Breda

A while ago I was walking around Saxon Garden (Ogród Saski). Always when I am there I have a quick peek at the Tomb of the unknown soldier (Grób nieznanego żołnierza). Why? Because it is such an impressing place where history, pride and respect come together.

Tomb of the unknown soldier

In 1923, a group of unknown Varsovians placed a stone tablet commemorating all the unknown Polish soldiers who had fallen in World War I and the subsequent Polish-Soviet war. On April 4, 1925, the Polish Ministry of War selected a battlefield from which the ashes of an unknown soldier would be brought to Warsaw. Of some 40 battles, the battle of Lwów was chosen. In October 1925 in Lwów, three coffins were exhumed: those of an unknown sergeant, corporal and private. The coffin that was to be transported to Warsaw was chosen by Jadwiga Zarugiewiczowa, mother of a soldier who and whose body had never been found.

On November 2, 1925, the coffin was brought to Warsaw's St.John's cathedral where a Mass was held. Afterwards the coffin was brought to its final resting place beneath the colonnade joining the two wings of the Saxon Palace. The coffin was buried along with 14 urns containing soil from as many battlegrounds. Since then, except under German occupation during ww2, guards of honor have continuously been there, next to the tomb stone and eternal flame.

The tomb stone, eternal flame and guards of honor.
Left side: "Breda 1944" engraving

Breda
Every time I'm there I notice more details, like this time when I saw "Breda 1944" engraved on a marble plate.

For the ones who do not know, Breda is a city in the Netherlands. What I knew is that Poland's tank division played a big role in liberating Nazi occupied territory during WW2, mostly below the big rivers in the south part of the Netherlands.

Liberation of Breda

Dziękujemy Wam Polacy
The ones who know me good know that I am loving the game of football and this engraving of Breda in Warsaw brought back a memory. Years before I was watching football, a match between NAC Breda and a team called Polonia Warszawa. A small club from Warsaw. They are playing in the lower divisions and are in the shadow of Legia Warszawa, the team which I support.

I remember a banner made by the NAC Breda fans and could read "Dziękujemy Wam Polacy" in Polish. I worked with many Poles in the Netherlands and learned a few words. I knew it was meaning something like: We thank you Poles.

History
This thankfulness is connected to the liberation of the city of Breda, on the 28th and 29th of October 1944, thanks to the 1st Polish Panzer Division led by general 
Stanisław Maczek.

For me it was very nice to see this gesture, a sign of gratitude and respect towards Poland.  

And yes, Polonia Warszawa lost 3:1. But they are used to that ;-)