Cross of Merit (Poland)

The Cross of Merit (Polish: Krzyż Zasługi) is a Polish civil state decoration established on June 23, 1923, to recognize services to the state.

Cross of Merit
Krzyż Zasługi
Current version of Gold Cross of Merit
TypeMedal awarded in three grades: Golden, Silver, and Bronze
Awarded forExemplary public service or humanitarian work that goes above and beyond the call of duty
Country Poland
Presented bythe President of Poland
Claspsdenotes subsequent award
StatusCurrently awarded
EstablishedJune 23, 1923
First awardedNovember 11, 1923
Precedence
Next (higher)Cross of Merit with Swords
Next (lower)Military Cross of Merit with Swords,
Air Force Cross of Merit with Swords,
Navy Cross of Merit with Swords

History

At the time of its establishment in 1923, the Cross of Merit was the highest civilian award in Poland. It was awarded to citizens who went beyond the call of duty in their work for the country and society as a whole. May be awarded twice in each grade to the same person.

  • Gold Cross of Merit issued by the People's Republic
  • Silver Cross of Merit issued by the People's Republic

The Order

The Order has three grades:

1. Gold Cross of Merit
2. Silver Cross of Merit
3. Bronze Cross of Merit

Recipients
  • Witold Bełza, (Gold Cross of Merit, 1938), Polish librarian, writer, publicist and cultural activist.[1]
  • Józef Weyssenhoff, (Gold Cross of Merit, 1932), Polish writer, novelist, poet, literary critic, publisher.[2]
  • Stefan Ficner (Bronze Cross of Merit, 1945), Great Grandfather, Patriot, Golina, Polska
  • Wanda Paulina Gluszek (Gold Cross of Merit, 2016), Political Activist, Poet, Chicago, Illinois.
  • Krzysztof Kazimierz Miller (Gold Cross of Merit, 1964), Architect, Urbanist.
  • Stansilaw Lukaszewicz (Bronze Cross of Merit with Swords), Sargeant 10 Dragoons, 1 Polish Armoured Division, 1 Polish Corps for action at Falaise Gap, France 1944.[3]
  • Moses Schorr (Gold Cross of Merit), Rabbi, Polish Historian, Politician, Bible Scholar, assyriologist and orientalist.
  • Arthur Szyk (Gold Cross of Merit, 1931), Polish-Jewish fine artist, book illustrator, and political artist.[4]
  • Francis K. Czyzewski; b. 1904 – d. 1976; (SIlver Cross of Merit, July 4, 1939), writer, astronomer, meteorologist, photographer, playwright, WSBT Polish Hour radio program host, life member of the solar division of the American Variable Star Observers at Harvard College Observatory (1951); former president, Polish-American Central Civic Committee; staff writer, South Bend Tribune; South Bend, Indiana
  • Adela Dankowska (Silver Cross of Merit, 1970), Polish glider pilot
  • Marguerite Ettienette Andrée Mouton (née – Guillemin; b.1889 – d. 1976; Bronze Cross of Merit – 1950's) Educator; Soissons, France
  • Witold Pilecki (1938, Silver Cross of Merit) Soldier
  • Maria Boniecka (1937, Silver Cross of Merit), work with illiterate adults
  • Ryszard Jurkowski (Silver and Gold Cross of Merit) Polish architect
  • Michał Korwin-Szymanowski, also known as Michel Korwin (Gold Cross of Merit 2015), Montréal, Canada.
  • Bronisława Rychter-Janowska (Gold Cross of Merit 1939), Cracovian artist.[5]
  • Henri Strzelecki (Gold Cross of Merit 1990), co-founder of Henri Lloyd.
  • Jan Bujak (Gold Cross of Merit, July 1984) – Corporate owner
  • Jerzy Łucki (Gold Cross of Merit, August 1995) – Toronto, Canada
  • Ryszard Antoni Kuśmierczyk ( Gold Cross of Merit, August 2002), Engineer, Community leader, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
  • Geertjan Lassche (Gold Cross of Merit 2007), Dutch reporter and documentary film maker
  • Izabella Zielińska (Gold Cross of Merit 2011), Polish pianist
  • Wlodzimierz Mieczyslaw Wojciechowski (Silver Cross of Merit 1973), Polish soldier and resistance fighter, London.
  • Michał Kwiatkowski (Gold Cross of Merit 2014), Polish road cyclist
  • Jerzy Zralski (Gold Cross of Merit 2000), II WW veteran and writer.[6]
  • Bogdan Labecki (Gold Cross of Merit 2013).[6]
  • Adam Świerkocz (Silver Cross of Merit 2005), Polish brigadier general
  • Tomasz Miśkiewicz (Silver Cross of Merit 2006), Mufti – for work with the immigrant and native Islamic Youth, (Gold Cross of Merit 2011), for work with the Muslim minorities, and for interfaith dialogue
  • Michal Kuleczka (Gold Cross of Merit 2013).[7]
  • Bogdan Labecki (Gold Cross of Merit 2013).[6]
  • John Dodunski (Cross of Merit 2013) – New Zealand – March 2013
  • Margaret Scannell née Dodunski (Cross of Merit 2013) – New Zealand – March 2013
  • Robert Dodunski (Cross of Merit 2013) – New Zealand – March 2013
  • Tomasz Trembowski (Bronze Cross of Merit 2013) – Canada – May 2013[8]
  • Elwira Grossman (Gold Cross of Merit 2013) – Scotland – August 2013
  • Krzysztof Wojciechowski (Silver Cross of Merit) – Poland – August 2013[9]
  • Rudolf Gundlach (Silver Cross of Merit) – Gundlach tank periscope inventor
  • Agnieszka Radwańska (Gold Cross of Merit) – Tennis Player[10]
  • Katarzyna Maria Dziewanowska- (Gold Cross of Merit) Scientific Research – University of Idaho September 26, 2013
  • Marcin Pawel Grzadka (Silver Cross of Merit) – Harcmistrz, Co-Founder of YPCPA.[11] & Chairman of Quo Vadis Leadership Conference.[12] – Canada – November 2013
  • Filip Slipaczek (Silver Cross of Merit 2014) – UK – May 2014[13]
  • Aleksandra Ziółkowska-Boehm (Gold Cross of Merit – 20 June 2014), USA, writer and academic
  • Tomasz Moczerniuk (Silver Cross of Merit) – New York – September 2014[14]
  • Grzegorz Fryc (Silver Cross of Merit) – New York – September 2014[14]
  • Adam Skorek (Gold Cross of Merit – 2004)
  • Alojzy Nowak – (Gold Cross of Merit – 2002)[15]
  • Karol Kłos (Gold Cross of Merit – 27 October 2014) – volleyball player, World Champion 2014
  • Andrzej Wrona (Gold Cross of Merit – 27 October 2014) – volleyball player, World Champion 2014
  • Fabian Drzyzga (Gold Cross of Merit – 27 October 2014) – volleyball player, World Champion 2014
  • Paweł Zatorski (Gold Cross of Merit – 27 October 2014) – volleyball player, World Champion 2014
  • Mateusz Mika (Gold Cross of Merit – 27 October 2014) – volleyball player, World Champion 2014
  • Philippe Blain (Gold Cross of Merit – 27 October 2014) – coach of Poland men's national volleyball team – World Champions 2014
  • Agata Mroz-Olszewska; b. 1982 – d. 2008; (Gold Cross of Merit 2005) – volleyball player, double European champion team member, 2003 and 2005
  • John P. Lynch (Gold Cross of Merit – 3 November 2014) – CEO & Founder Lynka[16]
  • Michael Biegler (Gold Cross of Merit) – The German head coach of the Polish national handball team.
  • Thomas Gabriel Grasza Esq (Gold Cross of Merit – November 11, 2011) Postage Stamp & Coin Designer and Noted Canadian Polish Philatelist of Four Decades.
  • Elżbieta Smereka (Bronze Cross of Merit - May 3, 1987) - For meritorious social services.
  • Joanna Zawadzka (Gold Cross of Merit – 2 May 2014) – Community Activist living in Scotland, Director of Polish Cultural Festival Association.
  • Jerzy Troszczynski (Silver Cross of Merit) – photographer[17]
  • Piotr Paweł Morta (Bronze Cross of Merit – 1998, Silver Cross of Merit – 2010)
  • Helena Gąsienica Daniel (Silver Cross of Merit) – Olympic cross-country skier[18]
  • Captain Raymond Delver Smith Carrington J.P. (Gold Cross of Merit 1990) – For distinguished and outstanding service to Poland and its people.
  • Bronisław Oczkowski (Gold Cross of Merit – 14 December 2010) – Melbourne, Australia[19]

