Krzyż "Cnocie Wojskowej"

The Military Virtue Cross [Krzyż „Cnocie Wojskowej”] was a proposed award for soldiers of the Polish Legions, representing an attempt to revive the Order of Virtuti Militari.

After the first battles of the Polish Legions, an idea arose among the circle around Józef Piłsudski to create an award of their own, to be conferred on Polish legionaries. This award was to be the Military Virtue Cross, whose tradition would refer to the Order of Virtuti Militari. It was to be awarded for “outstanding acts of combat on the battlefield in the face of the enemy”.

The artistic design of the crosses was created by Wojciech Jastrzębowski. The designs were prepared at the Museum of Technology and Industry in Kraków by the well-known Kraków engraver Stanisław Niemczyk.

The award was shaped as an equal-armed cross with balls at the ends of its arms. The inscription “CNOCIE WOJSKOWEJ” (for military virtue) was placed on the arms, translating the motto “Virtuti Militari”. An oval red shield with an image of an eagle was placed in the centre. Two versions were made, differing in the type of eagle. One had the Riflemen’s Eagle without a crown, the other the Piast Eagle.