Krzyż Oświęcimski

The Krzyż Oświęcimski ("Auschwitz Cross") instituted on March 14, 1985, was a Polish decoration, awarded to honour inmates of German concentration camps and not only those interned in Auschwitz (the Polish name of Auschwitz is Oświęcim).

It was awarded generally to Poles, but it was possible to award it to foreigners in special cases. It could be awarded posthumously. It ceased to be awarded in 1999. An exception was made in the case of Greta Ferusic, who was awarded it in February 2004. [cite web | last = Gitelman | first = Zvi | title = American Jewish Yearbook 2004 | publisher = AJC | url = http://www.ajcarchives.org/AJC_DATA/Files/2004_11_CentralEastEurope.pdf| format = pdf | accessdate =2008-01-23 ]

The Cross is a silver Greek cross with wide arms, 42 x 42 mm. Obverse shows barbed wire and camp poles; the year 1939 on the left, 1945 - on the right arm. In the center there is a red enameled triangle with the letter P, as worn by Polish nationals imprisoned in the camps. The reverse bears the inscription "PRL / WIĘŹNIOM / HITLEROWSKICH / OBOZÓW KONCENTRACYJNYCH" (People's Republic of Poland to prisoners of Nazi concentration camps).

References

* [http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/objectdetails.aspx?oid=214714&coltype=history&regno=gh004971 The Auschwitz Cross in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa]