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Grunwald Berlin Medal ?

Article about: Hi Gents, sorry if i've posted this in the wrong thread. Seen a couple of these pop up on various auction sites, not sure whether it a genuine medal or not. Certainly looks post war and inst

  1. #1

    Default Grunwald Berlin Medal ?

    Hi Gents, sorry if i've posted this in the wrong thread.

    Seen a couple of these pop up on various auction sites, not sure whether it a genuine medal or not.

    Certainly looks post war and instituted fairly recently and more like a state/minisrty rather than military awarded medal.
    Also referred to a Polish Brotherhood of Arms Medal.

    This medal has been minted to commemorate*the Polish Soviet Brotherhood of Army. Medal awarded to higher Polish and Soviet commanders.

    The Battle of Lenino was a tactical World War II engagement that took place from 12 October to 13 October 1943 as part of the Spas-Demyansk offensive operation in the Duki-Ilovets direction near the town of Dribin, north of the village of Lenino in the Mogilev region of the Byelorussian SSR. It was part of the offensive in the 33rd Army (General V.N.Gordov) sector north of Spas-Demyansk, of the Western Front (Soviet Union) to dislodge units of the 4th Army of the Army Group Centre forces.

    A World War II Polish commemorative medal. Medal is circular with a long shield at its center reading 1410 1945 GRUNWALD BERLIN. Around the edge of the medal are the words BRATERSTWO BRONI AN STRAZY POKOJU I SOCJALIZMU.

    Medallion is 1-1/2” height and 1-3/16” width but entire length of medal is 3-1/2” long.
    Nickel-plated brass medallion on links connected to striped silk ribbon.

    Markings: MINISTERSTWO DBRONY NARODOWEJ and POLSKA RZECZPOSPOLITA LUDDWA on reverse.
    Anyone have any info?

    Grunwald Berlin Medal ?

    Grunwald Berlin Medal ?Grunwald Berlin Medal ?

    Regards
    Stefan

  2. #2

    Default

    Hi Stephan,

    This is a "Cold War" piece not to be confused with the Grunewald Badge which was awarded to members of the Soviet controlled Polish Army (distinct from the Free Polish Forces based in UK) for participation in the battle for Berlin.

    This medal was instituted in the early '60s and is typical of the "brotherhood of arms" medals and badges issued by all the Warsaw Pact states to kind of "big up" the gloriously happy and harmonious family that organisation really was

    Strangely enough they stopped handing this one out when the WP disintegrated

    I have to say I quite like this medal but I don't think it is any more than a kind of "one of the boys" badge and as far as I am aware it doesn't signify particular individual achievement or distinguished service. However, as usual I stand to be corrected

    I hope this is helpful.

    Regards

    Mark
    "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

  3. #3

    Default

    Mark,
    Grunwald Badge was not given for participation in the battle of Berlin.
    It was honorary badge for all soldiers who took a part in fight against Germans - mainly for soldiers from Peoples Polish Army but also for partisans and soldier from Polish Army in Exile who came back to Poland after the war.
    Greetings
    Rafal

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote by rsunday View Post
    Mark,
    Grunwald Badge was not given for participation in the battle of Berlin.
    It was honorary badge for all soldiers who took a part in fight against Germans - mainly for soldiers from Peoples Polish Army but also for partisans and soldier from Polish Army in Exile who came back to Poland after the war.
    Greetings
    Rafal
    Sorry, my mistake. I actually knew that but was distracted by thinking about the Grunewald in Berlin where I used to spend many hours when I was stationed there

    Regards

    Mark
    "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

  5. #5

    Default

    Thanks gents

    So a lot of medals would have been issued right up to 1989 I presume?

    Another quick question, I have a Medal Za Udzial w Walkach o Berlin (Medal for Participation in the Battle of Berlin) that has PRL on the reverse and three others, Medal Za Odre, Nyse i Baltyk (Oder, Neisse and Baltic Meda)l, Medal Za Warszawe 1939-1945) (Warsaw Medal) and Medal Zwycięstwa i Wolności 1945 (Medal of Victory and Freedom 1945) with PR on the reverse issued to a Russian Pole that served in the East.

    Would these three have been issued before 1952 or after 1989 or both?

    Regards
    Stefan

    Grunwald Berlin Medal ?

  6. #6

    Default

    Hello Stefan,

    The Polish People's Republic (Polish: Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was the official name of Poland between 1952 and 1989. The name was given by the Constitution of 1952 which was based on the 1936 Soviet Constitution. Between 1947 and 1952, the name of the Polish state had been simply Rzeczpospolita Polska - RP (the Republic of Poland) in accordance with the temporary Constitution of 1947 (Wikipiedia).

    Medal za Odre, Nyse i Baltyk - issued in 1945.
    Medal Zwyciestwa i Wolnosci - issued in 1945.
    Medal za Warszawe - issued in 1945.
    Medal za udział w walkach o Berlin - issued in 1966.

    Rafal

  7. #7

    Default

    Hi Rafal

    Thank you for that, I understand the PRL and RP date wise, I don't think my post was very clear but the question I was asking was would the RP medals have been issued anytime after 1989, as there are some very new shiny looking RP stamped medals out there with new looking ribbons, specifically the first three you listed, that would suggest a more recent issue? See the example below, looks like a new or reissue.

    Confused dot com lol

    Grunwald Berlin Medal ?

  8. #8

    Default

    Hi,
    OK :-)

    I am not familiar with Communist period medals but officially most of the decorations were being awarded for many years (mostly until 90-ties) so you may have different editions through the years.

    Medal za Odre Nyse i Baltyk had 2 versions - 1st version from years 1945-46 had name Nisse (German name of Nysa river). It was changed in 1946 for Nysa.
    Decoration was given until 1999 (between 1989 and 1999 almost 500 medals were given).

    Medal Zwyciestwa i Wolnosci - finished in 1992. This medal was given on similiar basis like Grunwald Badge.

    Medal za udzial w walkach o Berlin - finished in 1992.

    Medal za Warszawe - finished in 1992. This medal had 2 variants: 1945-47 - openwork and since 1947 - full.

    Greetings
    Rafal





    Quote by stefanr View Post
    Hi Rafal

    Thank you for that, I understand the PRL and RP date wise, I don't think my post was very clear but the question I was asking was would the RP medals have been issued anytime after 1989, as there are some very new shiny looking RP stamped medals out there with new looking ribbons, specifically the first three you listed, that would suggest a more recent issue?

    Confused dot com lol

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