WWII Poland Auschwitz Cross Oswiecim 1939-45 Original RARE

Beautiful and rare original World War II (2) Poland Auschwitz Cross meal with ribbon. Medal is in great condition for it's age. The Auschwitz Cross (or Krzyz Oswiecimski in Polish) was instituted on 14 March 1985. This Polish decoration was awarded to honor survivors of Nazi German concentration camps, including Auschwitz (Auschwitz is a German name for the Polish town Oswiecim, where the camps were built by Nazi Germans). The Auschwitz Cross was awarded to Polish citizens, it could also be awarded to persons who were imprisoned as Polish citizens, and at the time of granting citizenship of another country, and in special cases also to citizens of other countries, imprisoned for political reasons, especially participants of the camp resistance movement.

The cross could be awarded posthumously. The Oswiecim Cross was awarded by the Council of State at the request of. Union of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy - in relation to union members. The President of the Office for Veterans - in relation to other persons. The Minister of Foreign Affairs - in relation to Polish citizens permanently residing abroad and citizens of other countries.

This medal is from the esteemed collection of Allan Zakrzewski, WWI historian, member of Cross and Cockade International and Orders and Medals Society of America. He was also a Charter member of The League of World War One Aviation Historians. In 2001, he became an editor for Over the Front quarterly magazine and while a member of the Gulf Cost Chapter of the League of WWI Aviation Historians, he earned the Thornton D. Hooper Award for Excellence for his article on Monoplane Fighters of World War I.

In 2007, he received his second Thornton D. Hooper Award for An Evening with Rodney Williams, 17th Aero Squadron. Much of his collection is on display at the University of Texas at Dallas' Eugene McDermott Library. Please feel free to ask questions and make an offer!