Honour Badge Of The Polish Red Cross.

[Taz]

Honorowa Odznaka Polskiego Czerwonego Krzyza

This award was instituted on January 11, 1929 and modified to adjust to the new political situations in 1937, 1945 and 1990.
There are four grades of this award, gold 1st class, gold 2nd class, silver and bronze.It is awarded for merit in the Polish or International Red Cross in various fields a few examples being nursing, caretaking and blood donation.

1929-1937
The gold decoration 1st class is a gilted, red enameled Greek cross with the dimentions 31 x 31 mm, with five plain rays and a crowned silver eagle superimposed on the center.
The reverse is plain, with the letters P.C.K. (Polski Czerwony Krzyz - Polish Red Cross) and the semicircular inscription Zasludze below. Suspension ring is in the form of a laurel wreath.
The gold decoration 2nd class is a gilt round medal, 30 mm in diameter, with a similar cross having a silver eagle in the center; the whole surrounded by a close laurel wreath.
The reverse is as above.
The Silver and bronze decorations are silver and bronze medals, 30 mm in diameter, with a red enameled Greek cross in the center and an eagle which is in the same colour as the medal surrounded by an open laurel wreath.
The reverse is again as above.

1937-1945
The gold decoration 1st class is as in the other version but larger, being 37 x 37 mm.
The reverse has the abbreviation P.C.K.
The gold decoration 2nd class, silver and bronze decorations are similar crosses, but smaller in size only 30 x 30 mm, gilt, silvered or bronze respectively. The eagle to the bronze decoration is also made of bronze.

1945-1991
As above but once again being larger. The gold cross 1st class is 45 x 45 mm, that of the other classes 36 x 36 mm. Also the eagle has no crown.

since 1991
The badges and dimensions the same as in the previous period but the eagle is crowned again.

The ribbon is 38 mm, white with narrow red side stripes. When ribbon bars are worn, that of the gold decoration 1st class has a small rosette in the center. The gold 2nd class has a gold stripe the silver a silver stripe and the bronze ribbon is plain.

Shown are the gold 1st Class, Gold 2nd Class and silver awards of the 1945-1991 period, bronze award with reverse and ribbons.


Eddie