Pursuant to the Act of March 14, 1985, a state decoration in the form of the Auschwitz Cross was established. The decoration was a tribute to those imprisoned during World War II in German concentration camps for their participation in the struggle for liberation from occupation, for their patriotic, revolutionary, and progressive activities, as well as for their national or racial affiliation and other political reasons, in tribute to their martyrdom and courage. The name of the decoration comes from the “KL Auschwitz” concentration camp, which during the Polish People's Republic, under the name “Oświęcim,” was a symbol of the martyrdom of the Polish people. The Cross was awarded primarily to Polish citizens, but also to persons imprisoned as Polish citizens who, at the time of the award, held citizenship of another country, and in special cases to citizens of other countries imprisoned for political reasons, mainly participants in the resistance movement in concentration camps. The cross could be awarded posthumously. The decoration was awarded by the Council of State at the request of: the Association of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy – ZBoWiD (for members of the Association), the President of the Office for War Veterans (for other persons), the Minister of Foreign Affairs (for Polish citizens permanently residing abroad and citizens of other countries). The designer of the Oświęcim Cross was the renowned medallist Edward Gorol.
The decoration is a simple, silver-plated and oxidized equilateral cross measuring 42 x 42 mm. The obverse in the central part contains a red triangle motif with a capital letter P (a patch used in German concentration camps for Poles) against a background of barbed wire and two poles. The horizontal arms bear the inscription 1939-1945. The reverse side contains an inscription in four lines: PRL / WIĘŹNIOM / HITLEROWSKICH / OBOZÓW KONCENTRACYJNYCH (after 1989, the inscription RP was used instead of PRL). The ribbon of the Auschwitz Cross is 40 mm wide and consists of eleven vertical stripes in light gray and blue (symbolizing the color of prison uniforms). The decoration was worn on the left breast according to seniority, after the Partisan Cross (since 1992, after current state decorations). The first awarding of the Auschwitz Crosses took place on August 30, 1985, at the seat of the Council of State in Warsaw. A total of 35,949 Auschwitz Crosses were awarded by May 8, 1999.
source: izba.centrum.zarow.pl
