The Russian Factor 

Every year, we celebrate the liberation of the city of Breda. General Maczek and the 1st Polish Armoured Division captured the city in October 1944, almost unscathed, to the great joy of the inhabitants who welcomed them as heroes. After the liberation of Tilburg, the division wintered in Breda and continued its advance in February 1945.

My father, Władysław Antoni (known in Breda as John Cuber), spoke little about this period. The war was a difficult subject for him, leaving his life a mystery to me. I decided to investigate his life. A six-year investigation revealed a previously unknown history to me. Living at home with your parents does not necessarily mean that you truly know them. This became painfully clear to me.

At the cemeteries on Ettense Baan and in Ginneken in Breda, I see the graves of young Polish fallen soldiers. What was their background? Why did they die so young for our freedom? I wanted to know that as well. I decided to write a book about my family history, from cradle to grave, and the true origins of the Cuber family. This story, supported by many people, archives, and found documents, brings their history back to life. It also reveals what happened when about 250 Polish soldiers returned to Breda after the war. The city where they had been welcomed as heroes became their new home. They started families here and found work. They dreamed of a free Poland, something that many never experienced. Their post-war story is as astonishing as their life before.

This book, His Greatest Unrest: The Russian Factor, tells the story of my father Władysław Antoni Cuber and his wife Maria Rosalia Audenaerd. Their youth and marriage are remarkable stories that deserve to be told.