Cross of Merit
Krzyż Zasługi
Current version of the Gold Cross of Merit
TypeMedal awarded in three grades: Gold, 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
Established23 June 1923
First awarded11 November 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

The Cross of Merit (Polish: Krzyż Zasługi) is a Polish civil state decoration established on 23 June 1923, to recognize services to the state.[1]

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.[2]

The Order

The Order has three grades:

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

Recipients

Gold Cross of Merit

Gold Cross of Merit
Name Date Notes
Edward Karpinski January 2023 For exemplary public service in the Polish community in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Józefa Bramowska 1939 Politician
Ewa Hojna 13 May 2022 Director of Polish School Cultural Association (ACEP), Spain
Jan-Krzysztof Duda 2021 chess grandmaster[3]
Rick Sahar 2020 For building good relations through shared events within the Polish-Jewish communities in Wellington, New Zealand
Wanda Paulina Gluszek 2016 political activist, poet, Chicago, Illinois
Michał Korwin-Szymanowski, also known as Michel Korwin 2015 Montréal, Canada
John P. Lynch 3 November 2014 CEO and founder of Lynka[4]
Philippe Blain 27 October 2014 coach of Poland men's national volleyball team – World Champions 2014
Fabian Drzyzga 27 October 2014 volleyball player, World Champion 2014
Mateusz Mika 27 October 2014 volleyball player, World Champion 2014
Karol Kłos 27 October 2014 volleyball player, World Champion 2014
Michał Kwiatkowski 2014 Polish road cyclist
Andrzej Wrona 27 October 2014 volleyball player, World Champion 2014
Paweł Zatorski 27 October 2014 volleyball player, World Champion 2014
Joanna Zawadzka 2 May 2014 community activist living in Scotland, director of Polish Cultural Festival Association
Aleksandra Ziółkowska-Boehm 20 June 2014 U.S.-based writer and academic
Katarzyna Maria Dziewanowska 26 September 2013 scientific research, University of Idaho
Elwira Grossman August 2013 Scotland
John Dodunski March 2013 New Zealand
Robert Dodunski March 2013 New Zealand
Bogdan Labecki 2013 [5]
Margaret Scannell née Dodunski March 2013 New Zealand
Michal Kuleczka 2013 [6]
Máté Szabó 10 December 2012 The Ambassador of Poland to Hungary, Roman Kowalski presented the award to recognize Máté Szabó 's merits in strengthening the protection of human rights as Ombudsman and for his work developing Polish-Hungarian relations.[7]
Thomas Gabriel Grasza Esq 11 November 2011 postage stamp and coin designer and noted Canadian-Polish philatelist of four decades
Izabella Zielińska 2011 Polish pianist
Bronisław Oczkowski 14 December 2010 Melbourne, Australia[8]
Captain Stefan-Joseph Camilleri 23 January 2009 Warsaw, for distinguished and outstanding service to Poland and its people
Geertjan Lassche 2007 Dutch reporter and documentary film maker
Tomasz Miśkiewicz 2011 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
Edvard Kardelj 1946 [9]
Maciej Klich 2005 Polish historian, graphic artist, and a former anti-communist Polish independence diaspora activist
Małgorzata Kalinowska-Iszkowska 2005 Polish computer scientist[10]
Agata Mroz-Olszewska 2005 volleyball player, double European champion team member, 2003 and 2005
Adam Skorek 2004
Ryszard Antoni Kuśmierczyk August 2002 Engineer and community leader based ub Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Alojzy Nowak 2002 [11]
Jerzy Zralski 2000 II WW veteran and writer.[5]
Stanisław Nosal 1979 Polish Colonel of the 5th Rocket Artillery Battalion in Modlin Fortress, Poland.
Witold Bełza 1938 Polish librarian, writer, publicist and cultural activist.[12]
Michael Biegler German head coach of the Poland national handball team
Jan Bujak July 1984 Corporate owner
Stanisław Sylwester Alfonzy Grodyński 1939 Polish Governor (Starost), military intelligence officer, lawyer.[13]
Stanisław Horno-Popławski 1952 Polish painter, sculptor and pedagogue.[14]
Ryszard Jurkowski Silver and Gold Cross of Merit, Polish architect
Jerzy Łucki August 1995 Toronto, Canada
A.E.G.Jung September 1995 Stellenbosch, South Africa
Marian Machowski Polish footballer and researcher[15]
Krzysztof Kazimierz Miller 1964 architect, urbanist
Agnieszka Radwańska tennis player[16]
Bronisława Rychter-Janowska 1939 Cracovian artist.[17]
Moses Schorr Rabbi, Polish historian, politician, bible scholar, assyriologist and orientalist
Stefania Skwarczyńska Polish theorist and historian of literature, theatrologist, full professor, honorary doctor of the University of Łódź, World War II resistance fighter
Captain Raymond Delver Smith Carrington J.P. 1990 for distinguished and outstanding service to Poland and its people
Henri Strzelecki 1990 co-founder of Henri Lloyd.[citation needed]
Arthur Szyk 1931 Polish-Jewish fine artist, book illustrator, and political artist.[18]
Józef Weyssenhoff 1932 Polish writer, novelist, poet, literary critic, publisher.[19]
Edward Lisiowski 1974 Service to the people of Wojszyn.
Afanasij Poliszczuk 1946 veterinary service chief in the First Polish Army
Alojzy Walentego Zygmunt 29 November 1972 For fifteen years of uninterrupted and distinguished work in the mining industry

