Medals of the Marshal on the occasion of his 100th birthday

Despite their wartime experiences and difficult youth, they have not lost their cheerfulness. The centenarians – Aniela Buczkowska from Barcin and Gracjan Zodel from Bydgoszcz, as well as 100-year-old Zofia Siwińska from Izbica Kujawska – are in good health, smiling and following current events with interest all the time. The doyens were visited by the President of the regional parliament Elżbieta Piniewska, Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski and Vice-Marshal Aneta Jędrzejewska.

Aniela Buczkowska was born on 12 February 1925 in Mokre, in the district of Mogileń. She is one of six children of Stefan and Monika Ossowski. She spent her childhood in Smogorzewo (in the Żnin district), but during the Second World War her family was forced to leave their home and fled by night to nearby Gulczewo (in the Żnin district). There, too, their property was taken over by the occupying forces. Young Aniela took up hard manual labour and after a year managed to get a job as a storekeeper. The situation did not change until after the Soviet army entered, at which point she and her family returned to their home in Smogorzewo. After the war, Aniela continued her education at the Agricultural School in Krotoszyn, where she met her future husband, Mieczysław. They had two sons, Włodzimierz and Stanisław. They ran a farm in Oporówk (Łabiszyn commune) all their lives. Aniela Buczkowska is the happy grandmother of seven grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. Despite the passing of the years, she maintains her cheerfulness and curiosity about the world. She is interested in politics and technological news, and enjoys reading health and herbal newspapers – still without her glasses. She loves walking and observes the surrounding nature with delight.

Zofia Siwińska, née Strabanik, was born on 14 February 1920 in Izbica Kujawska (Włocławek County). The daughter of Stanisław and Stanisława, she had a sister and two brothers. Already at a young age, Zofia showed extraordinary courage and social commitment. At the age of 17, she joined the voluntary fire brigade, which was not only a challenge but also an honour. Two years later, she began working as a seamstress. This profession became her passion and accompanied her for decades to come. During the Second World War, she was forced to work in Lodz, where she took up sewing. Despite the difficult conditions, she managed to survive this time without any major problems. When the war ended, she returned to her hometown, where she met the love of her life – Tadeusz Siwiński, also a tailor. They married in 1945 and raised three sons together. Zofia has six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. In her own words, the most important thing is to get along in the family. She loved to cook, and her showpiece dishes included stuffed chicken, meat dumplings, yeast cakes and challah. She watches TV series, reads newspapers without her glasses and spends time on a bench in the garden.

Gracjan Zodel was born on 2 February 1925 in Stobno (Tuchola County) as one of the four sons of Stanisława and Franciszek. He finished primary school in his home town. He was particularly fond of geography, history and mathematics. To this day, he still has a fondness for numbers. In 1948, he married Leonarda, whom he had met in his hometown – their villages were neighbours. After their marriage, they moved to Bydgoszcz. They raised two children. Mr Gracjan has worked in various places. He started his career in public transport, continued in the file factory and then in construction, where he remained until his retirement. He lived to see a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter. After the death of his wife in 2011, he grew fond of peace and quiet. He enjoys watching historical programmes, is interested in politics and keeps up to date with events. He enjoys reading historical and religious books. He has always stood out for his manual skills – he is a real ‘handyman’. He knows his way around plumbing and can also sew.

– As a child, he used to make our toys with his own hands – I fondly remember a wooden doll’s pram. He was always there for us – it was thanks to him that I had a peaceful childhood,’ says his daughter Benigna.

The regional government has been honouring centenarians in the region since 2018, with more than four hundred people having received the Unitas Durat medal to date. Families of the region’s residents who are about to turn one hundred years old, as well as those who are older, are encouraged to get in touch by calling 56 62 18 344 and emailing stulatkowie@kujawsko-pomorskie.pl.

Beata Krzemińska

Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office

20 February 2025.