Last modified: 2009-09-04 by jarig bakker
Keywords: army | virtuti militari |
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![[Flag of the Army]](../images/p/pl^army.gif)
image by Adam Kroger, 4 Sept 2000, from his
site.
This flag is entitled: FLAGA WOJSK LADOWYCH . See also: Flag
of the Navy, Air Force and Air Defence
Flag,
Jarig Bakker, 4 Sept 2000.
This flag is shown in The World Encyclopedia Of Flags (Znamierowski,
p. 83). The insignia is actually a representation of the cap badge.
TWEOF shows similar flags for the Polish Navy and Airforce, both red with
a representation of the appropriate cap badge. According to TWEOF, all
three were adopted in 1993.
Tom Gregg, 23 Apr 2000
Does anyone know how these are used? They don't look like they'd
be flown over military installations (and we know Polish AF bases have
the airfields flag), and the one for the Navy certainly is neither the
ensign nor the jack. So are they parade flags of some kind?
Joe McMillan, 23 Apr 2000
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland (Si?y Zbrojne Rzeczypospoliej
Polskiej) consist of three Forces:
- The Land Army (Wojska L±dowe)
- The Air Forces and Air Defence (Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej)
- The Navy (Marynarka Wojenna)
All these Forces have flags, established by Sejm 19 February 1993.
These flags (pl^army, pl~navy
and pl^air) are neither ensigns nor
jacks. They are flown over military units:
- On the holiday of each Force.
- The holiday of Land Army is 12 September - anniversary of King John
III Sobieski's victory over Kara Mustafa's Ottoman Turks at Vienna (1683).
I have seen Army Flag flown 12 September 2000, over Stefan Czarnecki
Military Academy in Pozna?.
Grzegorz Skrukwa, 16 Sept 2000
![[Flag of the Special Forces]](../images/p/pl^sf.gif)
image by Maciej Borowski, 16 Jul 2009
In early 2007. the 4th branch of Polish Armed Forces had been formed:
Polish Special Forces (full name: Wojska Specjalne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej).
In march 2009 their symbols had been adopted: (link
to legislature).
To complement polish page at FOTW, please use my image from Wikimedia
Commons.
Maciej Borowski, 16 Jul 2009
![[Polish People's Army]](../images/p/pl-lwp.gif)
image by ®eljko Heimer
James Dignan gets this flag from a stamp marked XXXV-Lecie (35th anniversary) Ludowego Wojska Polskiego. [Ludowe Wojsko Polskie = Polish People's Army i.e. the old communist regime's armed forces].
This pattern is in general use for Polish military units; it would have
the name of the unit, and even battles in which it had fought. The pattern
is reminiscent of the shape of the medal of the Virtuti Militari
order, the highest Polish order for valour, which has (I think) been re-established
since the fall of the communist regime. The Virtuti Militari is the same
shape as the white parts of the flag together with the ring containing
the eagle (Polish national emblem) in the centre.
Robert Czernkowski
AFAIK this flag never existed. It's probably standard design for Polish
military units extended by artist who prepared postal stamp. Ludowe
Wojsko Polskie was not military units of communist regime but normal
military units. Difference between 2nd Polish Army Corps which fought in
Italy and LWP units were insignificant. A lot of people imprisoned by Soviets
wanted to fight against Nazi, but they were released too late to join General
Anders' army. They only could join LWP units and fight on Eastern Front.
Peter 'Mikolaj' Mikolajski, 18 Sept 2000
![[2nd Polish Army Corps flag]](../images/p/pl-vm2.gif)
image by Peter 'Mikolaj' Mikolajski, 18 Sept 2000
This design is not correct but was used by units which fought on Eastern
Front and is reverted version of normal design.
Peter 'Mikolaj' Mikolajski, 18 Sept 2000
![[Polish Army Corps flag]](../images/p/pl-vm.gif)
image by Peter 'Mikolaj' Mikolajski, 18 Sept 2000
This shows the normal design. Almost always flags had golden laurel
or oak crown around eagle. In units which fought on the Western Front almost
always was sentence: "Honor i Ojczyzna" [Honour and Fatherland].
