The plaque honoring Polish soldiers (Plaquette Poolse militairen in Bourtange serves as a memorial to six members of the 1st Polish Armored Division who lost their lives due to wartime actions in April 1945.
The names of these six fallen soldiers are as follows:
1. Jan Kaczor
2. Roch Kijora
3. Joseph Kukla
4. Piotr Malinowski
5. Edmund Porombka
6. Franciszek Rupek
The establishment of this memorial was initiated by Mr. R. Nobbe, with the aim of commemorating these six Polish individuals who had been somewhat overlooked, despite the passage of sixty years since the end of the war. The unveiling ceremony was attended by various dignitaries, including the Mayor of the Vlagtwedde municipality, Mr. J. Broertjes, the widow of one of the Polish soldiers who lost their lives, Mrs. Zofia Kiess, as well as other family members, veterans, and invited guests.
The inscription on the plaque reads:
'1ST POLISH ARMORED DIVISION
THIS MARK ON THE WALL IS A TRIBUTE TO THE SIX POLISH SOLDIERS, WHO HERE IN APRIL 1945 GAVE THEIR LIVES, AND ALSO A THANKSGIVING FOR ALL THEIR COMRADES FROM THE 1ST POLISH ARMORED DIVISION, WHO FOUGHT FOR THE FREEDOM OF OUR MUNICIPALITY.
THEIR MOTTO WAS: ZA WASZA I NASZA WOLNOSC "FOR YOURS AND OUR FREEDOM"
APRIL 1945 THANK YOU, POLES
IN MEMORIAM
FRANCISZEK RUPEK
- 25.01.1924 – † 15.04.1945 KSIAZ/POZNAN – BOURTANGE
JOSEPH KUKLA KORP.
- 05.03.1919 – † 14.04.1945 MIEDZYRZECZE – BOURTANGE
PIOTR MALINOWSKI
- 12.06.1918 – † 14.04.1945 LISOWCE – BOURTANGE
JAN KACZOR KORP.
- 28.04.1913 – † 11.04.1945 MOKSKO/LODZ – TER WISCH
ROCH KIJORA KORP.
- 26.08.06 – † 14.04.1945 KRZEMIENIEWO – PLAGGENBORG
EDMUND POROMBKA
- 18.11.1914 – † 13.04.1945 GORKI – VLAGTWEDDERSLUIS'.