Silver Cross of Merit

Silver Cross of Merit
Name Date Notes
Maria Boniecka 1937 work with illiterate adults
Francis K. Czyzewski 4 July 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 1970 Polish glider pilot
Grzegorz Fryc September 2014 New York[20]
Helena Gąsienica Daniel Olympic cross-country skier[21]
Marcin Pawel Grzadka November 2013 Harcmistrz, co-founder of YPCPA.[22] & chairman of Quo Vadis Leadership Conference.[23] – Canada
Rudolf Gundlach Gundlach tank periscope inventor
Robert Makłowicz 2004 journalist and historian, notable for promoting the Polish cuisine
Tomasz Moczerniuk September 2014 New York[20]
Witold Pilecki 1938 Soldier
Filip Slipaczek May 2014 UK[24]
Adam Świerkocz 2005 Polish brigadier general
Jerzy Troszczynski photographer[25]
Krzysztof Wojciechowski August 2013 Poland[26]
Wlodzimierz Mieczyslaw Wojciechowski 1973 Polish soldier and resistance fighter, London
Czesław s. Ignacego Przybylak 1956 decorated Polish humanitarian activist, decorated worker of the state and Holocaust Survivor
Jacek Banasiak 2014 Professor and DST/NRF SARChI Chair in Mathematical Models and Methods in Biosciences and Bioengineering at the University of Pretoria[27]
Maciej Żółtowski 2002 Polish conductor and composer
Alex Dancyg 2007 Historian and advocate of Polish-Israeli relations[28]


