Order of Saint Stanislaus (Oekrainian chapter of the International Order of Saint Stanislaus)

The Order of Saint Stanislaus (Polish: Order św. Stanisława, Russian: Орденъ св. Станислава) was an order in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Order existed between 1765 and 1917.

There are three or four orders of Saint Stanislaus today. These different Orders and grand-masters do not recognize each other as legitimate successors or revivals of he Order of Saint-Stanislaus. The knights and dames of these orders tend to dissagree. Wikipedia is not neutral. Please tell your story on the page of your own branch of the order!

• The International Order of Saint Stanislaus was founded in 1979 by the President of Poland , Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki head of one of the two governments that claimed to be the successor to the exiled Polish government that fled to London in 1939.

The International Order of Saint Stanislaus is active in several countries on five continents.

This is the point of view given by an anonymous contributor about the order that was established in London in 1979:

"On 9 June 1979, the Order of Saint Stanislas was re-established in five classes by the legitimate Polish Government (In Exile) which was based in London. From the 9 June 1979 until the 20 December 1990 the Polish Government (In Exile) used the Order of Saint Stanislas as an effective weapon against Communism. The Order was bestowed upon worthy individuals who had been at the forefront in the struggle against Communism and as well the Order gave a very high profile to the struggle for independence and the work being done by the European Central Council which was a group of Freedom Fighters made up of the following Governments.

In 1990, following the withdrawal of Soviet Forces from Polish soil and the free election of a new and democratic President, "both" Polish Government's (In Exile) were merged with the now legal Government in Warsaw on the 20 December 1990. Control of all Polish decorations was returned to Warsaw, but by a decree that was signed by the President and all Ministers of the Polish Government (In Exile) the Order of Saint Stanislas was made an Independent Charitable Order of chivalry, entrusted with a special role to assist the poor in Poland and Eastern Europe.

The Order of Saint Stanislas is now a worldwide organization with Priories established in most countries. The Order is a true international Brotherhood made up of Honorable men and women who have a very real concern for their fellow human beings and wanting to make a difference. Membership into the Order is by invitation from a member in good standing."

• The Oekrainian chapter of the International Order of Saint Stanislaus has declared itself independent after the false announcement by the grand-master that his office would in future be hereditery in his family..

History

Stanislaus II Augustus Poniatowski, King of Poland established the Order of the Knights of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr on May 7, 1765 to honor the service to the King.

After the partition of Poland it was recognized in the Grand Duchy of Warsaw in 1807. Since 1815 in the Polish (Congress) Kingdom, the order, originally in a single class, was retained and divided into four classes. After the dawnfall of the November Uprising, the order was added to the awards system of the Russian Empire in 1832, where it remained until 1917. In 1918 Poland regained its independence as the Second Polish Republic, the order was not renewed and replaced by the Order of Polonia Restituta.

de:Sankt-Stanislaus-Orden fr:Ordre de Saint-Stanislas nl:Orde van Sint-Stanislaus pl:Order Świętego Stanisława