Editing Szczerbiec (section)

== Modern symbolism ==
[[File:Stronnictwo Narodowe emblem.svg|thumb|left|150px|National Party (Poland) emblem.]]
[[File:MlodziezWszechpolska01.jpg|thumb|A demonstration of the [[All-Polish Youth]] in 2003. The ''Mieczyk Chrobrego'' symbol is visible on a banner on the left-hand side.]]

In the interwar period, a simplified image of Szczerbiec wrapped three times in a white-and-red ribbon was adopted as a symbol of Polish nationalist organizations led by [[Roman Dmowski]] – the [[Camp of Great Poland]] (''Obóz Wielkiej Polski''), the [[National Party (Poland)|National Party]] (''Stronnictwo Narodowe''), and the [[All-Polish Youth]] (''Młodzież Wszechpolska''). Their members wore it as a badge called ''{{ill|Mieczyk Chrobrego|pl}}'', or "Little Sword of [[Bolesław I the Brave|[Boleslaus] the Brave]]". The symbol was also sewn onto the left sleeve of the sand shirt which was part of the Camp of Great Poland uniform.{{sfn|Dobrowolski|ps=}} Among the politicians who wore the badge before World War II were Roman Dmowski, [[Władysław Grabski]], [[Wojciech Korfanty]], [[Roman Rybarski]],{{sfnp|Chruszcz|2007|ps=}} and [[Wojciech Jaruzelski]].{{sfnp|Jaruzelski|2009|ps=}}{{Needs independent confirmation|reason=Interview with the person in question may not be reliable source|date=February 2023}} It was banned in 1938 during the "[[Sanation]]" period.<ref>[https://wyborcza.pl/7,75399,25115258,heraldyka-teskniacych-za-faszyzmem-wracaja-emblematy-z-przeszlosci.html?disableRedirects=true "Heraldyka tęskniących za faszyzmem. Wracają emblematy z przeszłości"], ''[[Wyborcza]]'', August 24, 2019</ref> During World War II, the badge was used by right-wing anti-[[Nazism|Nazi]] and anti-Soviet military resistance groups, the [[National Armed Forces]] (''Narodowe Siły Zbrojne''){{sfn|Dobrowolski|ps=}} and the [[National Military Organization]] (''Narodowa Organizacja Wojskowa''). After the [[End of Communism in Poland (1989)|fall of communism in Poland]], the ''Mieczyk Chrobrego'' symbol was readopted by new or reactivated nationalist and [[far right|far-right]] organizations, including [[League of Polish Families]] (''Liga Polskich Rodzin''),{{sfnp|Chruszcz|2007|ps=}} All-Polish Youth and the [[Camp of Great Poland (association)|Camp of Great Poland]]. Additionally, ''Szczerbiec'' is the title of a periodical published since 1991 by a minor radical nationalist party, the [[National Revival of Poland]] (''Narodowe Odrodzenie Polski'').{{sfn|''Reaktywacja pisma Szczerbiec...''|ps=}}

[[File:Lwów Cmentarz Łyczakowski cmentarz Orląt 5.JPG|thumb|left|A likeness of Szczerbiec sculpted at the Polish [[Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów|Eaglets' Cemetery]] in [[Lviv]], Ukraine. The inscription reads, "Here lies a Polish soldier fallen for the Fatherland."]]

In 2005, the [[Polish Football Association]], in an attempt to fight racism among Polish football fans, prepared a blacklist of most common [[racism|racist]] and [[fascism|fascist]] symbols to be banned from Polish football stadiums. The catalog, co-authored by independent [[Anti-fascism|anti-fascist]] organization Never Again (''Nigdy Więcej''), listed the ''Mieczyk Chrobrego'' as one of the extreme right symbols that are often displayed at the Polish stadiums. The catalog listed other racist and fascist symbols like the Nazi [[swastika]], the [[Celtic cross]], and the [[Confederate Flag]].{{sfnp|Uhlig|2007|ps=}}{{sfnp|''Wykopmy rasizm ze stadionów''|ps=}}{{sfn|''Materiał szkoleniowy...''|ps=}} After a protest by [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] [[Sylwester Chruszcz]] of the League of Polish Families,{{sfn|''Chruszcz: Umieszczenie "szczerbca"...''|ps=}} additional consultations were held with historians, academic researchers and other experts and as a result the symbol is still listed in the catalog of extreme-right symbols banned at Polish football stadiums.{{sfn|''Wytyczne dla Delegatów Meczowych PZPN''|ps=}} It was also banned by UEFA during Euro 2008 and 2012.{{sfn|''Respect Diversity''|ps=}}

The symbolic use of Szczerbiec became a bone of contention again in 2009. After a monument to the [[Ukrainian Insurgent Army]] (''Ukrayins'ka Povstans'ka Armiya'') on the {{ill|Chryszczata|pl}} Mountain in southeastern Poland was vandalized, authorities of the Ukrainian city of [[Lviv]] demanded the removal of an image of Szczerbiec from the local [[Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów|Polish military cemetery]]. The Ukrainians, recalling the legendary use of the original sword in a Polish invasion of Kiev, argued it was a Polish nationalist, militaristic and anti-Ukrainian symbol.{{sfn|''Lwów: Polski symbol...''|ps=}}{{sfn|''Mizhnarodnyi skandal...''|ps=}}
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