Dunino
The village, situated on the right bank of the Kaczawa River on the Chojnów Plain, does not have significant historical objects but is strongly associated with the Battle of the Katzbach, which took place on August 26, 1813, between the Napoleonic army commanded by Marshal Macdonald and the combined Prussian-Russian forces under the command of Marshal Blücher.
The main battleground was the Janowice Plateau to the east of the village, but the Kaczawa River played a crucial role in the course of the battle. The river crossings proved insufficiently navigable to reinforce the French forces, which were losing, with new units and artillery, and then execute a smooth retreat. The battle ended in defeat for the French army, which lost between 5,000 and 7,000 soldiers (killed and wounded), with around 1,400 taken as prisoners. The Prussian-Russian forces lost 8,000 soldiers from their personnel during the battle.
The battle had a significant impact on boosting the morale of the Prussian army and, simultaneously, it caused a considerable weakening of the fighting spirit of the French army. The military events are commemorated by the Battle of the Kaczawa Museum, located at the old mill by the river. The octagonal rotunda-shaped building was erected on the centenary of the battle in 1913. You can see old prints, situational sketches, and military equipment in the museum.
The second memento of the battle is a monument erected on the flood embankment along the Nysa Szalona. It is built from chalk sandstone blocks and topped with a pyramid of cannonballs.
Description: Piotr Migoń
