Dominik Danicki was born in 1925 in Konczaki Nowe, area of Lwow, Poland.

He served in the Reconnaissance Squadron of the 1st Polish Armoured Division.

 

We did not know much about Dominik. In 2009, he is even "forgotten" when counting the still living Polish veterans in Breda. Luckily that was later rectified.

 

Dominik did not attend many meetings with the veterans, where they shared stories from the war. He always attended the Memorials at the Vogelenzanglaan.

 

He said : "I am a breadwinner and then you don't have time to be sitting at the Polish association several times a week. Then you don't really integrate. "

 

As a motorcycle soldier and scout of the 1st Polish Armoured Division of General Stanislaw Maczek, Danicki was one of the very first liberators of Breda on October 29, 1944.

 

After the war Dominik became an electrical mechanic. He married Nelly Zijlstra in 1948. The mixed marriage was not well accepted by her community. When his fiancée was denied entrance to the Paters Church (Schorsmolenstraat), Dominik distanced himself from them. This was the case until recently, as a result of the portraits of the Polish liberators decorating Breda for the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Breda!

 

Dominik passed away on 22 November 2012 in Breda.

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Source: 1st Armoured Division Facebook post

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