''Krzyż harcerski'' ( Polish for ''Scouts Cross'') is the

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

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

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

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 List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

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 Szymanow ...

. The shape of the

Cross A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...

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"'', ) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was established in 1792 by the last King of Poland Stanislaus II of Poland, ...

, 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 common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...

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

Scouting Movement Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, includin ...

(see Fleur-de-lis in Scouting). 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 with No ...

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 languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

phrase, "''

per aspera ad astra is a Latin language, 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 t ...

''" ("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 hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

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'' ( Polish for ''Be vigilant'') is the

motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...

and greeting of Polish Scouts.

References

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