Bronze Cross of Merit

Bronze Cross of Merit
Name Date Notes
Stefan Ficner 1945 Great Grandfather, Patriot, Golina, Polska
Stanisław Łukaszewicz 1944 Bronze Cross of Merit with Swords, Sargeant 10 Dragoons, 1 Polish Armoured Division, 1 Polish Corps for action at Falaise Gap, France 1944[29]
Piotr Paweł Morta 1998 Also Silver Cross of Merit – 2010
Marguerite Ettienette Andrée Mouton – née Guillemin 1950s Educator; Soissons, France
Elżbieta Smereka 3 May 1987 For meritorious social services
Tomasz Trembowski 2013 Canada[30]
Dariusz Jemielniak 2018 [31]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dz.U. 1923 nr 62 poz. 458" (in Polish). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Krzyż Zasługi" (in Polish). 14 November 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Jan-Krzysztof Duda odznaczony Złotym Krzyżem Zasługi. "Nikt nie osiąga sukcesu sam"" (in Polish). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  4. ^ "News". Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Government House (Award to Canadians)". Canada Gazette. Vol. 134, No. 43 — 21 October 2000. from: www.http://publications.gc.ca/gazette/archives/p1/2000/2000-10-21/pdf/g1-13443.pdf
  6. ^ "Government House (Award to Canadians)". Canada Gazette. Vol. 147, No. 8 — 23 February 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013 from: http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-02-23/html/gh-rg-eng.html
  7. ^ Szabó, Máté (2013). "Beszámoló Az Alapvető Jogok Biztosának és helyetteseinek 2012. évi tevékenységéről". ajbh.hu. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Nadanie orderów i odznaczeń. - M.P.2011.27.295".
  9. ^ "Предаја високих пољских одликовања потпредседнику владе ФНРЈ Едварду Кардељу и руководиоцима НАродне Републике Словеније". Borba (in Serbo-Croatian): 1. 24 October 1946.
  10. ^ Andrzej Maciejewski (25 November 2005). "Ordery za IT" [Orders for IT] (in Polish). Computerworld.
  11. ^ "Postanowienie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 20 września 2002 r. o nadaniu orderów i odznaczeń". isap.sejm.gov.pl. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  12. ^ "PATRON – WITOLD BEŁZA". biblioteka.bydgoszcz.pl. biblioteka.bydgoszcz. 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  13. ^ The Grodyński Brigade, Andrzej ST Grodyński 1977/2012
  14. ^ M.P. 1952 nr 70 poz. 1078. Zarządzenie o nadaniu Złotego Krzyża Zasługi (PDF). Warsaw: PREZYDENT RZECZYPOSPOLITEJ. 22 July 1952.
  15. ^ Filipiuk, Jerzy (5 January 2022). "Zmarł były świetny piłkarz Marian Machowski. Grał w Nadwiślanie Kraków i Wiśle Kraków, wystąpił w reprezentacji Polski" [Former great footballer Marian Machowski has died. He played in Nadwiślana Kraków and Wisła Kraków, he played for the Poland national team]. Gazeta Krakowska (in Polish). Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Sukces w kraju bez trawy. Janowicz, Kubot i Radwańska z Krzyżami Zasługi". www.sport.pl. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  17. ^ iPSB (2014). "Bronisława Rychter-Janowska (1868–1953, malarka)". Internetowy Polski Słownik Biograficzny. Narodowy Instytut Audiowizualny. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ M.P. 1932 nr 123 poz. 155. Zarządzenie o nadaniu Złotego Krzyża Zasługi (PDF). Warsaw: PREZYDENT RZECZYPOSPOLITEJ. May 1932.
  20. ^ a b "Awards at the Consulate General of Poland in New York". Retrieved 24 September 2014 from: http://www.prezydent.pl/aktualnosci/ordery-i-odznaczenia/art,1369,odznaczenia-w-konsulacie-generalnym-rp-w-nowym-jorku.html Archived 15 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ "Nie żyje Helena Gąsienica Daniel-Lewandowska" [Helena Gąsienica Daniel-Lewandowska is dead]. onet.pl (in Polish). 25 November 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  22. ^ Grzadka, Marcin (12 November 2013). "Co-founder of, first President, and Chairman of the Young Polish Canadian Professionals Association". YPCPA. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  23. ^ Grzadka, Marcin (12 November 2013). "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. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  24. ^ "Polish Embassy London (Awarded for Polish-Jewish dialogue)". Retrieved 15 July 2014 from: http://www.londyn.msz.gov.pl/en/c/MOBILE/news/silver_cross_of_merit__for_filip_slipaczek
  25. ^ "Jerzy Troszczyński". fototeka.fn.org.pl. National Film Archive. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  26. ^ "Dr. Krzysztof Wojciechowski, Direktor des Collegium Polonicum Slubice, mit Verdienstkreuz der Republik Polen ausgezeichnet". OderPost. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  27. ^ "Banasiak". African Scientists Directory. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  28. ^ S, Marcin (1 November 2023). "President Duda meets son of kidnapped historian Alex Dancyg". PolandDaily24.com. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  29. ^ Letter from Ministry of Defence, 11 June 2003
  30. ^ "Government House (Award to Canadians)". Canada Gazette. Vol. 147, No. 4 — 26 January 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013 from: http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-01-26/html/gh-rg-eng.html#c101
  31. ^ "Odznaczenia dla zasłużonych w działalności na rzecz rozwoju nauki" (in Polish). 8 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
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