Panje I Panjovje
Ladies & Gentlemen
Dames & Heren

On behalf of the foundation Driel-Polen I would like to welcome you all to this commemoration, where we pay special attention to the contribution of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, to the battle of Arnhem, 63 years ago.
A special word of welcome to

The representative of the Queen’s Commissioner our province Mrs. Van Haaren
The Charge D’affaires of the Republic of Poland Mr. Habant and Mrs. Habant
The Ambassadors of Great Britain / the United States of America and Canada or their representatives
The Commandant Colonel of the Parachute Regiment General Sir John Reith
The members of the Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski Memorial Appeal Committee Major Hibbert and Colonel Waddy
The Burgomaster of this municipality Mrs. Tuijnman
The Polish Veterans

  • Mr. Kowalczyk
  • Mr. Turowski
  • Mr. Laszczak
  • Mr. Oleszczuk
  • Mr. Grafkiewiecz
  • Mrs. Nawrocka

and also the widows of Polish veterans
The representation of 6 Polish Air Assault Brigade
All the members of the Sosabowski family
The representative of the British veterans Sir James Cleminson and Lady Cleminson
The Burgomasters of the partner municipalities of Overbetuwe in Germany as well as Poland
Mr. Drexelius from Usingen in Germany and Mr. Bergmann from Zulpich in Germany and from Boleszkowice in Poland Mr. Wozniak and Mrs. Wozniak
All British veterans present this afternoon

The polish translation of my word of welcome will now be spoken out by Roma Krzemien leader of Promiky Krakowia the group of children that are playing violin and chello for us this afternoon
This is the first year that only 5 veterans of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade are present at this commemoration
Probably this will not be much different in the following years.
Last year the Polish Airborne Forces Association ceased to exist. This is the reason why the information for this commemoration did not reach the living veterans or their widows.
We will inform all of them living in Poland, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands next year.
We hope that we will be able to welcome them in Driel for many years to come.

Yesterday a plaque has been unveiled by Michael Sosabowski near the monument of his grandfather.
The initiative for this monument was from friends of General Sosabowski during the Battle of Arnhem, the British Veterans of the 1st Airborne Division.
On the plaque you will find a short description of the reason why the British Veterans of Arnhem have raised this memorial.
On behalf of all the Polish Veterans, the Sosabowski family and the inhabitants of this village we would like to thank the Memorial Appeal Committee for their initiative

This year there are 2 moments from history related to the Brigade that we would like to bring to your attention
The first moment in May this year, it was 60 years ago that the First Independent Polish Parachute Brigade came to its end.
Their tradition is carried on by the 6 Polish Air Assault Brigade from Cracow. Last year our Queen presented the highest possible military order in the Netherlands – the Military Order of William – to this brigade

The other moment from history is that General Sosabowski passed away 40 years ago on 25 September 1967.
During his funeral a poem composed by one of the Veterans of the Brigade has been presented.
At the end of the wreath laying participants from the Airborne International Youth Conference will read out this poem

Edyta Kowalska from Poland the polish version
Anna Sundstedt from Sweden the English version
Mike Bos from Arnhem in the Netherlands the dutch version