating" whether they want to call it thus, in 2015, and a couple of explicitly anti-German blogs.) If you'd present it as a possible viewpoint, OK, but positing it as fact crosses the line IMHO.
                – DevSolar
                Dec 3 at 15:57






              • 3




                You also say "of course that would count", "nationalistic", equating the FRG with Nazi-Germany including "funny" snide remark, claiming that "NATO rolled in" etc. etc. -- reporting instead of endorsing sounds different.
                – DevSolar
                Dec 3 at 16:06






              • 3




                @DevSolar NATO did roll in, and legally the reunification was an annexation. The GDR no longer exists, Germany is the successor of West Germany. It would be different if both GDR and FRG had ceased to exist and a new nation had been founded in place of both, but that is not what happened.
                – gerrit
                Dec 3 at 16:17






              • 8




                The key thing regarding the Germany case is that the GDR decided to join the FRG. The population had an inaccurate idea of the economic consequences, but in both German states there was a clear majority for candidates who favored some sort of reunification.
                – o.m.
                Dec 3 at 18:53






              • 3




                People ascribing opinions to others is one of my biggest pet peeves. Just read the answer for what it says and don't try to ascribe any kind of political stance to the author that isn't clearly expressed. Describing things from the viewpoint of either side of an issue is a way to make an argument and doesn't necessarily reflect opinion. LangLangC is pointing out an issue with how people see the word "annexation" by bringing up various historical events and framing them from a different perspective than we're used to. I see no attempt to actually drive any kind of political narrative.
                – Kapten-N
                2 days ago
















              • 2




                I would elaborate, but your choice of "sources" regarding the German "annexation" basically says it all. (Two articles about the Russian Duma "evaluating" whether they want to call it thus, in 2015, and a couple of explicitly anti-German blogs.) If you'd present it as a possible viewpoint, OK, but positing it as fact crosses the line IMHO.
                – DevSolar
                Dec 3 at 15:57






              • 3




                You also say "of course that would count", "nationalistic", equating the FRG with Nazi-Germany including "funny" snide remark, claiming that "NATO rolled in" etc. etc. -- reporting instead of endorsing sounds different.
                – DevSolar
                Dec 3 at 16:06






              • 3




                @DevSolar NATO did roll in, and legally the reunification was an annexation. The GDR no longer exists, Germany is the successor of West Germany. It would be different if both GDR and FRG had ceased to exist and a new nation had been founded in place of both, but that is not what happened.
                – gerrit
                Dec 3 at 16:17






              • 8




                The key thing regarding the Germany case is that the GDR decided to join the FRG. The population had an inaccurate idea of the economic consequences, but in both German states there was a clear majority for candidates who favored some sort of reunification.
                – o.m.
                Dec 3 at 18:53






              • 3




                People ascribing opinions to others is one of my biggest pet peeves. Just read the answer for what it says and don't try to ascribe any kind of political stance to the author that isn't clearly expressed. Describing things from the viewpoint of either side of an issue is a way to make an argument and doesn't necessarily reflect opinion. LangLangC is pointing out an issue with how people see the word "annexation" by bringing up various historical events and framing them from a different perspective than we're used to. I see no attempt to actually drive any kind of political narrative.
                – Kapten-N
                2 days ago










              2




              2




              I would elaborate, but your choice of "sources" regarding the German "annexation" basically says it all. (Two articles about the Russian Duma "evaluating" whether they want to call it thus, in 2015, and a couple of explicitly anti-German blogs.) If you'd present it as a possible viewpoint, OK, but positing it as fact crosses the line IMHO.
              – DevSolar
              Dec 3 at 15:57




              I would elaborate, but your choice of "sources" regarding the German "annexation" basically says it all. (Two articles about the Russian Duma "evaluating" whether they want to call it thus, in 2015, and a couple of explicitly anti-German blogs.) If you'd present it as a possible viewpoint, OK, but positing it as fact crosses the line IMHO.
              – DevSolar
              Dec 3 at 15:57




              3




              3




              You also say "of course that would count", "nationalistic", equating the FRG with Nazi-Germany including "funny" snide remark, claiming that "NATO rolled in" etc. etc. -- reporting instead of endorsing sounds different.
              – DevSolar
              Dec 3 at 16:06




