Warsaw Cross of the Uprising
Encyclopedia
The Warsaw Cross of the Uprising was a Polish military decoration. It was established by law on July 3, 1981 in order to honor the participants of the Warsaw Uprising
of 1944. It was discontinued in 1999. It is distinct from Cross of the Warsaw Uprising, which was an informal award instituted during the Uprising itself.
The decoration was awarded to persons who took an active part in the Warsaw Uprising. In particular:
The cross was awarded to Polish citizens as well as persons who, although they held non Polish citizenship at the time, also fought on the Polish side in the Uprising. The Cross could also have been awarded to foreigners if they took part in the Uprising or contributed to the fighting in some major way. The Cross could have been awarded post posthumously. Usually the awards were made on the anniversary of the uprising or on the Victory Day (May 9) (anniversary of Nazi capitulation).
Until 1989 the Cross was awarded by the Polish government, and later by the President of Poland, on the recommendation of:
The first Warsaw Crosses of the Uprising were awarded on the 1st of August in 1981 to 100 former soldiers of the Uprising, among others Gen. Jan Mazurkiewicz
(Radosław) - commander of the Home Army, Gen. Franciszek Kamiński
- commander of the Bataliony Chłopskie, Col. Maria Wittek
- commander of Military Women's Service, as well as Mieczysław Fogg and Lesław Bartelski.
On 16 October, 1992, a law was passed which ended the awarding of the medal on the 8 May, 1999.
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
of 1944. It was discontinued in 1999. It is distinct from Cross of the Warsaw Uprising, which was an informal award instituted during the Uprising itself.
The decoration was awarded to persons who took an active part in the Warsaw Uprising. In particular:
- soldiers of all the formations that fought in the Uprising
- members of the Military Women's Service, of the Health Care services of the Uprising and other auxiliary insurrectionist services.
- other persons who were somehow directly involved in the uprising.
The cross was awarded to Polish citizens as well as persons who, although they held non Polish citizenship at the time, also fought on the Polish side in the Uprising. The Cross could also have been awarded to foreigners if they took part in the Uprising or contributed to the fighting in some major way. The Cross could have been awarded post posthumously. Usually the awards were made on the anniversary of the uprising or on the Victory Day (May 9) (anniversary of Nazi capitulation).
Until 1989 the Cross was awarded by the Polish government, and later by the President of Poland, on the recommendation of:
- The Minister of Defense - in regard to persons who actively participated in the Uprising, whether through armed struggle or in civilian support.
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs - in regard to persons of Polish citizenship who were living abroad.
- The Veterans associations - in regard to other eligible persons.
The first Warsaw Crosses of the Uprising were awarded on the 1st of August in 1981 to 100 former soldiers of the Uprising, among others Gen. Jan Mazurkiewicz
Jan Mazurkiewicz
Jan Mazurkiewicz , codename Radosław, was a Polish soldier, a veteran of World War I, and a colonel in the Polish anti-Nazi resistance Armia Krajowa during World War II...
(Radosław) - commander of the Home Army, Gen. Franciszek Kamiński
Franciszek Kaminski
Franciszek Kamiński was a Polish general and activist of the peasant movement....
- commander of the Bataliony Chłopskie, Col. Maria Wittek
Maria Wittek
Maria Wittek codename: Mira, Pani Maria was the first Polish woman to be promoted to Brigadier-General, in 1991 after she had retired. She served in the Polish Army and associated organizations since she was 18 years old...
- commander of Military Women's Service, as well as Mieczysław Fogg and Lesław Bartelski.
On 16 October, 1992, a law was passed which ended the awarding of the medal on the 8 May, 1999.