Peter 'Mikolaj' Mikolajski, 18 Sept 2000
![[Flag of a Marshal of Poland]](../images/p/pl^mp.gif)
image by Adam Kromer, from his
website.
![[Flag of a Marshal of Poland]](../images/p/pl-marsz.gif)
image by Thanh-Tâm L?, 5 Jan 1999, after image from
this
site, reported by Dov Gutterman
![[Flag of Chief of General Staff of Polish Army]](../images/p/pl^cgs.gif)
image by Adam Kromer, from his
website.
![[General Chief of Staff]](../images/p/pl-szszg.gif)
image by Thanh-Tâm L?, 7 Jan 1999, after image from
this
site, reported by Dov Gutterman.
![[General's Flag]](../images/p/pl-gener.gif)
image by Adam Kromer, from his
website.
![[General's Flag (uncrowned eagle)]](../images/p/pl^geneu.gif)
image by Adam Kromer, from his
website.
![[Minister of National Defense]](../images/p/pl^mod.gif)
image by Joseph McMillan, 6 Oct 1999, after image from this
site, reported by Dov Gutterman.
Minister of National Defense: National ensign in 5:6 proportions
with badge in lower center consisting of a white foul anchor and a yellow
cannon in saltire.
Joseph McMillan, 6 Oct 1999
In Monitor Polski Nr 14 page 257, that personal flag is drawn in 5 :
8 proportions
Armand Noel du Payrat, 11 Oct 1999
![[Flag of Department of Defence]](../images/p/pl^dd.gif)
image by Adam Kromer, from his
website.
![[General Jaruzelski's flag]](../images/p/pl^std55.gif)
image from Adam
Kromer's site.
I just saw Jaruzelski in the TV. He announced the state of emergency
(early 1980s) in Poland. Next to Jaruzelski was a flag, which I assume
was the presidential flag of the time:
Divided per saltire, red top and bottom, white on the sides. In the
centre a red disc with a golden wreath around the white eagle. I think
the flag had a fringe.
Ole Andersen, 8 Nov. 1999
This is a description of a Polish military color of the Communist period.
The color now is white with a red cross patty throughout, with a red disk
at the center encircled by a golden laurel wreath. On the obverse, the
disk is charged with the crowned eagle from the COA; on the reverse the
disk is inscribed with the motto "BOG HONOR OJCZYZNA" (God, honor,
duty) and the arms of the cross are inscribed with battle honors.
The number of the unit is inscribed in each corner inside a wreath.
Joseph McMillan, 8 Nov 1999
"Courrier International" #807, 20 April 2006, publishes a black and
white picture (AFP) of the scene, which took place on 13 December 1981.
The fringe of the flag is clearly visible.
Jaruzelski's trial for "participation to a criminal organization",
here the WRON (Military Council for National Security) shall start soon
in Poland. The prosecutor of the Institute for National Memory has released
the act of accusation on 31 March 2006. Earlier attempts to try the General
failed in 1995 in spite of the set up of a
parliamentary commission in 1991.
Ivan Sache, 20 May 2006
Definitely the Army standard, not presidential flag - there was no president
in Poland in 1981!
See the standard at the bottom of this
page (the standard of example military unit from the times of the People's
Republic of Poland).
Mariusz Borkowski, 20 May 2006
If this website is official, as it appears to be, then it confirms that
the Jack's proportions of 5:6 given in
the Flaggebuch have be restored (or were never, in fact, changed?) and
that any suggest of 1:1 for the current version is incorrect.
Christopher Southworth, 19 Mar 2004
In the Official Gazette (of the Republic of Poland) #83 , item 689,
the new decree of the Minister of National Defense of May 4, 2009
about the determination of the signs used in the armed forces of the Republic
of Poland was published. The Polish military and Rank flags were
officially re-defined.
See please here.
Jens Pattke, 7 Aug 2009
In fact the rank flags of Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral remain unchanged;
that of Admrial, previously with three stars, now has four. The three-star
flag is now used by the oddly-named rank of Fleet Admiral (admirała floty).
Miles Li, 8 Aug 2009
