need some help ID'ing this

[Morts]

so, i got this medal from my grandmother today and aparently it was given to her father...now, i have no idea what its for and what it says on the medal and i figured i could get some help here:).

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c297/morty-dk/P7180025.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c297/morty-dk/P7180026.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c297/morty-dk/P7180023.jpg

[Tchocky]

September 1939 campaign medal - about 10 or 15 medals down this list

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_awards_and_decorations#Former_awards

[Oberon]

Respect to that man, Poland put up one helluva fight in '39. :salute:

[CaptainHaplo]

My only question is why is it dated 30 November, 1988?

Was it awarded posthumously or extremely late?

*Am not doubting the veracity, just curious as the detail jumped out at me.

[Sailor Steve]

Respect to that man, Poland put up one helluva fight in '39. :salute:
:yep: I couldn't have said it better, so I'll just agree.

My only question is why is it dated 30 November, 1988?

Was it awarded posthumously or extremely late?

*Am not doubting the veracity, just curious as the detail jumped out at me.
Good question. Jimbuna's dad was awarded a medal by the Soviet Union in 1982 for his service in the Arctic Convoys. Possibly something similar was involved here?

[Morts]

My only question is why is it dated 30 November, 1988?

Was it awarded posthumously or extremely late?

*Am not doubting the veracity, just curious as the detail jumped out at me.
it was awarded extremely late, and i have no idea why

[Jimbuna]

Treasure the medal Morts, they don't come along every day. :up:

My fathers medal was 'signed off' by the Russians in 1982 but wasn't presented until 1987....possibly for political reasons.

It is not my intention to hijack the thread but I can post the pictures if anyone was interested.

[CaptainHaplo]

Well there are often LOTS of reasons things don't get awarded in a timely manner. Everything from lost paperwork to security reasons.

Doesn't really matter. What does is that your Great Grandfather deserves alot of credit for his sacrifices (medal late or never). :salute:

Alot of people never get the recognition they deserve, and yet they deserve it none the less. Glad to see your family member got his! :yeah:

[kranz]

I will try to give word for word translation since going into some "fancy" equivalents wouldn;t do much good imo.

the medal(backside/reverse...): For taking part in a defensive war.(swords)Fatherland.(or motherland, simply your country)

the id:
Polska Rzecz.Ludowa=communist name of Poland
Legitymacja:kind of ID
Number....
Warsaw
30.11.1988
Uchwała Rady Państwa=By the resolution of "State Council"-it's like an organ who governed poland in the communist times.
Odznaczony/a= awarded, sth like that
Ob.=citizen, (in comm. times you had to title officials and u were titled by this "citizen" equivalent
Franciszek, son of Jan (proper names)
Medalem...=(awarded)with a medal for taking part in defensive war(same as on the medal)in 1939.
Przewodniczacy Rady Panstwa=simply the guy who was in charge of the State Council.

oh i just realized it won;t help much but... :D

ok, some thoughts about getting this medal so late: as u may know the soviets invaded us as well as the germans so after 1945 if u were no a member of "red-polish army" you couldn;t job etc. If you were a member of "right-side guerrilla" so called AK you were fcked up. Prisons, trials etc. Normally soldiers fighting during 1939 didn't get medals coz simply they were also fighting against the soviets. There were a few exceptions like the defenders of Westerplatte(on the polish coast, hit by Schlezwig-Holstein)-they were given "State" care after they returned from stalags and oflags etc. The key issue here is where that Franciszek Król, son of Jan fought.

[Raptor1]

it was awarded extremely late, and i have no idea why

As far as I know, many Polish medals were only created many years after the war ended; it's certainly possible this award was only instituted somewhen in the '80s.

EDIT: Yup, 1981.

EDIT: Ah, whoops, you mean it was signed in the '80s and delivered now. Should really read the post before responding... :damn:

[UnderseaLcpl]

it was awarded extremely late, and i have no idea why
Q:How many Poles does it take to award a medal?

A: None. Poles don't get medals when they're under Soviet control. :DL

Soviets fought against the Poles, too. I doubt they'd much like seeing them get medals for national defense.

A:salute: to Morts' great-grandfather x 49 years.

[Morts]

EDIT: Ah, whoops, you mean it was signed in the '80s and delivered now. Should really read the post before responding... :damn:
not quite, I only just got it now..its been in the familys possession since it was awarded at the listed date i believe

[Raptor1]

Ah, alright.

Well, if the question was why the medal was only awarded in 1988 and not after the war or something, I believe that would be the answer.

[Snestorm]

Why would a polish medal be awarded to a dane?

This medal has a VERY interesting story hidden behind it someplace.
It a shame that a statement of some kind was presented with the medal.

[Morts]

Why would a polish medal be awarded to a dane?


it wasnt, my grandmother and her family are from poland

[Snestorm]

it wasnt, my grandmother and her family are from poland

Mystery number 1 solved.

It's a shame no one is left to provide more details.
The facts belong in your family history.