Czechoslovak War Cross 1939-1945
Encyclopedia
The Czechoslovak War Cross 1939-1945 (Československý válečný kříž 1939-1945 in Czech
) is a military decoration of the former state of Czechoslovakia which was issued for those who had provided great service the Czechoslovak state during the years of World War II
.
. Several American officers received the award, such as George S. Patton
, and the decoration was also bestowed to national heroes, such as the men who had assassinated Reinhard Heydrich
.
The second Czechoslovak War Cross was known as the Czechoslovak War Cross 1939-1945 and a common phrase for the decoration was also the Czechoslovak Croix de Guerre
. In cases where an individual had received both the World War I and World War II versions, both medals could be worn simultaneously.
The validity of the War Cross was confirmed after the end of World War II
, in January 1946.
There were no further versions of the Czechoslovak War Cross after 1945 and the medal became obsolete with the division of the Czechoslovak state in 1992.
in the middle, Slovakia
above, Moravia left, Silesia
right and Carpatho-Ukraine
below. In the spaces around the middle circle the era 1939 is spread. The medal was suspended from a white ribbon with red and blue stripes.
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
) is a military decoration of the former state of Czechoslovakia which was issued for those who had provided great service the Czechoslovak state during the years of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Description
On December 20, 1940, the Czech government in exile in London ordered the creation of a second version of the Czechoslovak War Cross. It was created and issued not as a general service medal, but as a meritorious decoration for those had provided great service the Czechoslovak state during the years of World War II. The award was mainly intended for persons who had helped liberate Czechoslovakia from the rule of Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Several American officers received the award, such as George S. Patton
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
, and the decoration was also bestowed to national heroes, such as the men who had assassinated Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich , also known as The Hangman, was a high-ranking German Nazi official.He was SS-Obergruppenführer and General der Polizei, chief of the Reich Main Security Office and Stellvertretender Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia...
.
The second Czechoslovak War Cross was known as the Czechoslovak War Cross 1939-1945 and a common phrase for the decoration was also the Czechoslovak Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
. In cases where an individual had received both the World War I and World War II versions, both medals could be worn simultaneously.
The validity of the War Cross was confirmed after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in January 1946.
There were no further versions of the Czechoslovak War Cross after 1945 and the medal became obsolete with the division of the Czechoslovak state in 1992.
Design
The medal was dye-struck and high in detail, with a bronze finish. On the obverse of the cross was the small state symbol of Czechoslovakia, on the revers symbols of the lands in circles – symbol of the BohemiaBohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
in the middle, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
above, Moravia left, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
right and Carpatho-Ukraine
Carpatho-Ukraine
Carpatho-Ukraine was an autonomous region within Czechoslovakia from late 1938 to March 15, 1939. It declared itself an independent republic on March 15, 1939, but was occupied by Hungary between March 15 and March 18, 1939, remaining under Hungarian control until the Nazi occupation of Hungary in...
below. In the spaces around the middle circle the era 1939 is spread. The medal was suspended from a white ribbon with red and blue stripes.