The medal - Instytut Pileckiego

The measure of a man is his heart

John Paul II

Helping others in times of extreme distress is an act of both courage and solidarity with the persecuted. It is only when leafing through books about the 20th century that we realize the true sense of this seemingly trivial observation. Two world wars, bloody revolutions, ethnic cleansings, political repression – all brought suffering and death to millions of Polish citizens. But when we ask questions as to the nature of evil, we should in equal measure reflect on the source of good. For it was during the very same period of history that Polish citizens themselves were the recipients of aid and succor readily provided by others; the fact is corroborated by thousands of pages of memoirs, testimonies, and other documents. This help took various forms and was either long-term or temporary, but what is crucial is that it saved lives or significantly increased chances of survival. Clearly, therefore, it should be our duty to save these stories from oblivion.

The Virtus et Fraternitas Medal is awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland as a token of commemoration and gratitude to persons who provided aid and assistance to Polish citizens. It is also bestowed to honor individuals who, by acting spontaneously and voluntarily, keep alive the memory of those of our compatriots who did not survive the war or the forced deportations, and found their graves in foreign soil. This field of activity is particularly important due to the perforce limited scope of institutional help. In the near future we plan to hold successive award ceremonies, during which we shall present other examples of succor closely intertwined with the 20th-century fates of Polish citizens.

We would further like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the numerous people and institutions that have granted support to our effort. We are especially grateful to the originator of the idea, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who thereby provided us with the opportunity of commemorating the extraordinary stories of people who rescued Polish citizens.

The Director of the Pilecki Institute, having first obtained a positive opinion from the Council of Memory, submits a motion to the President of the Republic of Poland for bestowal of the medal. If the intended recipient does not hold Polish citizenship or resides permanently abroad, the President asks for the opinion of the Minister competent with respect to Foreign Affairs.

Issues concerning the medal are regulated by the following instruments:

► Act of 9 November 2017 on the Witold Pilecki Institute of Solidarity and Valor

► Regulation of the President of the Republic of Poland of 10 November 1992 on the description, material and dimensions of design drawings, and the way in and circumstances under which decorations, orders and medals may be worn, amended by the Regulation of the President of the Republic of Poland of 22 October 2018 amending the regulation on the description, material and dimensions of design drawings, and the way in and circumstances under which decorations, orders and medals may be worn

See also

  • Virtus et Fraternitas Medals awarded | Discover the stories of heroic Ukrainians who saved their Polish neighbors during the Volhynian Massacre

    Virtus et Fraternitas Medals awarded | Discover the stories of heroic Ukrainians who saved their Polish neighbors during the Volhynian Massacre

    On 6 July 2023, at the Belweder Palace in Warsaw, fifteen heroic Ukrainians were commemorated for saving their Polish neighbors from death at the hands of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (faction of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists) during the Volhynia Massacre.

  • We now know the names of the Virtus et Fraternitas Medal recipients

    We now know the names of the Virtus et Fraternitas Medal recipients

    On 20 December 2022, at the Belweder Palace in Warsaw, we honored Ilona Andrássy, Trofim Daneliuk and the Skakalski family, who demonstrated courage and solidarity with the persecuted when Poland was attacked by two murderous regimes, and the Polish citizens were in grave danger.

  • Virtus et Franternitas Medals presented

    Virtus et Franternitas Medals presented

    The third edition of the Virtus et Fraternitas Medal Gala took place on 15 June 2022. This time, at the request of the Director of the Pilecki Institute, the President of the Republic of Poland bestowed medals on a total of 23 people.

  • The Virtus et Fraternitas Gala 2021. Meet all the recipients!

    The Virtus et Fraternitas Gala 2021. Meet all the recipients!

    The President of Poland Andrzej Duda awarded the medals to foreigners who provided aid to Polish citizens during the 20th century, in times of both war and peace.

  • Walenty Jabłoński, doctor and an exile in Siberia, is dead

    Walenty Jabłoński, doctor and an exile in Siberia, is dead

    We are sad to learn of the death of Walenty Jabłoński, an exile in Siberia, participant of the Union of Siberian Exiles in Białystok. He was deported to a kolkhoz in Kazakhstan in 1952, where he was saved from starvation and death by Tassybaj Abdikarimow.

  • Virtus et Fraternitas Medal

    Virtus et Fraternitas Medal

    The Virtus et Fraternitas Medal is a token of gratitude of the Republic of Poland for rescuing its citizens in times of the country’s greatest distress.

  • The President of the Republic of Poland decorates recipients with the Virtus et Fraternitas Medal

    The President of the Republic of Poland decorates recipients with the Virtus et Fraternitas Medal

    The Virtus et Fraternitas Medal has been bestowed for the first time in history in June 2019. The awards were given by the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, acting on a motion of the Pilecki Institute.