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Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland Order Zasługi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
The Grand Cross of Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
Awarded by the President of Poland
Country	Poland
Type	Five grade order
Awarded for	Service in improving relations between nations
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	April 10, 1974 (Revised October 16, 1992)
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of the Cross of Independence
Next (lower)	Cross of Valour
Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland ribbon

The Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (Polish: Order Zasługi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) is a Polish order of merit created in 1974, awarded to persons who have rendered great service to Poland. It is granted to foreigners or Poles resident abroad. As such it is sometimes referred to as a traditional "diplomatic order".

History

Sir Edmund Hillary wearing the Commander's Cross in 2004

The order was established by an act of 10 April 1974, as the Order of Merit of the Polish People's Republic (Order Zasługi Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej). It was awarded in five classes: Grand Cordon of the Order, Commandery with Star, Commandery, Gold Badge of the Order, and Silver Badge of the Order. It was awarded by the Polish Council of State.

The People's Republic of Poland version of the order (5th class)

After the fall of communism in Poland in 1989, it was decided to retain the order, with necessary changes. Without a formal change of the 1974 act or the name of the order, the insignia were changed to the present ones by a presidential decree of 16 April 1991. The abbreviation "PRL" was changed to "RP," the Eagle was given a crown in accordance with Poland's new coat of arms, the date "1974" was removed from the reverse, and the color of the ribbon was changed from light cobalt blue to dark cobalt.

Under an act of 16 October 1992, the order was reestablished under the name Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (Order Zasługi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej).

Under the 1992 act, the order is awarded to foreigners or Poles resident abroad for distinguished contributions to international cooperation or cooperation between Poland and other countries. It is awarded by the President of Poland.

Degrees

From 1974 to 1991 the Order was awarded in following classes:

• 
  1st class - Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the People's Republic of Poland
  


• 
  2nd class - Commandery with Star of the Order of Merit of the People's Republic of Poland
  


• 
  3rd class - Commandery of the Order of Merit of the People's Republic of Poland
  


• 
  4th class - Gold Badge of the Order of Merit of the People's Republic of Poland
  


• 
  5th class - Silver Badge of the Order of Merit of the People's Republic of Poland
  

Since 1992 the Order is awarded in the following classes:^[a]

• 
  1st class - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
  


• 
  2nd class - Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
  


• 
  3rd class - Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
  


• 
  4th class - Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
  


• 
  5th class - Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
  

Notes

References

• 
  Polish Law of 16 April 1991 (Dz.U. 1991 nr 43 poz. 190) (in Polish)


• 
  Polish Law of 16 October 1992 (Dz.U. 1992 nr 90 poz. 450) (in Polish)


• 
  Polish Law of 10 November 1992 (Dz.U. 1992 nr 90 poz. 452) (in Polish)

Further reading

• 
  Wesolowski, Zdzislaw P. (1986). Polish orders, medals, badges and insignia: military and civilian decorations, 1705-1985. Print. Services. ISBN 9780937527009. OCLC 14628539..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
  


• Person decorated with "Officer Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland"


• 
  News release that includes persons decorated with "Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland" at president.pl


• 
  Named changed to "ORDER OF MERIT OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND" at geocities.com/polishnobles/merit