Speech 81st Polish Commemoration Driel

Lord Coaker, Minister Brekelmans, Secretary of State Wziątek, Excellencies,

Dear attendees,

81 years ago, over a thousand Polish paratroopers jumped here above Driel. For many of them, the journey was long. From their hometowns in Poland, through Siberia, Iran, and Scotland, to the orchards and meadows of Betuwe.

It was a journey full of hunger, cold, detours, and uncertainty. And yet: here they came. With an impossible task. That journey did not end in 1944.

Because after the war, it turned out that their commitment was hardly recognized. The paratroopers who survived often could not return to their families. Some saw their relatives only decades later. Others never at all. 

Their journey transformed from a military mission into a lifelong quest for recognition and justice. Today, 81 years later, there are no Polish veterans left. But there are their children and grandchildren.

You carry the stories, the loss, and the strength of your fathers and grandfathers with you. And you show that war never stops at a ceasefire. The scars continue, from generation to generation. But so does the pride. Pride in their courage, their sacrifices, and in the freedom they made possible.

War does not stop for those who experience it themselves. Research shows that traumas, loss, and resilience are often passed down from generation to generation. In stories, in silences, and in the way families shape their lives.

Dear attendees,

Driel was also part of that journey. The paratroopers landed in our fields. They fought for days in our streets. They found people here who helped them. And later they also found recognition here. Because when Polish veterans first returned to Driel, they were welcomed with open arms. Friendships, aid transports, and host families were established. The bond between Poland and Driel became stronger than ever. 

A face of that connectedness was Cora Baltussen. She saw the paratroopers land, helped care for the wounded, and never let go of their fate. Her lifelong commitment to recognition has paved the way to this moment today. 

That hospitality and empathy are not just history. It is the way Driel and the municipality of Overbetuwe still stand in the world today. It is our contribution to the journey of freedom and connectedness that never ends. Today we add a new stop to that journey.

The recognition that the Polish paratroopers and their families have waited so long for is taking shape here and now. After a journey of 81 years. Last year, the 4 mayors of the Airborne municipalities, at the initiative of the Driel-Poland Foundation and together with our partners in the Airborne Region, sent a letter to the British government calling for the commitment to freedom to never be a loss.

Commitment to freedom is always a gain. Today that conviction is confirmed. This moment also teaches us something about ourselves. That justice sometimes takes time. That freedom is never a given. And that recognition – however late – is of inestimable value.

Dear attendees,

The paratroopers of General Sosabowski left their footprints in the Betuwe clay. Those footprints have not disappeared. We follow them in the memories of Driel. In the connection between Poland, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. And in the eyes of their children and grandchildren, who are present here today.

Their journey began 81 years ago with a jump over Driel. Today that journey receives a new destination with the recognition of the British government. And thus also a task for us: to keep that legacy alive. Let us cherish that legacy. Let us continue to tell and live the stories.

And let us together, in the spirit of those Polish paratroopers, do justice to our freedom every day anew. Especially in these times more than ever.

Thank you.