              You also say "of course that would count", "nationalistic", equating the FRG with Nazi-Germany including "funny" snide remark, claiming that "NATO rolled in" etc. etc. -- reporting instead of endorsing sounds different.
              – DevSolar
              Dec 3 at 16:06




              3




              3




              @DevSolar NATO did roll in, and legally the reunification was an annexation. The GDR no longer exists, Germany is the successor of West Germany. It would be different if both GDR and FRG had ceased to exist and a new nation had been founded in place of both, but that is not what happened.
              – gerrit
              Dec 3 at 16:17




              @DevSolar NATO did roll in, and legally the reunification was an annexation. The GDR no longer exists, Germany is the successor of West Germany. It would be different if both GDR and FRG had ceased to exist and a new nation had been founded in place of both, but that is not what happened.
              – gerrit
              Dec 3 at 16:17




              8




              8




              The key thing regarding the Germany case is that the GDR decided to join the FRG. The population had an inaccurate idea of the economic consequences, but in both German states there was a clear majority for candidates who favored some sort of reunification.
              – o.m.
              Dec 3 at 18:53




              The key thing regarding the Germany case is that the GDR decided to join the FRG. The population had an inaccurate idea of the economic consequences, but in both German states there was a clear majority for candidates who favored some sort of reunification.
              – o.m.
              Dec 3 at 18:53




              3




              3




              People ascribing opinions to others is one of my biggest pet peeves. Just read the answer for what it says and don't try to ascribe any kind of political stance to the author that isn't clearly expressed. Describing things from the viewpoint of either side of an issue is a way to make an argument and doesn't necessarily reflect opinion. LangLangC is pointing out an issue with how people see the word "annexation" by bringing up various historical events and framing them from a different perspective than we're used to. I see no attempt to actually drive any kind of political narrative.
              – Kapten-N
              2 days ago






              People ascribing opinions to others is one of my biggest pet peeves. Just read the answer for what it says and don't try to ascribe any kind of political stance to the author that isn't clearly expressed. Describing things from the viewpoint of either side of an issue is a way to make an argument and doesn't necessarily reflect opinion. LangLangC is pointing out an issue with how people see the word "annexation" by bringing up various historical events and framing them from a different perspective than we're used to. I see no attempt to actually drive any kind of political narrative.
              – Kapten-N
              2 days ago












              up vote
              13
              down vote













              Not a complete country, but a faction within the country.



              William III invaded Britain, with popular support from the majority-Protestant population. Northern Irish Protestants still celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, where William crushed James II/VII's army and ended any real opposition to his invasion.



              Of course, this is an artifact of the fractured society of Ireland, and subsequently of Northern Ireland. Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle, because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools.






              share|improve this answer





















              • If people elsewhere in the UK have heard of it, it's probably due to Northern Ireland.
                – gerrit
                Dec 3 at 15:20






              • 1




                "Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle" eh? I'm not to hot on all the details of the Battle of the Boyne, but I'm certainly aware of it. And I'd be surprised if most people didn't know of William at least as part of 'William and Mary'.
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago






              • 3




                "because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools." Regardless of the situation of Ireland (both sides of which were fighting for a British King in this battle of course), claiming people not hearing about William is due to not teaching British colonial exploits is somewhat Bizarre.
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @JonathanCast Too little teaching, too much history to cover. To understand European history, you need to know the background going back to Roman history at the very least, and that's too much to teach. So typically at school we end up with a "greatest hits" compilation, with a lot of gaps in between.
                – Graham
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @Graham Indeed, I'm bad at many, but William III is one of the better-known ones. Ask me about William IV and I start hemming and hawing beyond 'he was Hanoverian'
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago















              up vote
              13
              down vote













              Not a complete country, but a faction within the country.



              William III invaded Britain, with popular support from the majority-Protestant population. Northern Irish Protestants still celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, where William crushed James II/VII's army and ended any real opposition to his invasion.



              Of course, this is an artifact of the fractured society of Ireland, and subsequently of Northern Ireland. Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle, because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools.






              share|improve this answer





















              • If people elsewhere in the UK have heard of it, it's probably due to Northern Ireland.
                – gerrit
                Dec 3 at 15:20






              • 1




                "Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle" eh? I'm not to hot on all the details of the Battle of the Boyne, but I'm certainly aware of it. And I'd be surprised if most people didn't know of William at least as part of 'William and Mary'.
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago






              • 3




                "because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools." Regardless of the situation of Ireland (both sides of which were fighting for a British King in this battle of course), claiming people not hearing about William is due to not teaching British colonial exploits is somewhat Bizarre.
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @JonathanCast Too little teaching, too much history to cover. To understand European history, you need to know the background going back to Roman history at the very least, and that's too much to teach. So typically at school we end up with a "greatest hits" compilation, with a lot of gaps in between.
                – Graham
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @Graham Indeed, I'm bad at many, but William III is one of the better-known ones. Ask me about William IV and I start hemming and hawing beyond 'he was Hanoverian'
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago













              up vote
              13
              down vote










              up vote
              13
              down vote









              Not a complete country, but a faction within the country.



              William III invaded Britain, with popular support from the majority-Protestant population. Northern Irish Protestants still celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, where William crushed James II/VII's army and ended any real opposition to his invasion.



              Of course, this is an artifact of the fractured society of Ireland, and subsequently of Northern Ireland. Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle, because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools.






              share|improve this answer












              Not a complete country, but a faction within the country.



              William III invaded Britain, with popular support from the majority-Protestant population. Northern Irish Protestants still celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, where William crushed James II/VII's army and ended any real opposition to his invasion.



              Of course, this is an artifact of the fractured society of Ireland, and subsequently of Northern Ireland. Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle, because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools.







              share|improve this answer












              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer










              answered Dec 3 at 9:31









              Graham

              52626




              52626












              • If people elsewhere in the UK have heard of it, it's probably due to Northern Ireland.
                – gerrit
                Dec 3 at 15:20






              • 1




                "Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle" eh? I'm not to hot on all the details of the Battle of the Boyne, but I'm certainly aware of it. And I'd be surprised if most people didn't know of William at least as part of 'William and Mary'.
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago






              • 3




                "because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools." Regardless of the situation of Ireland (both sides of which were fighting for a British King in this battle of course), claiming people not hearing about William is due to not teaching British colonial exploits is somewhat Bizarre.
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @JonathanCast Too little teaching, too much history to cover. To understand European history, you need to know the background going back to Roman history at the very least, and that's too much to teach. So typically at school we end up with a "greatest hits" compilation, with a lot of gaps in between.
                – Graham
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @Graham Indeed, I'm bad at many, but William III is one of the better-known ones. Ask me about William IV and I start hemming and hawing beyond 'he was Hanoverian'
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago


















              • If people elsewhere in the UK have heard of it, it's probably due to Northern Ireland.
                – gerrit
                Dec 3 at 15:20






              • 1




                "Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle" eh? I'm not to hot on all the details of the Battle of the Boyne, but I'm certainly aware of it. And I'd be surprised if most people didn't know of William at least as part of 'William and Mary'.
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago






              • 3




                "because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools." Regardless of the situation of Ireland (both sides of which were fighting for a British King in this battle of course), claiming people not hearing about William is due to not teaching British colonial exploits is somewhat Bizarre.
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @JonathanCast Too little teaching, too much history to cover. To understand European history, you need to know the background going back to Roman history at the very least, and that's too much to teach. So typically at school we end up with a "greatest hits" compilation, with a lot of gaps in between.
                – Graham
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @Graham Indeed, I'm bad at many, but William III is one of the better-known ones. Ask me about William IV and I start hemming and hawing beyond 'he was Hanoverian'
                – Orangesandlemons
                2 days ago
















              If people elsewhere in the UK have heard of it, it's probably due to Northern Ireland.
              – gerrit
              Dec 3 at 15:20




              If people elsewhere in the UK have heard of it, it's probably due to Northern Ireland.
              – gerrit
              Dec 3 at 15:20




              1




              1




              "Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle" eh? I'm not to hot on all the details of the Battle of the Boyne, but I'm certainly aware of it. And I'd be surprised if most people didn't know of William at least as part of 'William and Mary'.
              – Orangesandlemons
              2 days ago




