Cross Of Merit.

[Al-muell]

The moscow-made crosses of merit all had "RP" letters in the center, as the PRP started to exist in 1952, and untill than all the crosses of Merit had "RP", not "PRL".
I don't remember the numbers now, but definately many were made in Moscow. Unfortunately, I am unable to tell which was made in Moscow and which in Poland between 1944 and 1952.

And as for the London-made crosses - note, that there was additionnaly the Cross ofMerit with Swords, which was a strictly combat award and was awarded only by the government in exile, as it didn't exist before the war and was not accepted by the post-war government.

[Pravda]

Thank you for the information!!! I meant to say RP not PR in my post, but I literally just began collecting Polish awards.

I found this one online that is allegedly of Soviet manufacture. It is supposed to be made of sterling silver and the enamel looks to be possibly of equal quality to what was produced at the Monetny Dvor.

The back has a dimple, that I have read in other places may be a defining characteristic of the Soviet-made Crosses of Merit.

Thoughts?

[CtahhR]

Here is a 23th August 1957 dated document for a Gold Cross to Stanisław Skuza. Although no additional information has not yet been found on the recipient it may well have been awarded either for service to the Party or Education.

[charlet]

it may well have been awarded either for service to the Party or Education.

with approximatively 1 million awarded for each three classes, this order was clearly given to every meritorious polish citizen, from the military officer to teacher, civil servant or meritorious worker... researching must be a kind of hell...

[CtahhR]

It certainly can be. Using as many different resources as possible is sometimes needed still to reach a dead end. Other times a definitive answer can be found quite easily. Unfortunately this recipient has a more common name although this award is from before it was more liberally awarded (as is often the way with communist awards). All other Gold Crosses I have found the reason for award in the weeks surrounding this one have been to higher party members or university level educators (or both). Fortunately I've been rather lucky with researching Polish recipients so far - lots more to come.

Here is Stanisław Skuza's Cross.

[charlet]

to higher party members or university level educators

yes, given the PZPR counted approx. 3 500 000 members in the 70ies and the gold class has been awarded 1350418, the gold class could be considered given to the executive members... the gold class could be considered also as a long-service award in commmon administrations.

[Al-muell]

A small update on the variations.
The common belif is that the crosses with dimples on the reverse are all Soviet made, and the crosses with Cross arms separated from the "laurel leaves" ("rays") are all pre-war. According to Wojciech Stela's book it is not exactly true - crosses with both that feathures were also made after the war in Poland. I even once sold a cross of merit with temporary doc here claiming that it is probably not a set (cross seemed pre-WW2), while it might have been in the end.

[CtahhR]

Oh dear - I even bought it!

It's good to be kept up to date. Information may change but hopefully the awards don't.

[Al-muell]

A 1958 doc to cpt. Stefan Kulczyk, son of Józef. The doc is maybe not the most special one, but the awardee is quite interesting:
Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej Instytutu Pamięci Narodowej

Stefan Kulczyk, born in 01.12.1912 in Opacz, Son of Józef and Wiktoria
15.09.1947 Ministry for PublicSecurity (MBP), Warsaw Senior referee, Personnel Bureau, Retirement section;
20.4.1948 - MBP, Warsaw, Minister's Cabinet, Legal department;
1.06.49 - same, solicitor;
1.02.53, same, General Administratio Department, Legal division - Senior solicitor;
15.09.1954 - Same, Minister's cabinet, 3rd Department - Senior Solicitor;
01.04.1955 Committee for State Security (KdsBP - short-lived incarnation of the MBP) - President's Cabinet, 3rd Department - Senior Solicitor;
01.07.1955 - Same, President's Cabinet, Legal-normative department - acting Chief;
01.04.1956 - 28.11.1956 - same, Chief, rank: captain.

Additional information:
For work in the state security sent by the Warsaw Committee of the Polish Worker Party (PPR). 28.11.1956-10.07.1967 - service in the Cabinet of the Minister for Interior Affairs (KdsBP/UB was disbanded and subordinated to the MSW at that time) - concluded at the rank of colonel. according to the motion from 30.06.1967: „(...) In the department under his command he publically expressed opinions which are in conflict with the
Polish State Well-being about the middle-eastern conflict. Because of this, I recommand him to be expelled from service (...)” (k. 88 mat. arch. sygn. IPN BU 0194/2416).

[CtahhR]

Here is a 1950's Gold Cross Of Merit. Notice the U shaped mint/quality control mark.