Soviet Decoration of Marshal Rokossovsky

[Alexandre]

Hello Gentlemen,

Anyone can help me to identificate the decoration of Marshal Rokossovsky in red balloon ?

Thx in advance

regards

[Elmar Lang]

Hi,

the cross on Marshal Rokossovski's breast is the 1st Class of the "Order of the Cross of Grunwald", instituted by the Polish authority under Soviet control in November 1943; decrees from February 20th 1944 and December 22nd of the same year.

The proposal to institute this order came from the chief of General Staff of the People's Guard, Franciszek Jozwiak (May 1943); the order was designed by Stanislaw Nowicki, editor of the People's Guard's clandestine newspaper "Gwardiszta".

The order, in its symbolic significance, had to remember the struggle of the Polish people against the Teutons, ended with the victory of Gr?nwald in 1410. The decree of institution of this order began with these words: "The Cross of Grunwald is a Polish decoration awarded for acts of gallantry in the armed struggle for the Liberty and Independence of Poland against the occupying forces...".

The order was divided in three classes:

1st Class: a large gold (or -later- gilt) cross, the centre with a shield charged with two "antique" swords; on the reverse, a shield inscribed "1410 KG 1944";

2nd Class: the same, but smaller; in silver, with gilt borders;

3rd Class: as the 2nd Class, but all in silver.

From its institution and until 1983, this order was awarded 5738 times: 71 1st; 346 2nd and 5321 3rd Classes.

The decorations were made in the Soviet Union, then at the Polish State Mint. Soviet-made pieces are very rare...

As we can see, cross-shaped orders were still adopted or maintained from the Polish communist authorities (Virtuti Militari, Polonia Restituta, Cross of Grunwald, etc.), despite the other countries under Soviet influence.

Best wishes,

Enzo

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

To add a bit to the excellent description by Elmar:

until the early 1950s the 1st Class was worn as a neck decoratoin, then it was worn as a breast decoration, like the remaining two classes. The order was also awarded for outstanding merit in organization and commanding the armed forces after the war. It was discontinued in 1992, but the recipients may continue wearing it, albeit after the orders which are currently in the Polish award system.

Lukasz

[Alexandre]

Hello Gentlemen,

Thx al ot, superb infos.

Regards

[Christophe]

Hi,

Here is a pic of the uniform of Marshal Rokossovsky displayed in the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow. The Grunwald Cross is worn as a breast decoration, contrary to what is shown in the older first pic posted.

Cheers.

Ch.

Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

Edited February 5, 2008 by Christophe

[Christophe]

Close-up pic.

Ch.

Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

[speedytop]

Hi,

here are mine. But I do not know anything about the originality.

Regards

Uwe

[Ed_Haynes]

I am told -- by those more expert than I -- that there are major originality issues here.

[Alexandre]

Hello Gentlemen,

Superb pic of Rokossovsky?s uniform.

BTW i don?t recognize the 3 decorations in the botton of uniform (left to right).

Anyone can identificate please ??

the first and second decorations likes a mongolian medals and third on right likes a imperial time decoration maybe ??

Thx in advance

Regards

[fjcp]

Hello Gentlemen,

Superb pic of Rokossovsky?s uniform.

BTW i don?t recognize the 3 decorations in the botton of uniform (left to right).

Anyone can identificate please ??

the first and second decorations likes a mongolian medals and third on right likes a imperial time decoration maybe ??

Thx in advance

Regards

I'm not sure what the first of the three is but the second one is the Mongolian "Friendship" medal.... very well made little medal and the third is a higher class of the Polish "Vir tuti militari" order, but I'm not sure which class.

I hope those are the ones you were wondering about...

JC

PS. The Sukhbaatar should be serial number 342 awarded in 1961

Edited February 5, 2008 by fjcp

[Ed_Haynes]

I'd say, the three at the left (our left) bottom:

UK, Order of the Bath (KCB, star properly worn)

???

France Croix de Guerre

Not very exotic.

Although I am far from certain which ones you are asking about.

I am confused

Edited February 5, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[fjcp]

I think Ed, he might be wondering about this one..... I sure don't know what it is.

JC

I should have enlarged it a bit....

[RedMaestro]

I think Ed, he might be wondering about this one..... I sure don't know what it is.

JC

I should have enlarged it a bit....

That's a Polish order "Builder of People's Poland," I think communist Poland's highest award.

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

It is the class of Grand Cross of VM. It should be worn as a sash decoration, but Sovet recipients neglected this manner. The decoration on the left is the Order of Builders of People's Poland - the top award of People's Republic.

The tunic is an early post-war model and the decorations on it seem to be attached for display purposes only. There is the Order of the October Revolution, an award established in 1967, when this type of tunic had already fallen into disuse.

Lukasz

[Ed_Haynes]

Ohhhh .... Order Budowniczych Polski Ludowej

See:

http://www.medals.org.uk/poland/peoples-re...republic002.htm

http://www.medals.lava.pl/pl/pl3a.htm#obp

And I'm sure Lukasz will correct us/me.

[Alexandre]

Hello Gentlemen,

Thx a lot for the informations.

These guys are fast .......

Regards

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

Ohhhh .... Order Budowniczych Polski Ludowej

Exactly Ed, this is it!

An interesting thing about the Order of Builders is that it could be conferred exclusively to Polish citizens. Surprisingly, Rokossovsky was no exception here. He was of Polish origin, and although he left Warsaw in 1914 (to join the Russian army) before Poland regained independence, he was granted Polish citizenship when he arrived in Poland in 1949 , to become, from Stalin's appointment, a Minister of Defense and to add the rank of Marshal of Poland to that of Marshal of the Soviet Union. He left the country in 1956, when destalinizing process began, and never visited Poland again.

Besides the Order of Builders, he had the Grand Cross of Virtuti Militari and the Grunwald Cross 1st Class which he received already in 1945 as a Soviet Marshal.

Lukasz