WWII Poland Order of Polonia Restituta - Commander - 3rd Cl. - 1944

Description: Beautiful and rare original World War II (2) Poland Order of Polonia Restituta Commander's Cross (3rd Class) with ribbon! BEAUTIFUL! Medal is in great condition for it's age! History: The Order of Polonia Restituta (or Order Odrodzenia Polski in Polish, Order of the Rebirth of Poland in English) is a Polish state order established in 1921 and conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, national defense, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries. The Order of Polonia Restituta was established on 4 February 1921 with Marshal Józef Piłsudski as first Grand Master. The Marshal awarded the first recipients on 13 July 1921. After World War II both the Polish government-in-exile and the Communist People’s Republic of Poland, aligned with the Warsaw Pact, awarded the order, though the versions differed slightly. The order was saved from abuse as it was simply passed over in favor of more traditional communist awards. During this time, the Order of Merit of Poland became the favored award for foreigners. On 22 December 1990 the Polish government-in-exile returned the rights to its version of the order to the new Polish state. Invalid awards have been revoked and today the remaining communist versions of the order hold the same status as any other issues. The Order of Polonia Restituta has five classes, categorized according to the Constitution of Poland, Article 138, as follows: Grand Cross. Order of Polonia Restituta First Class, Krzyż Wielki, the Grand Cross, referred to as the Grand Cordon.Commander’s Cross with Star. Order of Polonia Restituta Second Class, Krzyż Komandorski z Gwiazdą, the Commander’s Cross with Star. Commander’s Cross. Order of Polonia Restituta Third Class, Krzyż Komandorski, the Commander’s Cross.Officer’s Cross. Order of Polonia Restituta Fourth Class, Krzyż Oficerski, the Officer’s Cross. Knight’s Cross. Order of Polonia Restituta Fifth Class, Krzyż Kawalerski, the Knight’s Cross. The Order of Polonia Restituta DesignThe badge of the Order of Polonia Restituta is a gold Maltese cross enameled in white. The obverse central disc bears a white eagle on a red background, the Coat of Arms of Poland, surrounded by a blue ring bearing the words “Polonia Restituta“. The reverse central disc bears the year 1918 (for the People’s Republic of Poland version: 1944). The badge is worn on a ribbon, red with a white stripe near the edges, as a sash on the right shoulder for Grand Cross, around the neck for Commander with Star and Commander, on the left chest with a rosette for Officer, and on the left chest without rosette for Knight. The star of the order is an eight-pointed silver star with straight rays. The central disc is in white enamel, bearing the monogram “RP” (Republic of Poland) (for the People’s Republic of Poland, “PRL”) and surrounded by a blue ring bearing the Latin words “Polonia Restituta“. This medal is from the esteemed collection of Allan Zakrzewski, WWI historian, member of Cross and Cockade International and Orders and Medals Society of America. He was also a Charter member of The League of World War One Aviation Historians. In 2001, he became an editor for Over the Front quarterly magazine and while a member of the Gulf Cost Chapter of the League of WWI Aviation Historians, he earned the Thornton D. Hooper Award for Excellence for his article on "Monoplane Fighters of World War I." In 2007, he received his second Thornton D. Hooper Award for "An Evening with Rodney Williams, 17th Aero Squadron." Much of his collection is on display at the University of Texas at Dallas' Eugene McDermott Library. Medal will be well protected and shipped and wrapped. Please feel free to ask questions and make an offer! Return Policy: Authenticity is guaranteed with a 30-day full return policy. Item must be returned in it's original condition upon purchase for full money-back return. Inventory: POL OP2

Price: 150 USD

Location: Loves Park, Illinois

End Time: 2024-03-02T20:48:12.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD