Antoni Dunin

Antoni Dunin (1907-1939) was a Polish nobleman (szlachta), a "Hrabia" (Count), and an army officer who received the Virtuti Militari award.cite web | last = Wesolowski | first =Z | title = Polish Order of the Virtuti Militari Recipients (1792-1992) | publisher = Federation of East European Family History Societies | date = February 5, 1998 | url = http://feefhs.org/PL/vm/vm-d.html | accessdate = 2007-08-13] __TOC__

Biography

Dunin was born on June 5, 1907, the youngest child of Lucia (Łucja) Taczanowska (1862-1917) and her second husband Count Rodryg Dunin (1870-1928). He grew up at the Granówko estate near Poznań, the youngest of ten children. He had six older siblings by his mother's first marriage to Stanisław Niezychowski, and two full sisters and one full brother, children of his own father Rodryg.cite web | last = Dunin | first =Elonka | authorlink=Elonka Dunin | title = Antoni Dunin (Hr.) | date = June 20, 2005 | url = http://www.elonka.com/public/genealogy/html/d0002/g0000078.html#I7 | accessdate = 2007-08-13] cite web | title=Family Genealogy | url=http://uni-bel.elblag.com.pl/boguslawscy/drzewaX/of_214.html#1 | accessdate = 2007-08-23 | author=Wojcierch Boguslawski] The Dunin family crest is the Łabędź (swan).cite web | title=Labedz Clan Coat of Arms - Family Crest from Poland | url=http://www.family-crests.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=210 |accessdate = 2007-08-23 | work= Family-crests.com]

On December 28, 1933, Dunin married Zofia Helena Werner (1910-1939), daughter of Poland's vice-Finance Minister Edward Werner,cite news | title=Edward Werner, Ex-vice Minister of Finance of Poland had Lectured Here | work= New York Times | date=November 17, 1945] and great-niece of Saint Raphael Kalinowski. They had three children: Krystyna, Stanley (Stanisław, named after Dunin's older brother), and Magda (Magdelena).

Between 1933 and 1934 he served as an NCO in the Polish Army and graduated from the Cavalry Training Centre, where he was also awarded with the memorial badge of his home unit, the 15th Poznań Uhlan's Regiment.pl icon cite journal | author =Juliusz S. Tym | title =Nadania odznaki pamiątkowej 15. pułku ułanów Poznańskich w latach 1923-1939 | year =2005 | month = | journal =Mars | volume =19 | issue = | pages =98 | id = | url =http://www.adiutor-mars.com.pl/mars/mars_19/mars_19_studia_tym.pdf | format =pdf | accessdate =2007-08-24 ] Mobilized prior to the outbreak of World War II, Dunin was drafted into the "Wielkopolska" Cavalry Brigade under Gen. Roman Abraham. Serving in the rank of Porucznik (First Lieutenant) he commanded the march squadron of the 15th Poznań Uhlan's Regiment.pl icon cite web | author=Juliusz Tym | title=Kawaleria w bitwie nad Bzurą (Cavalry in the Battle of Bzura) | publisher=Polonia Militaris | year=2005 | work= | url=http://www.poloniamilitaris.pl/?tryb=news&id_news=242 | accessdate=2007-08-24 ] He joined the regiment with his unit on September 8, 1939, and took part in the Battle of Bzura. Dunin was killed in combat at the age of 32 on September 16, 1939.Jerzy Korczak, "Cóżeś ty za pani", Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, Poznań 1979, non-fiction, ISBN 8321000819, [http://www.bookfinder.com/dir/i/Cozes_Ty_Za_Pani-O_Walkach_Armii_Poznan_1-12_Wrzesnia_1939_R./8321000819/ Pani Wojenka (Lady War)] ] His wife was killed the next day, at the age of 29.

Dunin's descendants were eventually able to escape Poland to France and finally to the United States in the 1940s.cite news | last = | first = | title =Engagement of Countess Revealed | work = Detroit Times | date = April 23, 1957]

In popular culture

Dunin is one of the characters in the Italian novel "Il Guardiano dei Signio" ("The Guardian of Dreams") by Paolo Maurensig (ISBN 8-80-454976-9).

See also

* Dunin (surname), other figures who share the family name

References