See also

References
  1. "PATRON – WITOLD BEŁZA". biblioteka.bydgoszcz.pl. biblioteka.bydgoszcz. 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  2. M.P. 1932 nr 123 poz. 155. Zarządzenie o nadaniu Złotego Krzyża Zasługi (PDF). Warsaw: PREZYDENT RZECZYPOSPOLITEJ. May 1932.
  3. Letter from Ministry of Defence, 11 June 2003
  4. Ungar, Irvin; Berenbaum, Michael; Freudenheim, Tom L.; Kettlewell, James (2017). Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art. London: D Giles Limited. p. 224. ISBN 978-1-911282-09-9.
  5. iPSB (2014). "Bronisława Rychter-Janowska (1868–1953, malarka)". Internetowy Polski Słownik Biograficzny. Narodowy Instytut Audiowizualny. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  6. "Government House (Award to Canadians)". Canada Gazette. Vol. 134, No. 43 — October 21, 2000. from: www.http://publications.gc.ca/gazette/archives/p1/2000/2000-10-21/pdf/g1-13443.pdf
  7. "Government House (Award to Canadians)". Canada Gazette. Vol. 147, No. 8 — February 23, 2013. Retrieved March 6th, 2013 from: http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-02-23/html/gh-rg-eng.html
  8. "Government House (Award to Canadians)". Canada Gazette. Vol. 147, No. 4 — January 26, 2013. Retrieved May 3rd, 2013 from: http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-01-26/html/gh-rg-eng.html#c101
  9. "Dr. Krzysztof Wojciechowski, Direktor des Collegium Polonicum Slubice, mit Verdienstkreuz der Republik Polen ausgezeichnet". OderPost. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  10. http://www.sport.pl/celebrities/51,83535,14244838.html?i=3 Archived 2013-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Grzadka, Marcin (2013-11-12). "Co-founder of, first President, and Chairman of the Young Polish Canadian Professionals Association". YPCPA. Archived from the original on 2013-11-13. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
  12. Grzadka, Marcin (2013-11-12). "Chairman of Quo Vadis 3 – International leadership conference, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada – May 2011. Advisor to 2012 conference in Calgary, Canada & Chicago, USA". QVC. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
  13. "Polish Embassy London (Awarded for Polish-Jewish dialogue)". Retrieved July 15th, 2014 from: http://www.londyn.msz.gov.pl/en/c/MOBILE/news/silver_cross_of_merit__for_filip_slipaczek
  14. "Awards at the Consulate General of Poland in New York". Retrieved September 24th, 2014 from: http://www.prezydent.pl/aktualnosci/ordery-i-odznaczenia/art,1369,odznaczenia-w-konsulacie-generalnym-rp-w-nowym-jorku.html Archived 2014-10-15 at the Wayback Machine
  15. "Postanowienie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 20 września 2002 r. o nadaniu orderów i odznaczeń". isap.sejm.gov.pl. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-11-08. Retrieved 2014-11-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. "Jerzy Troszczyński". fototeka.fn.org.pl. National Film Archive. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  18. "Nie żyje Helena Gąsienica Daniel-Lewandowska" [Helena Gąsienica Daniel-Lewandowska is dead]. onet.pl (in Polish). 25 November 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  19. https://sip.lex.pl/akty-prawne/mp-monitor-polski/nadanie-orderow-i-odznaczen-17696674
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