Awards of
World War IIThe Medal for the Oder, Neisse, and Baltic was created by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of October 26, 1945, to commemorate the great victories of Polish soldiers who fought for new borders along the Oder, Neisse, and the Baltic coast, restoring ancient Slavic lands to the west and north, and to those who participated in these battles.
According to the law of February 17, 1960, the award was given the official name "Medal za Odrę, Nysę, Bałtyk" (Medal for the Oder, Neisse, and Baltic), and it was also confirmed that this award is for those who participated in border battles. Oder, Neisse and the Baltic Sea.
The medal was awarded by order of the Minister of Defense on behalf of the National Defense Council for:
- participation in the period from March to April 1945, as part of the 1st and 2nd Polish Armies, the 1st Tank Corps, and air units in combat operations on the Oder, Neisse, and the Baltic coast from Gdansk to Szczecin, as well as to persons who assisted the 1st and 2nd Armies of the Polish Army during this period;
- participation in the defense of the Polish coast in September 1939.
In total, 322,454 people were awarded the medal by 1999. People.
According to the decree of May 8, 1999, the awarding of the Oder-Neisse-Baltic Medal is considered complete.
The award was made of bronze and is a perfect circle with a diameter of 33 mm. On the obverse of the medal is a scroll depicting the Polish borders, the main rivers, and the largest cities: W (Warsaw), G (Gdansk), S (Szczecin), and W (Wroclaw). A version of the medal without the city names is also available. Above the map is an image of the Polish royal eagle. Around the rim is the inscription "ZA ODRE - NYSE – BALTYK".
On the reverse is the four-line inscription "RP / ZWYCIEZCOM / III.1945 / IV.1945" (Republic of Poland / Winners / March 1945 / April 1945).
The award is attached to the medal ribbon with an eyelet and ring. The ribbon is silk, moiré, dark blue, 35 mm wide, with two vertical light blue stripes 4 mm wide on the sides, 4 mm from the edge.
The Medal for the Oder, Neisse, and Baltic is worn on the left chest, following the Medal for Warsaw.