Polska Swemu Obrońcy 1918-1921

In an excellent condition a Polish war medal 1918 -1921 againt Russian Bolsheviks

Also known as the Commemorative Medal For the War 1918-1921

Frontside: Polish eagle, the Order of Virtuti Militari on its chest, and the inscription ‘1918 1921’.

Backside: ‘POLSKA SWEMV OBROŃCY’ (“Poland for her Defenders”) within an oak leaf wreath.

Background information:

The Commemorative Medal For the War 1918-1921 medal was instituted on 21 September 1928 and awarded to military who served for a minimum of 3 months with a unit actively engaged against Soviet Russian forces during the war of 1918 to 1921.

For volunteers, the qualifying period was two months and for auxiliary units 5 months. There was no qualifying minimum period of service for those wounded in the conflict.

The Polish-Soviet war of 1918 to 1921 arose from the chaos at the end of World War I and the Russian Revolution of 1917, with Poland seeking to reinforce its independence after centuries of occupation and division and expand its frontiers eastward and Soviet forces attempting to take control of former Imperial Russian territories. The Treaty of Riga that ended the war in 1921 effectively divided the disputed area between the two combatants.

Code: 52159