This route in and around Breda shows the victory march of the Poles. In 1944, under the leadership of General Maczek, they liberated the city. Thanks to Maczek's insight, a large part of the city was spared. Even so, for the residents and those who live nearby, there's enough suffering to commemorate. From the drama in the woods, because the war lasted a few weeks too long for some, to the door-to-door fighting. On 5th September 1944, 'Dolle Dinsdag' ('Mad Tuesday') happened, as the end of the Second World War was (mistakenly) announced. The wheels of the resistance started turning. In silence of course, but how long can you keep that up?

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A gift from the Poles. 

Cycling the Liberation Route Breda.

Polish troops during the liberation of Breda. 

Cycling the Liberation Route Breda

Liberation Route Breda

This point is considered the starting point of the liberation of Breda. This is not illogical, because it is indeed from here that two Polish infantry battalions, the 8th and 9th, began. From here, the 8th Infantry Battalion advanced under the Singel to the centre of Princenhagen, while the 9th advanced from this point to the old city centre. The only problem is that they were not the only liberators, and Breda was in fact liberated from different directions and by different routes.All in all, as many as four different starting points can be identified, especially now that places like Ulvenhout and Prinsenbeek are also part of the municipality. Present-day Breda was liberated by no less than seven different units, five Polish, one English and one Canadian. If we had to summarise a complicated story, it comes down to the fact that two Polish tank battalions advanced from the direction of Dorst to near the railway station, while two infantry battalions surrounded the city to the south, and one entered the city itself. The Canadians, together with the British, advanced even further south across what is now the Graaf Engelbertlaan. So, historically, this area was definitely important for the liberation of Breda, but it is certainly not unique in this.

The starting point of Breda's liberation

On Monday 30 October 1945, a festive ceremony took place in Wilhelmina Park. The day before, a large military flatbed truck had arrived carrying a German Panther tank. This was donated to the city by the Polish liberators, as a thank you for the warm relationship between the Polish soldiers and Breda.At the time, the 1st Polish Armoured Division was in the Ems Valley (Germany). They found, amid other vehicles at a tank testing ground near Meppen (Germany), a German Panther type tank, a tank which some experts say was the best tank of World War II. The tank was an old model and bore the tactical number 534, so it most likely fought somewhere on the front at some point. To be clear: never against the Polish and never in or around Breda! At the ceremony in Breda, the tank was handed over to Mayor Van Slobbe by Division Commander Major-General Klemens Rudnicki. This was followed by a church service and wreath laying. Unfortunately, fairly soon the first problems arose around the tank, which was called a 'difficult war trophy'. Breda's Director of Plantations wanted to move the tank as early as 1946, but B&amp;W did not go along with this yet. In 1949, with the placement of the Polish Monument, this changed. The monument was placed on the site of the tank, opposite number 44. The Panther was transferred to the Seelig Barracks, but this made it more difficult for the population and for Polish veterans to see. The latter group felt hurt and started to lobby, successfully, the municipal administration. In 1952, the tank was returned to Wilhelmina Park, and now stands on the corner with Paul Windhausenweg. Thus, a unique (and now precious) piece of war history was preserved for posterity.

A German tank as a gift

Breda was liberated on Sunday 29 October 1944. Almost immediately afterwards, the first six fallen of the 9th Infantry Battalion were buried in the Ginneken district. Polish chaplain Bronisław Chrostowski, and pastor Eduard Doens of the Laurentius parish, jointly conducted the funeral service and the Polish casualties were buried in the parish cemetery on Vogelenzanglaan. Until April 1945, when the Polish troops left Breda, they were billeted in the parsonage. During that long winter, mainly thanks to Doens, all the fallen soldiers of the 9th were laid to rest alongside their comrades in Ginneken. Members of the battalion were also killed during their advance through the eastern and northern Netherlands and Germany and they too found their final resting place in Ginneken. When, after the war, the municipality of Breda wanted to bring all of the fallen Polish soldiers together in one big field of honour, the inhabitants of Ginneken, led by priest Doens, protested against it with the slogan 'hands off our field of honour'. This is why, to this day, 80 Polish soldiers, 67 of them from the 9th Infantry Battalion, lie buried here. The only other Polish Field of Honour in Breda is on Ettensebaan near the Maczek Memorial.

This is 'our' field of Honour

On the 28th of October 1944, Allied artillery bombarded the main road intersections in the Ginneken. They did it to impede the Germans from building their defences. Then on the night of the 28th of October, Polish troops from the 1st Polish Armoured Division went on the offensive.
There were several battles in the Ginneken. At the crossroads of the Raadhuisstraat-Bavelselaan, a Polish unit drove into an ambush. German troops including a mobile tracked gun, a Sturmgeschütz, fired on them.
The Poles had to retreat. There then followed an artillery bombardment by the British, Canadians and Poles. This also resulted in many civilian casualties. Another Polish unit liberated the Ginneken the next day.&#13;
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Night Attack on the Ginneken

The occupying forces did not abandon Breda without a struggle in the last days before the liberation. Although most of the German troops had been ordered to retreat behind the Mark Canal, small units remained in the town, with the task of slowing the Allied advance.
And so fighting took place at different places in the city and there were also casualties among the civilians. The liberators were a surprise to many of the people of Breda. They were Polish soldiers from the 1st Polish Armoured Division under General Maczek.
They fought German units in the Ginneken, along the Teteringsedijk and around the Coothplein. On the 29th of October 1944, they reached the Grote Markt and Breda was liberated. The enthusiastic people of Breda cheered them to the skies.&#13;
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Gift from the Poles

There is an exhibition as well as an auditorium where the Polish deployment in the Second World War is further elaborated on in a contemporary way. The personal stories of some Polish liberators are projected on an interactive wall. You can also view a collection of military objects from the war, with the original garments of General Maczek being one of the highlights. The “Chambre de Réflection” offers a quiet place for contemplation. There is also an information and documentation centre for those who would like to learn more about the Polish military operations.Next to the Maczek Memorial is the Polish Military Cemetery, the largest Polish burial ground of the Netherlands. This is the final resting place of more than 160 fallen Polish soldiers, including General Maczek himself. He passed away in 1994 at the age of 102 and it had always been his wish to be buried near his men in Breda.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe class="video" width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Eq4WCd7CFR8" start="0"></iframe></div>

This museum has been dedicated to the brave men and women of the 1st Polish Armour Division commanded by General Stanisław Maczek, who have liberated major parts of the Netherlands from the German occupier in 1944 and 1945. These Polish soldiers brought us our freedom back and gave us the opportunity to build up our country again. Unfortunately, our liberators did not succeed in their home country, Poland, and had to accept to suppression for 50 long years.

Liberation Route Breda

Photos

Sites and stories along the route

The starting point of Breda's liberation

A German tank as a gift

This is 'our' field of Honour

Night Attack on the Ginneken

Gift from the Poles

Maczek Memorial Breda