# Cross of Independence

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{{more citations needed|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{infobox military award
| name             = Cross of Independence<br>''Krzyż Niepodległości''
| image            = Cross of Independence with Swords (Poland).PNG
| image_size       = 150px
| caption          = Cross of Independence with Swords
| presenter       = the [President of Poland](/source/President_of_Poland)
| country          = [Second Polish Republic](/source/Second_Polish_Republic)
| type             = 
| eligibility      = 
| awarded_for              = Heroically fighting for the independence of Poland
| campaign         = 
| status           = Obsolete
| description      = 
| motto            = 
| clasps           = 
| post-nominals    = 
| established      = 29 October 1930
| firstawarded      = 
| lastawarded       = 
| total_awarded            = Cross with Swords 1818<br>Cross 7917<br>Medal 51,735
| total_awarded_posthumously       = 
| total_recipients       = 
| precedence_label =
| individual       = 
| higher           = [Order of Polonia Restituta](/source/Order_of_Polonia_Restituta)
| same             = 
| lower            = [Cross of Valour](/source/Cross_of_Valour_(Poland))
| related          = [Order of the Cross of Independence](/source/Order_of_the_Cross_of_Independence)<br>[Cross of Freedom and Solidarity](/source/Cross_of_Freedom_and_Solidarity)
| image2           = 100px<br>Ribbon bar of the Cross with Swords<br>100px
| caption2         = Ribbon bar of the Cross and Medal
}}
'''Cross of Independence''' ({{langx|pl|Krzyż Niepodległości}}) was the second highest [Polish](/source/Poland) [military decoration](/source/List_of_military_decorations) between [World Wars I](/source/World_War_I) and [II](/source/World_War_II). It was awarded to individuals who had fought actively for the independence of Poland, and was released in three classes.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Puchalski|first=Zbigniew|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EgQrAQAAIAAJ&q=%22+kt%C3%B3re+zas%C5%82u%C5%BCy%C5%82y+si%C4%99+czynnie+dla+niepodleg%C5%82o%C5%9Bci+Polski+%22|title=Krzyż i Medal Niepodległości|date=1994|publisher=Wydawn. Bellona|isbn=978-83-11-08344-8|language=pl}}</ref>

== History ==
The Cross of Independence was established with a decree of the [President of Poland](/source/President_of_Poland) of 29 October 1930. It was to be awarded to the people who ''laid foundations for the independence of the Fatherland before the [World War](/source/World_War_I) or during it, as well as during the fights between 1818 and 1921, with the exception of the [Polish-Russian War](/source/Polish-Bolshevik_War)''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Krzyż i Medal Niepodległości – Encyklopedia PWN – źródło wiarygodnej i rzetelnej wiedzy|url=https://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Krzyz-i-Medal-Niepodleglosci;3928256.html|access-date=2021-05-17|website=encyklopedia.pwn.pl|language=pl}}</ref> After 1938 it was also awarded to people responsible for [Trans-Olza](/source/Trans-Olza)'s [annexation by Poland](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Czechoslovak_border_conflicts).

Although the cross without the swords was awarded mainly to the civilians, all versions were considered to be [military decorations](/source/List_of_military_decorations). If awarded to a soldier it was worn before the 4th class of the [Polonia Restituta](/source/Order_of_Polonia_Restituta) and when awarded to a civilian – before the [Volunteer Cross for War](/source/Volunteer_Cross_for_War) (''Medal Ochotniczy za Wojnę'').

The recipients of all grades of the Cross of Independence had a right to be elected to the [Senate of Poland](/source/Senate_of_Poland), the right to travel by [Polish State Railways](/source/Polish_State_Railways) free of charge and a right to send their children to the schools of their choice free of charge.

== Design ==

Both the Cross and the Medal were designed by professor [Mieczysław Kotarbiński](/source/Mieczys%C5%82aw_Kotarbi%C5%84ski) and most of the copies were made by Warsaw-based jeweller Wiktor Gontarczyk.

The Cross of Independence had three classes:
# Cross of Independence with Swords (1,818 awarded by 1938)
# Cross of Independence (7,917 awarded by 1938)
# Medal of Independence (51,735 awarded all together)

The cross was 42 by 42&nbsp;mm, made of gilt bronze. The obverse had a rectangle shield with stylised eagle in bas-relief. The reverse was covered with black enamel and the motto ''Bojownikom Niepodległości'' (''To the Fighters for Independence''). The version with Swords had two golden swords crossed above the cross.

thumb|300px|Medal of Independence

Medal of Independence was round, 35&nbsp;mm in diameter and made entirely of bronze. On the obverse there was a symbolic depiction of three [Hydra](/source/Lernaean_Hydra)s (symbolising three [partitioning Powers](/source/Partitions_of_Poland)) stroke with two swords and surrounded by the ''Bojownikom Niepodległości'' motto. The reverse was plain with letters ''RP'' in the centre (standing for [Rzeczpospolita Polska](/source/Rzeczpospolita_Polska)).

== Recipients ==

* [Józefa Bramowska](/source/J%C3%B3zefa_Bramowska)
* [Witold Abramowicz (politician)](/source/Witold_Abramowicz_(politician))
* [Franciszek Alter](/source/Franciszek_Alter)
* [Tadeusz Anders](/source/Tadeusz_Anders)
* [Władysław Anders](/source/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_Anders)
* [Julian Arnoldt-Russocki](/source/Julian_Arnoldt-Russocki)
* [Franciszka Arnsztajnowa](/source/Franciszka_Arnsztajnowa)
* [Edward Abramowski](/source/Edward_Abramowski)
* [Stefan Kaczmarz](/source/Stefan_Kaczmarz)
* [Emil Rauer](/source/Emil_Rauer)
* [Andrezj Przeworski](/source/Andrzej_Przeworski)
* [Władysław Leon Osmolski](/source/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_Leon_Osmolski)

==References==
{{reflist}}

Category:Military awards and decorations of Poland
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Category:1930 establishments in Poland
Category:Awards established in 1930

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cross of Independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Independence) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Independence?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.