              "Elsewhere in the UK you'd be lucky to find anyone who's heard of William III or that battle" eh? I'm not to hot on all the details of the Battle of the Boyne, but I'm certainly aware of it. And I'd be surprised if most people didn't know of William at least as part of 'William and Mary'.
              – Orangesandlemons
              2 days ago




              3




              3




              "because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools." Regardless of the situation of Ireland (both sides of which were fighting for a British King in this battle of course), claiming people not hearing about William is due to not teaching British colonial exploits is somewhat Bizarre.
              – Orangesandlemons
              2 days ago




              "because British colonial exploits have generally been rather badly taught in schools." Regardless of the situation of Ireland (both sides of which were fighting for a British King in this battle of course), claiming people not hearing about William is due to not teaching British colonial exploits is somewhat Bizarre.
              – Orangesandlemons
              2 days ago




              1




              1




              @JonathanCast Too little teaching, too much history to cover. To understand European history, you need to know the background going back to Roman history at the very least, and that's too much to teach. So typically at school we end up with a "greatest hits" compilation, with a lot of gaps in between.
              – Graham
              2 days ago




              @JonathanCast Too little teaching, too much history to cover. To understand European history, you need to know the background going back to Roman history at the very least, and that's too much to teach. So typically at school we end up with a "greatest hits" compilation, with a lot of gaps in between.
              – Graham
              2 days ago




              1




              1




              @Graham Indeed, I'm bad at many, but William III is one of the better-known ones. Ask me about William IV and I start hemming and hawing beyond 'he was Hanoverian'
              – Orangesandlemons
              2 days ago




              @Graham Indeed, I'm bad at many, but William III is one of the better-known ones. Ask me about William IV and I start hemming and hawing beyond 'he was Hanoverian'
              – Orangesandlemons
              2 days ago










              up vote
              9
              down vote













              A lot of polities or part of them have been founded as result of the conquest of their territory. Therefore, commemorating the conquest mixes with commemorating the founding of the polity.



              Istanbul Conquest Day, mentioned in another answer, is a great example - it does not commemorate the founding of the state, but the completion of the conquest of its core lands.



              As another example, Valentian National Day commemorates the conquest of Valencia by James I of Aragon from previous Muslim holders and subsequent founding of the Kingdom of Valencia.



              Australia Day is not very different from commemorating a conquest - just because of lack of serious resistance -, because it commemorates taking possession of a new land while disregarding previous inhabitants wishes and interests.



              New Caledonia Day also commemorates the incorporation of New Caledonia as a French protectorate in 1853 - not exactly a conquest but not far from it.






              share|improve this answer























              • Interesting fact about Australia! Thanks!
                – Midas
                Dec 3 at 5:40










              • In this regards US states also conquested the land, and kind of falls to the same pattern as AU :)
                – Askar Kalykov
                Dec 3 at 12:42






              • 5




                @AskarKalykov - As far as I know, US states tend to commemorate their admission day, not the day the US took the territory from somebody else.
                – Pere
                Dec 3 at 12:59















              up vote
              9
              down vote













              A lot of polities or part of them have been founded as result of the conquest of their territory. Therefore, commemorating the conquest mixes with commemorating the founding of the polity.



              Istanbul Conquest Day, mentioned in another answer, is a great example - it does not commemorate the founding of the state, but the completion of the conquest of its core lands.



              As another example, Valentian National Day commemorates the conquest of Valencia by James I of Aragon from previous Muslim holders and subsequent founding of the Kingdom of Valencia.



              Australia Day is not very different from commemorating a conquest - just because of lack of serious resistance -, because it commemorates taking possession of a new land while disregarding previous inhabitants wishes and interests.



              New Caledonia Day also commemorates the incorporation of New Caledonia as a French protectorate in 1853 - not exactly a conquest but not far from it.






              share|improve this answer























              • Interesting fact about Australia! Thanks!
                – Midas
                Dec 3 at 5:40










              • In this regards US states also conquested the land, and kind of falls to the same pattern as AU :)
                – Askar Kalykov
                Dec 3 at 12:42






              • 5




                @AskarKalykov - As far as I know, US states tend to commemorate their admission day, not the day the US took the territory from somebody else.
                – Pere
                Dec 3 at 12:59













              up vote
              9
              down vote










              up vote
              9
              down vote









              A lot of polities or part of them have been founded as result of the conquest of their territory. Therefore, commemorating the conquest mixes with commemorating the founding of the polity.



              Istanbul Conquest Day, mentioned in another answer, is a great example - it does not commemorate the founding of the state, but the completion of the conquest of its core lands.



              As another example, Valentian National Day commemorates the conquest of Valencia by James I of Aragon from previous Muslim holders and subsequent founding of the Kingdom of Valencia.



              Australia Day is not very different from commemorating a conquest - just because of lack of serious resistance -, because it commemorates taking possession of a new land while disregarding previous inhabitants wishes and interests.



              New Caledonia Day also commemorates the incorporation of New Caledonia as a French protectorate in 1853 - not exactly a conquest but not far from it.






              share|improve this answer














              A lot of polities or part of them have been founded as result of the conquest of their territory. Therefore, commemorating the conquest mixes with commemorating the founding of the polity.



              Istanbul Conquest Day, mentioned in another answer, is a great example - it does not commemorate the founding of the state, but the completion of the conquest of its core lands.



              As another example, Valentian National Day commemorates the conquest of Valencia by James I of Aragon from previous Muslim holders and subsequent founding of the Kingdom of Valencia.



              Australia Day is not very different from commemorating a conquest - just because of lack of serious resistance -, because it commemorates taking possession of a new land while disregarding previous inhabitants wishes and interests.



              New Caledonia Day also commemorates the incorporation of New Caledonia as a French protectorate in 1853 - not exactly a conquest but not far from it.







              share|improve this answer














              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer








              edited Dec 3 at 9:25

























              answered Dec 2 at 22:15









              Pere

              1,535613




              1,535613












              • Interesting fact about Australia! Thanks!
                – Midas
                Dec 3 at 5:40










              • In this regards US states also conquested the land, and kind of falls to the same pattern as AU :)
                – Askar Kalykov
                Dec 3 at 12:42






              • 5




                @AskarKalykov - As far as I know, US states tend to commemorate their admission day, not the day the US took the territory from somebody else.
                – Pere
                Dec 3 at 12:59


















              • Interesting fact about Australia! Thanks!
                – Midas
                Dec 3 at 5:40










              • In this regards US states also conquested the land, and kind of falls to the same pattern as AU :)
                – Askar Kalykov
                Dec 3 at 12:42






              • 5




                @AskarKalykov - As far as I know, US states tend to commemorate their admission day, not the day the US took the territory from somebody else.
                – Pere
                Dec 3 at 12:59
















              Interesting fact about Australia! Thanks!
              – Midas
              Dec 3 at 5:40




              Interesting fact about Australia! Thanks!
              – Midas
              Dec 3 at 5:40












              In this regards US states also conquested the land, and kind of falls to the same pattern as AU :)
              – Askar Kalykov
              Dec 3 at 12:42




              In this regards US states also conquested the land, and kind of falls to the same pattern as AU :)
              – Askar Kalykov
              Dec 3 at 12:42




              5




              5




              @AskarKalykov - As far as I know, US states tend to commemorate their admission day, not the day the US took the territory from somebody else.
              – Pere
              Dec 3 at 12:59




              @AskarKalykov - As far as I know, US states tend to commemorate their admission day, not the day the US took the territory from somebody else.
              – Pere
              Dec 3 at 12:59










              up vote
              7
              down vote













              Spain's National Day is celebrated on October 12th, the day Columbus (re)discovered the American continent in 1492.



              Given that every discovered territory was subsequently claimed by the Spanish Crown and promptly conquered/annexed, thus marking the birth of the Spanish Empire, this holiday can be seen as a celebration of the annexation of the American territories -- the date would hardly be a National Day if the Spanish Empire hadn't happened. In fact:




              The chosen date, the 12th of October, symbolizes the historical event in which Spain, about to conclude a State-building process rooted in our cultural and political plurality, as well as the integration of Spain's kingdoms under the same Monarchy, begins a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond European limits.
              Excerpt from the law proclaiming the 12th of October as National Day (bold mine) (full text in Spanish)




              This "State-building process" and "integration of kingdoms" would be the Reconquista, which ultimately ended with the Capitulation of Granada on January 2nd, 1492, just months before Columbus set sail.

