Monument to General Stanisław Maczek

Technique: bronze sculpture on a granite plinth

Dimensions: max. 215 cm × 170 cm × 150 cm (boulder), H 305 cm, W 216 cm, thickness of the structural beam and supports 60 cm × 30 cm (triumphal arch)

Object: The statue is composed of several elements. It is located on a mound, which can be reached by stone stairs (6 steps). On the mound stands a triumphal arch made of beams with a stone bearing a commemorative plaque between them. The texture of the beams resembles cracks. In the centre of the arch is the Polish emblem: a crowned eagle made of bronze. The plaque features a relief bust of the general and an inscription reading: “To commemorate the commander of the 1^st Armoured Division, Lieutenant General Stanisław Maczek 31 March 1891 / 11 December 1994 / hero of World War II battlefields / long-standing fighter for the Polish cause / thrice decorated with the Order of Virtuti Militari / Grateful Countrymen and Veterans – former Soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces in the West and residents of Breda, Bredy, Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog. Gdańsk, 8 August 2004”. On the side of the boulder is another inscription, reading: “This memorial obelisk was founded by a community effort of: 1. Voivodship Road Works Company Ltd. in Gdańsk 2. Gdańsk Road and Greenery Authority 3. Murkam Przodkowo stonemasons 4. Aggregate Production Plant in Rybaki 5. Gdańsk Ship Repair Yard in Gdańsk 6. ELTOR S.A. Agricultural Electrification and Technological Service in Gdańsk 7. Voivodship Board of the National Association of Veterans of the Polish Armed Forces in the West in Gdańsk 8. Road and Architectural Works”.

Stanisław Maczek (1892–1994) was a general of the Polish Armed Forces and knight of the Order of the White Eagle. Incorporated into the Austro-Hungarian army, he fought in the First World War. In 1918, he joined the Polish Army. Following the cessation of Polish-Ukrainian hostilities, he was transferred to staff duty. In 1938, he became the commander of the Polish Army’s 1^st motorized formation. In 1939 he made it to France and took part in World War II operations on the French side as commander of the 10^th Armoured Cavalry Brigade. After France surrendered, he made his way to Scotland. He was an outstanding commander, known for his ability to conduct modern operations using rapid manoeuvres of armoured units. Thanks to his combat tactics at the end of World War II, the civilian population suffered no casualties, for instance during the liberation of Breda. Consequently, following a petition launched by the residents of the city, Maczek was granted honorary Dutch citizenship. After the war, he settled in Scotland.

Place: The statue is situated on General Maczek Square in the Strzyża estate. The square is of a park character, there is a lot of vegetation (trees, meadows, flowers in the summer). It is furnished with benches and two fountains. The square represents the heart of Strzyża, it is lined with shops and there is a playground in the centre. Owing to its shape, the residents simply call it the “Square”.

Information about the author: Eugeniusz Nester has an MA and engineer title in architecture and runs the “Nester” design studio in Gdańsk.

Condition of the object –

Owner/guardian: Gdańsk Road and Greenery Authority

Author of the entry: Michalina Domoń