Silvered metal cross clechée with loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a circular central medallion bearing the date ‘12 IX 1944’, the upper, lower, left and right arms bearing the initials ‘PAL’ (Polską Armią Ludową = Polish People’s Army), ‘PSZ’ (Polska Siła Zbrojna = Polish Armed Forces); ‘AL’ (Armia Ludowa = People's Army) and ‘KB’ (Korpus Bezpieczeństwa = Security Corps) respectively, the arms stippled;; the reverse with a central medallion bearing the initials ‘PAL’ (Polską Armią Ludową = Polish People’s Army), the arms plain; on original ribbon. We have been unable, as yet, to establish any further information about the Cross which appears to date from the past 20 years and it was probably instituted at about the same time as the People’s Army Cross in 1998. The Armia Ludowa began its existence on 6 January 1942 as the Gwardia Ludowa (People’s Guard), formed by the Soviet-sponsored Polska Partia Robotnicza (Polish Workers' Party). On 1 January 1944, it became the ‘Armia Ludowa’ (People’s Army) and on 21 July 1944 it was incorporated into the Polish Military in the U.S.S.R. and renamed the Ludowe Wojsko Polskie (Peoples' Army of Poland). After the Communist takeover of Poland, many of its members worked for the Ministry of Public Security imposing and maintaining Communist rule. The cross is not often found.
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