Star of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre

The star belongs to the decorations of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, established by Pope Alexander VI in 1496. It is a decoration of the Knights of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem reactivated in 1868. The privilege of awarding the Order was granted to the Grand Master of the Order. The cross was worn on a ribbon of black silk moiré around the neck, while the star - on the left breast. The presented star of the Order belonged to Tadeusz Dzierżykraj-Morawski (1821-1888), a social and political activist in the Grand Duchy of Poznań chamberlain to the Prussian King Wilhelm I. This meritorious citizen of Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) was the son of Franciszek, a general, poet, translator, participant in the Napoleonic Wars, and Minister of War during the November Rising. Tadeusz Morawski left a set of decorations of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, including a cross, two stars, two miniatures and a ribbon. The eight-pointed stars are very similar, from the composition and the materials used point of view, but differ slightly in their manufacturing technique. The surface of the presented star has a wavy structure of rays, running concentrically towards the centre. The emblem of the Order, i.e., the cross of Jerusalem surrounded by a laurel wreath tied with ribbon, is placed in the centre. The slight gilding (of the cross and the ribbon) creates an additional decorative effect. The back of this specimen bears the signature of Godet, a Berlin-based jewellery company active between 1761 and 1964. The company is globally known for its products, and orders were usually marked with the whole name "Godet in Berlin". In 1975, the collection of Orders left after Tadeusz Morawski (the Holy Sepulchre with two stars and a ribbon, the Red Eagle of class III and IV and a chain with an order set of five miniatures) was acquired by the National Museum in Szczecin from a resident of Szczecin, Mrs Anna Morawska. A year before, the Museum had obtained the of his father, General Franciszek Dzierżykraj-Morawski’s Orders.

Genowefa Horoszko