              So this territorial unification and expansion is officially acknowledged as the motivation of the celebration, although the text of the law using a milder language (the law is from 1987 after all).






              share|improve this answer



















              • 3




                @EldritchWarlord There's a fair possibility that America was already known to the Nordic nations. Hence the parentheses surrounding (re): it is my way of allowing for both points of view. Sure, for all Columbus and the men and women of his time knew, he had just discovered a new land; but it was possibly not the first time someone had discovered it.
                – Luis G.
                Dec 3 at 15:31






              • 2




                I don't believe Norse knowledge of the areas beyond Greenland ever made it into the broader European community.
                – Steven Burnap
                Dec 3 at 17:49






              • 1




                @StevenBurnap Obviously. We would not be talking about Columbus' discovery if it did...
                – Luis G.
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @LangLangC There's a lot of such dates indeed, we have a very eventful history -- but OP is asking for national celebrations, and only October 12th is regarded as a National Day in Spain. You made however a very good point about the conquest of Granada, which also happened in 1492. I may edit the answer later to mention that.
                – Luis G.
                2 days ago






              • 2




                @LuisG. Even if the Norse discovery of land in modern Canada was known to other Europeans (which seems very unlikely) Columbus discovered land in the Caribbean which was unknown to any European. I guess this is just a semantic disagreement, both are in North America so as you say they discovered the same continent.
                – EldritchWarlord
                2 days ago















              up vote
              7
              down vote













              Spain's National Day is celebrated on October 12th, the day Columbus (re)discovered the American continent in 1492.



              Given that every discovered territory was subsequently claimed by the Spanish Crown and promptly conquered/annexed, thus marking the birth of the Spanish Empire, this holiday can be seen as a celebration of the annexation of the American territories -- the date would hardly be a National Day if the Spanish Empire hadn't happened. In fact:




              The chosen date, the 12th of October, symbolizes the historical event in which Spain, about to conclude a State-building process rooted in our cultural and political plurality, as well as the integration of Spain's kingdoms under the same Monarchy, begins a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond European limits.
              Excerpt from the law proclaiming the 12th of October as National Day (bold mine) (full text in Spanish)




              This "State-building process" and "integration of kingdoms" would be the Reconquista, which ultimately ended with the Capitulation of Granada on January 2nd, 1492, just months before Columbus set sail.

              So this territorial unification and expansion is officially acknowledged as the motivation of the celebration, although the text of the law using a milder language (the law is from 1987 after all).






              share|improve this answer



















              • 3




                @EldritchWarlord There's a fair possibility that America was already known to the Nordic nations. Hence the parentheses surrounding (re): it is my way of allowing for both points of view. Sure, for all Columbus and the men and women of his time knew, he had just discovered a new land; but it was possibly not the first time someone had discovered it.
                – Luis G.
                Dec 3 at 15:31






              • 2




                I don't believe Norse knowledge of the areas beyond Greenland ever made it into the broader European community.
                – Steven Burnap
                Dec 3 at 17:49






              • 1




                @StevenBurnap Obviously. We would not be talking about Columbus' discovery if it did...
                – Luis G.
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @LangLangC There's a lot of such dates indeed, we have a very eventful history -- but OP is asking for national celebrations, and only October 12th is regarded as a National Day in Spain. You made however a very good point about the conquest of Granada, which also happened in 1492. I may edit the answer later to mention that.
                – Luis G.
                2 days ago






              • 2




                @LuisG. Even if the Norse discovery of land in modern Canada was known to other Europeans (which seems very unlikely) Columbus discovered land in the Caribbean which was unknown to any European. I guess this is just a semantic disagreement, both are in North America so as you say they discovered the same continent.
                – EldritchWarlord
                2 days ago













              up vote
              7
              down vote










              up vote
              7
              down vote









              Spain's National Day is celebrated on October 12th, the day Columbus (re)discovered the American continent in 1492.



