Antonii Gołod with a gold medal
100-year-old Antoni Gołod, a resident of Toruń and soldier of the Home Army, was honoured with the Unitas Durat Palatinatus Cuiaviano-Pomeraniensis gold medal. The award, presented by Marek Wojtkowski, a member of the regional board, is an expression of gratitude for his courage, steadfastness and faithful service to his homeland.
“May the kindness you show others be returned with the care, warmth and attention of your loved ones. May each day bring you joy, love and support,” said Marshal Piotr Całbecki in his congratulatory speech.
Antoni Gołod was born on 18 June 1925 in Peliszcz, a small village near Brest-on-the-Bug (now in Belarus). He was only 14 years old when the war broke out. As a teenager, he experienced the brutality of the German and Soviet occupation, and his response was courage – at the age of 17, he joined the Home Army.
He operated under the pseudonym ‘Adaś’ in the underground structures in the Eastern Borderlands. Risking his life, he hid people persecuted by the occupiers, delivered food to partisan units, and acted as a liaison and informant. Although he did not wear a uniform, his activities were equally risky, with the slightest mistake punishable by death or deportation. Like many Home Army heroes, he did what he believed was right.
After the war, the political situation did not bring peace. In 1958, fearing Soviet repression and deportation to Siberia, Antoni Gołod, together with his wife Stanisława and three small children, decided to flee to Poland. They settled in Toruń, where they started all over again, without property or support, hoping for a safe life.
Mr. Antoni worked for years in a Toruń factory producing processed cheese until his retirement in 1981. However, he did not limit himself to his professional work; he built a house on his own, sewed clothes for his wife and daughters, and took care of his children’s education. He and his wife Stanisława enjoyed 72 years of a happy and lasting marriage. They had eight grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.
Although today he spends more time resting, he still enjoys watching television, praying and taking an interest in the world. Until recently, he read history and geography books, and cycling was his favourite means of transport. When asked about the secret of his longevity, he replies without hesitation
‘I don’t know, maybe prayer and work. Oh yes, you have to pray a lot, agree with your wife and work.’
The regional government has been honouring centenarians in the region since 2018. We encourage families of residents of the region who are about to turn 100, as well as older people, to contact us by phone at 56 62 18 344 or by e-mail at stulatkowie@kujawsko-pomorskie.pl.
Beata Krzemińska
Press spokesperson for the Marshal’s Office
1 July 2025