Lommel, 28 September 2025 - Commemoration of the role of the 1st Armoured Division of General Stanisław Maczek in the Liberation of Belgium
28.09.2025
On 28 September this year, a ceremony was held in Lommel to mark the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Belgian towns and villages by the soldiers of the 1st Armoured Division under General Stanisław Maczek. The event was organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Brussels, the City of Lommel, and the Union of Poles in Belgium.
Among the participants were the Representative of the King of Belgians, Katarzyna Skórzyńska, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of Poland in Belgium, Mayor of Lommel Bob Nijs, the Ambassadors of Canada and Germany, the Director General for Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps, the armed forces, national and local authorities, numerous Polish diaspora organisations, families of veterans, and pupils from Polish schools.
The commemoration began with a Holy Mass for the soldiers of the 1st Armoured Division, followed by the laying of wreaths at the monument to the victims of the First and Second World Wars. The main part of the ceremony took place at the Polish War Cemetery in Lommel – the resting place of 257 Polish soldiers. It included speeches, a ceremonial salute, the laying of wreaths, and entries in the Golden Book.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who took part in the ceremony and who continue to honour the memory of the sacrifice of the 1st Armoured Division soldiers who fought for the freedom of Belgium and Poland.