              Given that every discovered territory was subsequently claimed by the Spanish Crown and promptly conquered/annexed, thus marking the birth of the Spanish Empire, this holiday can be seen as a celebration of the annexation of the American territories -- the date would hardly be a National Day if the Spanish Empire hadn't happened. In fact:




              The chosen date, the 12th of October, symbolizes the historical event in which Spain, about to conclude a State-building process rooted in our cultural and political plurality, as well as the integration of Spain's kingdoms under the same Monarchy, begins a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond European limits.
              Excerpt from the law proclaiming the 12th of October as National Day (bold mine) (full text in Spanish)




              This "State-building process" and "integration of kingdoms" would be the Reconquista, which ultimately ended with the Capitulation of Granada on January 2nd, 1492, just months before Columbus set sail.

              So this territorial unification and expansion is officially acknowledged as the motivation of the celebration, although the text of the law using a milder language (the law is from 1987 after all).






              share|improve this answer














              Spain's National Day is celebrated on October 12th, the day Columbus (re)discovered the American continent in 1492.



              Given that every discovered territory was subsequently claimed by the Spanish Crown and promptly conquered/annexed, thus marking the birth of the Spanish Empire, this holiday can be seen as a celebration of the annexation of the American territories -- the date would hardly be a National Day if the Spanish Empire hadn't happened. In fact:




              The chosen date, the 12th of October, symbolizes the historical event in which Spain, about to conclude a State-building process rooted in our cultural and political plurality, as well as the integration of Spain's kingdoms under the same Monarchy, begins a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond European limits.
              Excerpt from the law proclaiming the 12th of October as National Day (bold mine) (full text in Spanish)




              This "State-building process" and "integration of kingdoms" would be the Reconquista, which ultimately ended with the Capitulation of Granada on January 2nd, 1492, just months before Columbus set sail.

              So this territorial unification and expansion is officially acknowledged as the motivation of the celebration, although the text of the law using a milder language (the law is from 1987 after all).







              share|improve this answer














              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer








              edited 2 days ago

























              answered Dec 3 at 9:07









              Luis G.

              34315




              34315








              • 3




                @EldritchWarlord There's a fair possibility that America was already known to the Nordic nations. Hence the parentheses surrounding (re): it is my way of allowing for both points of view. Sure, for all Columbus and the men and women of his time knew, he had just discovered a new land; but it was possibly not the first time someone had discovered it.
                – Luis G.
                Dec 3 at 15:31






              • 2




                I don't believe Norse knowledge of the areas beyond Greenland ever made it into the broader European community.
                – Steven Burnap
                Dec 3 at 17:49






              • 1




                @StevenBurnap Obviously. We would not be talking about Columbus' discovery if it did...
                – Luis G.
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @LangLangC There's a lot of such dates indeed, we have a very eventful history -- but OP is asking for national celebrations, and only October 12th is regarded as a National Day in Spain. You made however a very good point about the conquest of Granada, which also happened in 1492. I may edit the answer later to mention that.
                – Luis G.
                2 days ago






              • 2




                @LuisG. Even if the Norse discovery of land in modern Canada was known to other Europeans (which seems very unlikely) Columbus discovered land in the Caribbean which was unknown to any European. I guess this is just a semantic disagreement, both are in North America so as you say they discovered the same continent.
                – EldritchWarlord
                2 days ago














              • 3




                @EldritchWarlord There's a fair possibility that America was already known to the Nordic nations. Hence the parentheses surrounding (re): it is my way of allowing for both points of view. Sure, for all Columbus and the men and women of his time knew, he had just discovered a new land; but it was possibly not the first time someone had discovered it.
                – Luis G.
                Dec 3 at 15:31






              • 2




                I don't believe Norse knowledge of the areas beyond Greenland ever made it into the broader European community.
                – Steven Burnap
                Dec 3 at 17:49






              • 1




                @StevenBurnap Obviously. We would not be talking about Columbus' discovery if it did...
                – Luis G.
                2 days ago






              • 1




                @LangLangC There's a lot of such dates indeed, we have a very eventful history -- but OP is asking for national celebrations, and only October 12th is regarded as a National Day in Spain. You made however a very good point about the conquest of Granada, which also happened in 1492. I may edit the answer later to mention that.
                – Luis G.
                2 days ago






              • 2




                @LuisG. Even if the Norse discovery of land in modern Canada was known to other Europeans (which seems very unlikely) Columbus discovered land in the Caribbean which was unknown to any European. I guess this is just a semantic disagreement, both are in North America so as you say they discovered the same continent.
                – EldritchWarlord
                2 days ago








