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Honorary decorations

Through its Military Department, the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Oppression participates in the honoring of merits in the struggle for Poland's independence, and also of merits to the veterans' circles. In the case of persons residing abroad, such tasks are performed in cooperation with the military attaché's offices and consulates of the Embassies of the Republic of Poland, which forward the motions for award of state and departamental decorations or officer's ranks.

 

Starting from 1992, decorations for particular war merits - the War Order Virtuti Militari, Cross of Valor and Cross of Merit with Swords, and starting from 1999 also the commemorative distinctions such as the Home Army Cross, Auschwitz Cross, Warsaw Rising Cross, Cross of the Polish Armed Forced in the West, are no longer awarded in Poland.

 

However, the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Oppression, through its Military Department and in cooperation with the Office of Staff and Decorations of the Office of the President and the Staff Department of the Ministry of National Defense, confirms the awarded war and military decorations on the basis of relevant documents, and also issues duplicates of lost or damaged holder's cards.

 

Today, the catalog of decorations includes the following:

  • Order of the White Eagle, Polonia Restituta Order, Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and Cross of Merit, awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland pursuant to the Act of October 16th, 1992 on orders and decorations,
  • Siberian Exiles Cross - introduced by the Act of October 17th, 2003 establishing the Siberian Exiles Cross and awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland; the Military Department also contributes to implementation of the Act, receiving, recording and verifying motions of the award of that decoration,
  • Medal "Meritorious for the National Defenses" introduced in the Act of April 21, 1966 establishing the medals "Soldier in the Fights for Berlin" and "Meritorious to the National Defenses". The Military Department contributes to the awarding process, recording and veryfying motions pertaining to veterans,
  • Veteran of Struggles for Independence - a commemorative decoration awarded by the Head of the Office to participants of the armed struggles for Polands's independence of 1914-1956.
  • Certificate of the Veteran of Struggles for Independence - honorary certificate of distinction awarded by the Prime Minister, on motion of the Hwad of the Office, to participants of the armed atruggles for Poland's independence of 1914-1956.