{"id":3499,"date":"2018-11-13T10:34:15","date_gmt":"2018-11-13T09:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.driel-polen.nl\/?page_id=3499"},"modified":"2021-01-12T14:44:32","modified_gmt":"2021-01-12T13:44:32","slug":"2018-voorzitter-st-driel-polen-dhr-a-j-m-baltussen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.driel-polen.nl\/en\/herdenkingen\/herdenkingen-2015-2024\/2018-voorzitter-st-driel-polen-dhr-a-j-m-baltussen\/","title":{"rendered":"2018 Chairman of the Foundation Driel-Polen, Mr. A.J.M. Baltussen"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Address by the Chairman of the Foundation Driel-Polen,
\n<\/strong>Mr. A.J.M. Baltussen
\n<\/strong>at the Commemoration of the contribution of the <\/strong>1st Polish Independent
\nParachute Brigade <\/strong>to Operation Market Garden, 74 years ago
\n<\/strong>Driel, 22 September 2018<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Ladies & Gentlemen<\/em>
\n<\/strong>Also a warm welcome to you on this afternoon when we remember the contribution of the First Polish Independent Parachute Brigade to Operation Market Garden, 74 years ago.<\/p>\n

This year, the theme of our national Remembrance is \u201cresistance\u201d. During World War Two there was resistance in all occupied countries. This varied from reading resistance newspapers to hiding pilots whose planes had crashed as well as confronting the occupying forces with armed resistance.
\nMany countries had groups dedicated in offering resistance to the occupier.<\/p>\n

Here, in this area, there were also many different forms of resistance. A few days ago someone told me about his father\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n

On 14 September 1944, when his father had just become 18 years old, German soldiers came visiting and told him he would be transported to Germany. The 18 year old\u2019s own father was a baker and when they gave him the option of baking bread for the occupier he accepted with both hands. Later when he started delivering bread to their positions he noted their exact locations and passed this information on to the resistance groups in his village. This may seem something small but it certainly involved danger and it was just one of the things he did.<\/p>\n

In Warsaw, around this time, the Polish resistance army Armia Krajowa was offering considerable resistance to the Germans. Its objective was the liberation of Warsaw. Some 30,000 people were involved in this uprising, most were very young and only ten percent were armed.
\nThe uprising began around the time the Soviet army was approaching Warsaw. By 10 September, it had reached the eastern part of the city. However, it made no attempt to help the Polish resistance army get across of the river and this made it possible for the Germans to break all resistance. An estimated 85% of the city was destroyed and on 2 October 1944 the Polish resistance army surrendered.<\/p>\n

This was all taking place around the time that the First Polish Independent Parachute Brigade was preparing to support Operation Market Garden.
\nAs they made their preparations their motto was \u201cby the shortest way\u201d and this made it clear that their ultimate objective was to liberate Warsaw.
\nDespite their extreme disappointment at not being flown to Warsaw on the 21 September 1944, they remained totally committed to supporting their First Airborne comrades and they succeeded in maintaining a land corridor that helped 2,300 soldiers to escape.
\nOn their way back to England, the Poles realised that their countrymen had abandon resistance.<\/p>\n

Two examples of resistance:<\/p>\n