Opening speech by the chairman of the Driel-Poland Foundation Mr. A.J.M. Baltussen during the 80th Commemoration of the contribution of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade to Operation Market Garden
Driel, September 20, 2024
Prime Minister Schoof, Minister Parell, Excellencies, Generals, Veterans,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Also, a special welcome to the many next of kin present here this afternoon.
Those 15 paratroopers that have just flown over our heads are only a fraction of the 1,003 paratroopers who, in 1944, exactly 80 years ago today, were dropped over Driel’s territory. With their arrival, the population of Driel more than doubled.
The day after their arrival, General Sosabowski advised the residents to evacuate. The shelling would increase, and the chances of casualties would rise significantly. The advice was followed, and in those days, only one resident, Riet de Leeuw, perished.
General Sosabowski and his men had one goal: the liberation of Poland. They jumped near Driel without knowing exactly what awaited them, while 1,600 km away, Warsaw was burning.
The Polish veterans fought in another country, for another nation, with an impossible objective: to cross the river and reinforce the lines in Oosterbeek. They fought an unequal battle with terrible losses. However, the arrival of the Polish soldiers was a massive morale boost for the trapped British paratroopers.
Furthermore, the Polish Parachute Brigade held a bridgehead in Driel for five days, allowing about 2,400 British and Polish Allies to be evacuated across the Neder – Rijn (Lower Rhine). Without the sustained efforts of the Polish soldiers, many more allied lives would have been lost.
In the first decades after the war, there was little or no attention to the contribution of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, let alone their well-deserved recognition. In fact, for a long time, General Sosabowski and his brigade were blamed for the loss of the Battle of Arnhem. It wasn’t until 2006 that Queen Beatrix awarded the highest Dutch military honour, the Military Order of William, and posthumously the Bronze Lion to General Sosabowski and his brigade.
Today, I stand here for the last time as the chairman of this beautiful foundation. For years, my aunt Cora fought against the injustice done to General Sosabowski and his brigade by General Browning and General Montgomery.
During her travels shortly after the war to America and during the commemorations in Driel, she spoke with many veterans of the brigade and took their sorrow about being blamed for the loss of Operation Market Garden into her very social heart.
Sadly, she did not live to witness the announcement of the rehabilitation of honour by the Dutch government. About three weeks after her passing, the rehabilitation was announced.
At this moment, only one of the approximately 2,200 members of the brigade who participated in Operation Market Garden is still alive: Bolek Ostrowski, who turned 105 on 4th July this year. He resides in Toronto, Canada.
On 4th July 2023, we congratulated him via a direct connection on his 104th birthday. We asked him about his participation in the Battle of Arnhem. The then still sprightly man stated that although the aim of the brigade was to fight for the freedom of their fellow countrymen in Poland, he had no problem fighting for the freedom of the Dutch. He emphasised that it is always worth fighting for someone else’s freedom. And he would do it again and again.
It is worth fighting for someone else’s freedom, even if you haven’t experienced it yourself.
We wanted to embrace that value of freedom here in Driel. That’s why we created a place where that value of freedom can be discussed and debated, and where people can meet: the “Breeding Ground for Freedom.” After the commemoration, we will meet at this place.
With this, we have created a setting for what the Poles did for us 80 years ago, that they should be cherished and appreciated for what they did, and that we should reflect on its meaning.
Dear all,
Shortly after the elections on 4th July this year in the United Kingdom, our foundation sent a letter to His Excellency Sir Keir Starmer, the new Prime Minister.
To this day, the British government has not officially acknowledged the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade.
Efforts for freedom always deserve recognition and appreciation. Efforts for freedom are always right and can never be labelled as “guilty of defeat.” Efforts for freedom are always a victory.
This is also what the British veterans who fought in Arnhem have always said. As a token of their gratitude, they sponsored a monument and plaque at the Polenplein in Driel, in honour of General Sosabowski.
In this way, they have already shown their appreciation, but the formal recognition from the British government would also be greatly appreciated.
Efforts for freedom must go hand in hand with recognition. Recognition expresses appreciation and attention and ultimately leads to motivation. We owe this to Bolek and all the veterans who fought for our freedom, to motivate generations to follow in their footsteps and commit to freedom. Freedom only exists if everyone fulfils their duty to commit to freedom.
Dear all,
Hereby, I repeat my request to the British Prime Minister:
Don’t let Bolek experience what happened to Cora.
Don’t let Bolek experience what happened to Cora.
The restoration of honour can still take place while Bolek is among us. Considering Bolek’s age, there is no time to lose. There is still a chance to look the last Polish veteran in the eye and say those significant words: “Thank you, thank you for fighting for our freedom.”