The Order of the Banner of Work

• Time Period: Post-WW2 Period
• Year of Institution: 2 July 1949
• Country: Poland

The Order of the Banner of Work (or Order Sztandaru Pracy in Polish) was a governmental award in Poland during the 20th-century era of the People’s Republic of Poland, a former Marxist-Leninist state.

The order was established by the Sejm (a chamber of the Polish parliament) on 2 July 1949. It was given in recognition of “unique achievements for the Nation and the Country”. In 1960 the criteria for receiving this award were changed to “special achievements for building socialism in the People’s Republic of Poland”.

It was also awarded to institutions and was automatically awarded to miners after 20 years of dedicated labor. The Order of the Banner of Labor could be awarded to individuals and enterprises, institutions, territorial units for merits in the following areas:

• Industry, agriculture, communication, construction, state trade, cooperatives, finance and other sectors of the national economy – by improving or improving working methods, rationalizing work or outstanding achievements in labor leadership,
• Education, science, culture and art,
• Increasing the country’s defense,
• Increasing the health and physical culture of the nation,
• Public service

The Order of the Banner of Work Design

The badge of the Order of the Banner of Labor is a five-pointed star cross with a diameter of 43 mm.

On the obverse of the cross, the arms are enameled in white in the border, and there are bunches of rays between the arms. In the center of the cross there is a round sapphire-enameled shield with the figure of a worker holding a red banner in his right hand and a hammer in his left hand.

On the reverse, in the middle of the cross, on the round shield is the inscription PRL (until 1952 RP). The border of the arms of the cross, bunches of rays, the frame of the shield, the figure of a worker, the shafts and the border of the banner, the hammer and the reverse of the badge are gilded in class I, and silver in class II.

The ribbon of the order is 36 mm wide, it is red in color with narrow red stripes on the sides, 3 mm wide. There is a rosette on the ribbon in class I, which distinguishes it from class II.