On 22 November 1920, for the first time in Polish history, the Order of Virtuti Militari was awarded to an entire city rather than to an individual. Lwów was thus presented with this honourable decoration. In recognition of the merits of its inhabitants during the battles in November 1918 against the Ukrainians and two years later against the Bolshevik army.

The ceremonial decoration of Lwów with the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari took place on 22 November 1920 after a solemn military parade on St Mary’s Square in front of the Adam Mickiewicz Monument. The act of decorating the city’s coat of arms was performed by Marshal Józef Piłsudski, who held the office of Head of State. It was a unique ceremony, as together with the city, this highest Polish military decoration was also awarded to 162 of its defenders.

Lwów received the Virtuti Militari for its heroic defence of the city during the Polish-Ukrainian fighting at the turn of 1918/19 and its defence against the Bolshevik invasion in August 1920. The Polish-Ukrainian battles began on 1 November 1918. In their initial phase, which ended on 22 November 1918, the civilian inhabitants of the city made a special contribution, especially students, scouts and schoolchildren, who were later known as the “Eaglets of Lwów”. Apart from the heroic attitude of its defenders, it was possible to keep the city in Polish hands thanks to the arrival of Polish troops commanded by Colonel Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski. The second phase of fighting ended in the spring of 1919 after the arrival in Polish troops previously formed in France under the command of General Józef Haller.

During the Polish-Bolshevik war, battles were fought on the outskirts of Lwów with Semyon Budyonny’s 1st Cavalry Army. The march of this unit on the city was slowed down by the heroic defence of Zadwórze, which gave the Poles the opportunity to organise the defence of the city.