Poland, Republic. The Rare Awards of a Polish Air Force Liaison Officer Stationed in Japan 1929
Poland, Republic. The Rare Awards of a Polish Air Force Liaison Officer Stationed in Japan 1929
Well-known early 20th Century Japanese writer Nitobe Inazō dedicated his 1910 book entitled Bushido: The Soul of Japan to the Polish nation, stating that it was a "samurai" nation. Despite the geographical and cultural distance between the two countries, Inazō's book was written at a time when the Japanese admired Poles for their military heroism and honor.
Demonstrating the respect and strength of these lateral relationships, cooperation between the two nations continued even after the German invasion of Poland in 1939. Japan, as a result, rejected war with Poland citing mutual respect, shared interests and historic cooperation.
eMedals presents the rare medal bar to a Polish Air Force Liaison Officer stationed in Japan in 1929. This set of awards represents the unique and sometimes controversial relationship that has been overshadowed by more prominent foreign policies of the interwar period.
An Order of Poland Restored (Order of Polonia Restituta), officer’s cross (Order Odrodzenia Polski, Krzyż Oficerski), first version, 1921-1944. Gilt-edged white enamel Maltese cross with gilt ball-tipped finials, with loop and decorated ring for ribbon suspension; the face with a circular central red enamel medallion bearing the gilt-outlined white enamel crowned Polish eagle within a blue enamel band inscribed in gilt letters ‘POLONIA RESTITVTA’ (Latin = Poland Restored); the reverse gilt with a circular central red enamel medallion bearing the date ‘1918’ in gilt numerals; on original ribbon with rosette denoting an award of the officer class. The Order was instituted by Act of Parliament of 4 February 1921 to be awarded to both Polish and non-Polish citizens for acts of merit benefiting Poland in a wide range of fields. In 1952, following the installation of a Communist regime, the insignia was changed, the eagle losing its crown and the date on the reverse being changed to ‘1944’. This example pre-dates that change.
An Order of the Rising Sun (旭日章 Kyokujitsu sho), VI class, pre-1940 issue. Silver-edged white enamel eight-pointed star composed of thirty-two narrow double-pointed rays surrounding a circular red glass cabochon, the whole representing the radiant rising sun, on green and mauve enamel swivel pauwlonia crest suspension with three leaves and three stems of three, five and three flowers; the reverse identical but with the suspension inscribed with four characters meaning ‘Order of Merit Decoration’.The Order of the Rising Sun was Japan’s first decoration, being instituted by Council of State Decree on 10 April 1875 in eight classes to reward both military and civilian merit, the class awarded depending upon the rank of the recipient. The Order is still awarded today and is Japan’s second most senior decoration. Insignia of the 4th, 5th and 6th classes were very similar and sometimes confused, so that in 1940 the intermediate arms of the 6th class were shortened to give a less round and more pointed effect; this example is from before that change.
A Shōwa Enthronement Commemorative Medal, 1928. Circular silver medal with swivel grip and ring suspension; the face with a gilt chrysanthemum crest in the centre of the Imperial throne, a stylise cloud symbolising good fortune on either side, the characters for ‘Banzai’ (May the Emperor live ten thousand years) below; all encircled by a border of cherry and mandarin orange blossom; the reverse with a banner inscribed in characters ‘Grand Enthronement Commemorative Medal’ with stylised clouds on either side and inscribed ‘Shōwa 3rd Year, 11th Month’.The medal was created by Imperial Edit on 1 August 1928 awarded on 10 to 15 November of that year to those who attended the ceremonies of the accession of Emperor Hirohito in Kyoto and elsewhere and to those who officiated or assisted at them.
A Merit Badge of the Imperial Japanese Aviation Society (Teikoku Hikou Kyoukai 帝國飛行協会) in Gold in the form of a crouching eagle, wings displayed, its head facing left, a propeller in its talons, with eyelet for ribbon suspension; the face with a green jewel at the centre of the propeller, the left and right arms bearing the letters ‘T’ and ‘H’ respectively; the reverse engraved with the name of the association and the badge in kanji characters and dated 1929.The Aviation Society was established as a corporation in 1913 and became a not-for-profit foundation in 1914.
A photo presented along with the group is not included in the sale. It depicts Japanese and Polish Officers in Warsaw in 1929. IThe photo demonstrates the ties and relationship that had been established between the two nations during the interwar period.