{"id":7783,"date":"2022-09-20T19:00:11","date_gmt":"2022-09-20T17:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.driel-polen.nl\/?page_id=7783"},"modified":"2024-01-16T21:34:28","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T20:34:28","slug":"2022-toespraak-burgemeester-patricia-hoytink-roubos","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.driel-polen.nl\/en\/herdenkingen\/herdenkingen-2015-2024\/2022-toespraak-burgemeester-patricia-hoytink-roubos\/","title":{"rendered":"2022 Speech by the mayor of the municipality of Overbetuwe, Patricia Hoytink-Roubos"},"content":{"rendered":"

Speech by <\/strong>the mayor of the municipality of Overbetuwe, <\/strong>Patricia Hoytink-Roubos, at the 78th Commemoration of the contribution of the<\/strong> 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade to Operation Market Garden.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ladies and gentlemen,<\/strong><\/p>\n

It has been 78 years since the events of September 1944. And there are no more Polish veterans today with us who can tell their story at first hand. However, there are still a few residents of Driel with us who experienced it up close at that time.<\/p>\n

Two weeks ago I visited the family van den Broek.
\nThey had lived in Driel for 28 years.
\nIn Vredesteinstraat, number 4.
\nThey moved to Zetten and they have been living there for some time now.
\nI was there because of their 60th wedding anniversary.
\nSoon enough we started talking about the war .<\/p>\n

Over the years, Mr. van den Broek delved further into the theme of the war.
\nHe has still the images of September 1944 in front of his eyes.
\nMr van den Broek is with us today.
\nHe is 87 years old.
\nMr. van den Broek, I think it is very important and valuable that I am allowed to tell your story.
\nDuring the war, Mr. van den Broek lived with his family on a farm against the railway embankment.
\nJust a few miles east of here.<\/p>\n

From April 1943 a Jewish couple had gone into hiding on their farm.
\nIt was instilled in Mr. van den Broek that he should, at all costs, keep it a secret.
\nBut still every time someone in uniform passed by, he was absolutely frightened.
\nThat is what war does to you.
\nThe fear that people experienced and were taught was carried by them till the end of their lives.<\/p>\n

Mr. van den Broek remembers well that on 17 September 1944, the sky went black with bombers.
\nOperation Market Garden had begun.
\nBehind each bomber they saw a cable with a glider attached to it.
\nThey had never seen that before.<\/p>\n

Above Heteren and Driel the cables were disconnected and they saw the gliders descending towards Heelsum and Ede.
\nThen suddenly the hatches of the bombers opened and the sky was full of parachutes in all kinds of colours.
\nFirst, Heelsum and Renkum were liberated.
\nThen Oosterbeek.
\nThe sound of cheering people could be heard here.
\nThe inhabitants of Driel were sitting in the front row.
\nThey thought that de Betuwe will not be involved .
\nUntil Thursday 21 September.<\/p>\n

Now the inhabitants of Driel were no longer the spectators, they were in the middle of the fight.
\nAgain there were transport planes to be spotted.
\nAnd again paratroopers were in the air.
\nMr. van den Broek was at the farm of the Bierman family at that time.
\nThat farm turned out to be just on the edge of the landing area.
\nIt all happened so fast that Mr. van den Broek and his father had no time to reach the bomb shelter.
\nThey hid behind the kitchen counter.<\/p>\n

A German soldier happened to be in that house too.
\nAnd yes, this is not made up, this German soldier was of Polish descent.
\nAnd he hid behind the same counter too.
\nThe paratroopers approached the farm from all sides.
\nOne of the Polish paratroopers landed just 15 metres away from their hiding place.
\nThat German soldier of the Polish descent stood up willing to do what he had been trained to do: shoot.
\nAt that moment, Mr. van den Broek’s father intervened.
\nHe pushed the soldier down and made it clear him that he should not shoot.<\/p>\n

Hereby the words that Mr. van den Broek used describing that situation \u2013 I quote:<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father’s action probably saved our lives. The paratroopers had hand grenades hanging on their chests. If that soldier had fired, they would have filled the farmhouse with hand grenades and I would not have been here. In this way we were miraculously spared.\u201d<\/p>\n

After some time, the van den Broek family was evacuated.
\nJust like all other inhabitants of Driel.
\nThey could only take the bare essentials.<\/p>\n

In Eindhoven, Mr. van den Broek was accommodated in the Philips light bulb factory.
\nThe factory was filled up with long rows of straw cots to sleep on.
\nLater, Mr. van den Broek lived for almost eight months in an empty shed before he and his family could return to the Betuwe.<\/p>\n

Once back they saw that everyting was shattered and shot into pieces.
\nOn the verges and in the meadows they saw many white crosses marking the makeshift graves of the fallen soldiers.
\nThese were the images we never hoped to see again in Europe.<\/p>\n

But what have we been confronted with since February this year?
\nNow we hear the stories of the Ukrainian refugees.
\nRefugees who were forced to leave everything behind.
\nThe fear of the violence of war has scarred them for life.
\nWe do hope they can still go back.
\nBut what will they find there?<\/p>\n

Just like here in the Betuwe, the process of rebuilding will take years.
\nUntil then, let’s keep looking after the Ukrainian refugees.
\nAnd after all of those who have come to the Netherlands for whatever reason.
\nAs the municipality of Overbetuwe, we do everything in our power to help.
\nDuring last months I have been impressed by all the volunteers who stand up for the refugees.<\/p>\n

Just like the soldiers of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade stood up for us.
\nFor our freedom.<\/p>\n

They faced an impossible task.
\nTo cross the river and reinforce the British lines.
\nOnly a few dozen Polish soldiers succeeded.
\nAmong them Corporal Lewicki.
\nBut soon he had to withdraw.
\nThe positions around Oosterbeek had become untenable.
\nThe German resistance was too strong.<\/p>\n

From left and right, soldiers were killed trying to reach the other side of the river.
\nCorporal Lewicki managed, unscathed.
\nThen he, together with his remaining comrades, reported for duty with his commander.
\nCorporal Lewicki wrote in a battle report:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are counting to check how many of us managed to get by. However, many will never return to us. They died fighting for freedom and integrity of Poland, and they marked the way to the goal with graves and blood.\u201d \u2013 end of quote.<\/p>\n

We cannot and should not underestimate the significance of past events.
\nWe must not forget their stories.
\nLet\u2019s continue to listen candidly to each other.
\nThe heroic efforts of the Polish military continue to inspire us not to take freedom for granted.
\nThey gave their lives for our freedom.
\nAnd today we look back and commemorate, with gratitude and respect.<\/p>\n

Thank you<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Speech by the mayor of the municipality of Overbetuwe, Patricia Hoytink-Roubos, at the 78th Commemoration of the contribution of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade to Operation Market Garden. Ladies and gentlemen, It has been 78 years since the events of September …<\/span> <\/p>\n

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