Polish Red Cross ( pl, Polski Czerwony Krzyż, abbr. PCK) is the Polish member of the

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, an ...

. Its 19th-century roots may be found in the

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

and

Austrian Partition The Austrian Partition ( pl, zabór austriacki) comprise the former territories of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth acquired by the Habsburg monarchy during the Partitions of Poland in the late 18th century. The three partition (politics), p ...

s of the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...

. On regaining its independence in 1918 Poland's charitable institutions were able to reconvene and establish the Red Cross on its territory under the presidency of Paweł Sapieha, formerly President of the Red Cross in Galicia. The new society was recognized by the International Red Cross on 24 July 1919. During the

Polish People's Republic The Polish People's Republic ( pl, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million nea ...

(1947–1989) the Polish Red Cross lost its autonomy and all its assets to the state. Across its hundred year history it continues its humanitarian work at home and abroad. Its focus is on education, exhumations and missing persons. It continues to carry aid to refugees.

History

On 18 January 1919 the Polish Samaritan Society organized a meeting of all Polish charities that followed the Red Cross principles. With the support of

Helena Paderewska Helena Maria Paderewska (née von Rosen; previously Górska) (August 1, 1856 – January 16, 1934) was a Polish social activist who helped found the Polish White Cross society during World War I (among other humanitarian activities), and also is k ...

, then head of what was called the Polish White Cross society, the participants formed the Polish Red Cross Society. A temporary committee of 30 was elected to develop draft statutes and to proceed with preparations of the new PCK.

Polish Soviet War

In 1922 after the

Polish–Soviet War The Polish–Soviet War (Polish–Bolshevik War, Polish–Soviet War, Polish–Russian War 1919–1921) * russian: Советско-польская война (''Sovetsko-polskaya voyna'', Soviet-Polish War), Польский фронт (' ...

the Polish Red Cross participated in an exchange of Polish and Russian prisoners. Ekaterina Peshkova the chairwoman of organisation, ''Assistance to Political Prisoners'' (Pompolit, ''Помощь политическим заключенным'', Помполит), was given an award by the Polish Red Cross for her participation in the exchange of

POWs A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war ...

Yaroslav Leontiev Yaroslav () is a Slavic given name. Its variant spelling is Jaroslav and Iaroslav, and its feminine form is Yaroslava. The surname derived from the name is Yaroslavsky and its variants. All may refer to: Historical figures * Yaroslav I the Wise ...

''Dear Ekaterina Pavlovna
'',

Russian Germany Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

, N24 -2005''Fighters for the Human Rights''
,

Novaya Gazeta ''Novaya Gazeta'' ( rus, Новая газета, t=New Gazette, p=ˈnovəjə ɡɐˈzʲetə) is an independent Russian newspaper known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs. It is published in Mo ...

, N81, 2002 Before World War II the PCK operated ambulances on behalf of the Polish Army in order to aid the Army's budget.

WWII

In 1942, the eminent Polish cryptologists

Marian Rejewski Marian Adam Rejewski (; 16 August 1905 – 13 February 1980) was a Polish mathematician and cryptologist who in late 1932 reconstructed the sight-unseen German military Enigma cipher machine, aided by limited documents obtained by French mili ...

and

Henryk Zygalski Henryk Zygalski (; 15 July 1908 – 30 August 1978) was a Polish mathematician and cryptologist who worked at breaking German Enigma ciphers before and during World War II. Life Zygalski was born on 15 July 1908 in Posen, German Empire (now Pozn ...

escaped from occupied France to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Upon arrival they were imprisoned by the Spanish. The Polish Red Cross made arrangements for food parcels to be delivered to the prisoners. Red Cross personnel sent a list in Polish of "Polish Prisoners" who were to receive food parcels. The Red Cross was later able to secure their release. During the Italian campaign in 1944, the director for the Red Cross in

Anders' Army Anders' Army was the informal yet common name of the Polish Armed Forces in the East in the 1941–42 period, in recognition of its commander Władysław Anders. The army was created in the Soviet Union but, in March 1942, based on an understand ...

was Count Stefan Tyszkiewicz.Piotrowski, Jacek, Ed. ''Dzienniki czynności Prezydenta RP Władysława Raczkiewicza : 1939 - 1947'' - Wrocław: Wydawn. Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, 2004, (Acta Universitatis Wratislaviensis; 2687), , Signatur der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin: 3 A 128733-2 1a: 3 A 128733-2, p. 527 - the Journals of President Raczkiewicz, 1939-1947.

References

External links

Homepage
{{Authority control 1919 establishments in Poland Medical and health organisations based in Poland Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies Organizations established in 1919