''Krzyż harcerski'' (

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

for ''Scouts Cross'') is the

emblem An emblem is an abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a king or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and '' symbol'' are often us ...

of Polish Scouting, awarded to Polish Scouts, Senior Scouts and Rangers. It was first used by an underground Scouting organization in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

in 1913. The initial design by Kazimierz Lutosławski has not been modified substantially since then. It is worn on a Scout uniform, over the heart, two fingers above the left pocket. In November 1918 the Polish Ministry of War decreed that the ''Krzyż Harcerski'' was the only civilian honour that may be worn on military uniforms. The tradition continues to this day.

Symbols

The Cross was designed by

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

priest Kazimierz Lutosławski, uncle of Polish composer

Witold Lutosławski Witold Roman Lutosławski (; 25 January 1913 – 7 February 1994) was a Polish composer and conductor. Among the major composers of 20th-century classical music, he is "generally regarded as the most significant Polish composer since Szyman ...

. The shape of the

Cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...

is a symbol of a hard way that should always be followed. It also bears resemblance to

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', pl, Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King St ...

, the highest Polish military medal, a symbol of bravery and indomitability. The central point of the Cross is the

Fleur-de-lys The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a lily (in French, and mean 'flower' and 'lily' respectively) that is used as a decorative design or symbol. The fleur-de-lis has been used in the ...

, an ancient symbol of virtue and purity. It is used worldwide as a symbol of the

Scouting Movement Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, ...

(see

Fleur-de-lis in Scouting The fleur-de-lis is the main element in the logo of most Scouting organizations, representing a major theme in Scouting: the outdoors and wilderness. The crest is white on a purple background. The white represents purity and the purple represent ...

). In Polish Scouts Movement it is also worn as stand alone button on the uniform's cap. The letters ''ONC'' on the wings of the emblem stand for "''Ojczyzna, Nauka, Cnota''" (Polish for "Homeland, Education, Virtue"). The middle wing with the letter N also symbolizes the

compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself wit ...

that should guide every Scout through his or her life. The fleur-de-lys on the Scouts Cross does not bear the letters ''ONC'', which have been replaced by two stars, emblematic of a Scout's wide-open eyes. The fleur-de-lys is surrounded by a circle or a ring, symbolizing both perfection and scout unity. The rays inside the ring signify the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

phrase, "''

per aspera ad astra ''Ad astra'' is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". The phrase has origins with Virgil, who wrote in his ''Aeneid'': "''sic itur ad astra''" ('thus one journeys to the stars') and "''opta ardua pennis astra sequi''" ('desire to pursue the h ...

''" ("through hardships to the stars"). The wreath around the centre of the Cross is composed of two parts. To the left there is a chain of

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

leaves which symbolise strength, courage, heroism and agility. To the right there is a chain of laurel leaves — symbol of victory. A Scout is to achieve victories over one's own weaknesses rather than over an enemy. Thus the laurel leaves signify also the knowledge and proficiency. The tie between both chains is to remind every Scout to commit good deeds every day. The arms of the cross are filled with grains of sand. Their purpose is to symbolise both the multitude of Scouts on Earth and stones that are thrown on the road of a Scout by fate. The word ''Czuwaj'' (

for ''Be vigilant'') is the

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...

and greeting of Polish Scouts.

References

{{Scouting in Poland Orders, decorations, and medals of Poland Polish Scouting ranks