              3




              3




              @EldritchWarlord There's a fair possibility that America was already known to the Nordic nations. Hence the parentheses surrounding (re): it is my way of allowing for both points of view. Sure, for all Columbus and the men and women of his time knew, he had just discovered a new land; but it was possibly not the first time someone had discovered it.
              – Luis G.
              Dec 3 at 15:31




              @EldritchWarlord There's a fair possibility that America was already known to the Nordic nations. Hence the parentheses surrounding (re): it is my way of allowing for both points of view. Sure, for all Columbus and the men and women of his time knew, he had just discovered a new land; but it was possibly not the first time someone had discovered it.
              – Luis G.
              Dec 3 at 15:31




              2




              2




              I don't believe Norse knowledge of the areas beyond Greenland ever made it into the broader European community.
              – Steven Burnap
              Dec 3 at 17:49




              I don't believe Norse knowledge of the areas beyond Greenland ever made it into the broader European community.
              – Steven Burnap
              Dec 3 at 17:49




              1




              1




              @StevenBurnap Obviously. We would not be talking about Columbus' discovery if it did...
              – Luis G.
              2 days ago




              @StevenBurnap Obviously. We would not be talking about Columbus' discovery if it did...
              – Luis G.
              2 days ago




              1




              1




              @LangLangC There's a lot of such dates indeed, we have a very eventful history -- but OP is asking for national celebrations, and only October 12th is regarded as a National Day in Spain. You made however a very good point about the conquest of Granada, which also happened in 1492. I may edit the answer later to mention that.
              – Luis G.
              2 days ago




              @LangLangC There's a lot of such dates indeed, we have a very eventful history -- but OP is asking for national celebrations, and only October 12th is regarded as a National Day in Spain. You made however a very good point about the conquest of Granada, which also happened in 1492. I may edit the answer later to mention that.
              – Luis G.
              2 days ago




              2




              2




              @LuisG. Even if the Norse discovery of land in modern Canada was known to other Europeans (which seems very unlikely) Columbus discovered land in the Caribbean which was unknown to any European. I guess this is just a semantic disagreement, both are in North America so as you say they discovered the same continent.
              – EldritchWarlord
              2 days ago




              @LuisG. Even if the Norse discovery of land in modern Canada was known to other Europeans (which seems very unlikely) Columbus discovered land in the Caribbean which was unknown to any European. I guess this is just a semantic disagreement, both are in North America so as you say they discovered the same continent.
              – EldritchWarlord
              2 days ago










              up vote
              4
              down vote













              Italy also has a (not too much celebrated, not a bank holiday) official celebration for its unification, after Piedmont had "liberated" most of the peninsula. But a man's unification/liberation is another man's conquest/annexation, depending on how words and sides turn.






              share|improve this answer








              New contributor




              Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
              Check out our Code of Conduct.






















                up vote
                4
                down vote













                Italy also has a (not too much celebrated, not a bank holiday) official celebration for its unification, after Piedmont had "liberated" most of the peninsula. But a man's unification/liberation is another man's conquest/annexation, depending on how words and sides turn.






                share|improve this answer








                New contributor




                Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.




















                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote









                  Italy also has a (not too much celebrated, not a bank holiday) official celebration for its unification, after Piedmont had "liberated" most of the peninsula. But a man's unification/liberation is another man's conquest/annexation, depending on how words and sides turn.






                  share|improve this answer








                  New contributor




                  Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                  Check out our Code of Conduct.









                  Italy also has a (not too much celebrated, not a bank holiday) official celebration for its unification, after Piedmont had "liberated" most of the peninsula. But a man's unification/liberation is another man's conquest/annexation, depending on how words and sides turn.







                  share|improve this answer








                  New contributor




                  Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                  Check out our Code of Conduct.









                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer






                  New contributor




                  Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                  Check out our Code of Conduct.









                  answered Dec 3 at 20:08









                  Federico Poloni

                  1413




                  1413




                  New contributor




                  Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                  Check out our Code of Conduct.





                  New contributor





                  Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                  Check out our Code of Conduct.






                  Federico Poloni is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                  Check out our Code of Conduct.

















                      protected by Pieter Geerkens 2 days ago



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