The
Auschwitz Cross (Polish: Krzyż Oświęcimski), instituted on 14 March
1985, was a Polish decoration awarded to honour survivors of Nazi German
concentration camps, including Auschwitz (Auschwitz is a German name
for the Polish town Oświęcim, where the camps were built by Nazi
Germans).
It
was awarded generally to Poles, but it was possible to award it to
foreigners in special cases. It could be awarded posthumously.
The
award is a silver Greek cross with wide arms. The obverse
shows barbed wire and camp poles; the year 1939 on the left, and 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" ( Peoples Republic of Poland to prisoners of Nazi
concentration camps).
The Auschwitz Cross PRL miniature - Krzyż Oświęcimski PRL - original - size about 1,5 inch