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Polish War Cemetery Breda
(Netherlands, the - North Brabant - Breda)
Situated facing the Texaco gasstation at the Ettensebaan in Breda.
" On this field of honour are Polish soldiers who died in the Netherlands during World War Two buried.
They originally belonged to the divisions of the Polish land- and airforces who in September 1939, after the capture of the Polish by the German army escaped to France, where the Polish government also found shelter.
After the capitulation of the French army in June 1940, the Polish soldiers succeeded again to escape from German war inprisoning. They found their way from Spain and Gibraltar to reah England safely. There they formed among many the First Polisher Armourdivision under command of General Major Stanislaw Maczek and the First Polish Independant Parachutebrigade.
After the landing in Normandy in June 1944 these Polish soldiers fought among the Allied forces for the liberation of West Europe.
In the Netherlands they fought in Zeeuws- Vlaanderen, West Brabant, in the battle for Arnhem, Groningen and Drenthe.
More than 500 Polish soldiers and pilots who were killed during World War Two found their last restplace in our country, 156 of them here in Breda, which was liberated by the First Polish Armour division on the 29th of October 1944.
Text according to a sign at the cemetery.
Click for more information on the overview at the bottom of the page.
Source
- Text: Jeroen Koppes
- Photos: Jeroen Koppes (1), Fedor de Vries (2,3) & Paul Moerenhout (4,5)
Address and contactinformation
- Address:
- Ettensebaan
4812XA Breda - WWII grade:
- 100%
- Rating:
- 80%
Where is it?
Nearby (help)
Museum
Point of interest
- Register Victims 1940-1945 Etten-Leur
- St. Francis Xavier Mission House Teteringen
- Maria Chapel Ulvenhoutselaan
Monument
- Memorial Polish Soldiers
- Polish Memorial Cemetery Laurentius Breda
- Memorial 1st Polish Armoured Division
Cemetery
Amongst others, the following persons are buried here (Overview)
| Name | Date of death |
|---|---|
| Maczek, Stanislaw Wladyslaw "Baca" | December 11th, 1994 |
Visitor reactions
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Reactions
- My Father, Jan Wegorzewski was one of three veterans who were present at the funeral and burial of Gen. Maczek - My father flew from Canada with these 2 men to form an honour guard at his casket - my father was the recon radio operator for the 1st Polish Tank Division in WW2 and the standard bearer that was made for the division after the war -
- By: Wegorzewski Maria
- City: Toronto Canada
- Date and time: 05-09-2012 19:31:54
- Ranking: 3 out of 5 stars
- My father was in the Polish first armoured division and used to travel back to Breda each year and was treated so well by the lovely and respectful Dutch. His website is http://ww.janpirog.com as he has some photos of Breda. The division saved Breda without damaging any buildings and dad always told how he loved to be there. He died Aug 30th this year. He was asked if he wanted to be with his men, buried in Breda as Gem Maczek was but he did not. I will have a headstone made in the same style for him, Thank you so much for looking after these men who died in your country. GOD bless you all.
- By: Julian Pirog
- City: Bristol
- Date and time: 28-11-2009 15:25:44
- Ranking: 5 out of 5 stars
