WW2 POLISH AUSCHWITZ SURVIVORS MEDAL AND ASSOCIATED ITEMS
HISTORY
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.
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.
The award is a Silver Greek Cross with wide arms, 42×42 mm. 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" (People's Republic of Poland to prisoners of Nazi concentration camps).
DESCRIPTION
This grouping consists of a boxed original Auschwitz Cross, two other Polish medals an a Auschwitz postal cover and a multi-lingual photo documentary book on the Auschwitz camp.