I am very happy that thanks to the initiative of Mr. Jan Popiel, on August 8, 2015, during the reunion of Dobra descendants, I was able to fulfill a dream of my adult life — to visit and get to know the village of Dobra, in the Sanok region.
This place played a very important role in the history of Poland. Dobra is the ancestral seat of the Dobrzański knightly-noble family, from which I descend. Since 1402, it was the village of my forefathers. My surname comes from there. The Dobrzański family forms part of the Polish nation. Over the centuries, as knights and nobility, the Dobrzańskis were a defensive force of the Polish Republic (including in Volhynia, where I lived in my childhood), they were a source of pride for the Polish nation and distinguished themselves through their work in politics, the military, science, culture, the clergy, and social service.
With great sentiment, I think back to Dobra’s founders: Jury, Zańko, and Dymitr — the forefathers of the Dobrzański line, who on June 28, 1402 received from King Władysław Jagiełło a field known as Dobry – "of the size they could circle from sunrise to sunset." They also received a coat of arms, a war cry, and the surname Dobrzański. They were members of Frąckiewicz’s armored banner and served at the Sanok castle. These three cousins also served as squires to King Jagiełło’s fourth wife, Sonka (Zofia) Holszańska.
I am very grateful to the reunion organizers for the opportunity to broaden my knowledge about Dobra, especially the present-day village. I was able to speak with many Dobrzańskis who bear various nicknames that originated before the era of surnames (some Dobrzańskis kept only the nickname, some use both, and others use only the Dobrzański name).
I felt great joy in meeting people who trace their genealogical roots to Dobra.
As I walked through Dobra Szlachecka, I took a sentimental journey through a beautiful village. I admired the open landscape overlooking the San River. In my mind’s eye, I saw on Dobra’s roads and paths the thousands of traces left by our ancestors over many centuries. But time has already worn many of those traces away.
Our Dobra in the 21st century is modern. It has renovated, tidy buildings and a main road covered with asphalt. The community center proves that social life thrives in Dobra.
I wish the reunion organizers continued success in maintaining this beautiful tradition, initiated by Mr. Jan Popiel, who has organized them until now. I warmly thank Mrs. Anna and Mrs. Helena Misiło from Pieniężno for organizing the Dobra reunion I attended. I was deeply moved.
I extend my heartfelt thanks for the perfectly prepared gathering, where memory of the past united the old Dobrzański family with the entire world.
— Celestyna Janczak (née Dobrzańska)
Learn more about Celestyna Janczak’s family history and her work at dobrzanscyzhuciska.pl