Sztandar Polskiego Związku Bractw Kurkowych we Francji

Abstract

A STANDARD OF THE POLISH ASSOCIATION OF MARKSMEN'S CONFRATERNITIES IN FRANCE

The Cracow Marksmen's Confraternity's collection in the Historical Museum of the City of Cracow has recently acquired an interesting exhibit - a standard of the Polish Association of Marksmen's Confraternities in France. It was a property of the Polish Association of Shooting Societies in France, established on 24th July 1929. The standard was purchased on 25th April 1948. It was brought to Cracow by Jan Paternoga, the Chairman of the Association of Marksmen's Confraternities which gave the standard on loan to the Historical Museum of the City of Cracow on 16th September 2000. The standard is displayed at a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of the Cracow Marksmen's Confraternity in Celestat, along with other mementoes of other European shooting societies. The symbolics of the standard combines patriotic traditions with the traditions of shooting art. The Polish crowned eagle and the words “God”, “Honour” and “Homeland” are embroidered on its obverse. On the reverse is the Maltanese Cross with a cross-bow.
A sword crossed with a sporting rifle are intertwined with beams surrounding the cross-bow. The founders of the standard took a model from the symbol of the Association of Shooting Marksmen's Confraternities of the Republic of Poland, the organization which brought together all such organisations active in Poland.