Donations to the Latvian Fire Museum
2024
Anda Munkevica, Latvia's leading glass artist, has donated her original work - a miniature model of the monument "Zolitūde 21.11." to the Museum.
The "Zolitūde 21.11." monument was unveiled on 21 November 2015. The memorial is designed as two light-bearing vertical glass steles at the base of the structure's supporting columns, symbolising tears of grief flowing skywards, a broken thread of life from the ground upwards.
The light sculpture combines modern sculptural materials, unique and high quality technologies.
Anda Munkevica is the head of AM Studio of Glass Art and Design, has held 14 personal exhibitions in Latvia and abroad, participated in more than 60 group exhibitions, festivals, biennials and symposia in 19 countries.
2023
Thanks to the donation from Romualds Ražuks, a professor at the University of Latvia, the museum has become richer and more meaningful in celebration of yet another Museum Day. The exhibition of fire and rescue vehicle models has been complemented by a previously missing part - vehicles from the Soviet era - as well as pearls of the Latvian automotive industry, such as the Russo-Balt manufactured in the Riga Baltic Wagon Factory in 1912, the Ford-Vairogs assembled in Latvia in the 1930s, and the only passenger microbus produced in series during the Soviet era, RAF Latvia.
Model of the Ruso Balt fire truck
The RAF Latvia minibus model
2022
It is rare for the Museum's collection to be replenished with firefighting tools from the first half of the last century. At the end of the year, the Museum received a fabulous Christmas present - a hydropults with the K.SHEL trademark, manufactured in Riga until 1935 and in a very good state of preservation. The hydropult was found in the attic of a private house on Sakas Street, Riga. The owner of the house, Valdis Berzins, explained that the house was bought in 1996 from Imants Ozolins from Riga and that there were other hydropults in the attic, but they were poorly preserved. In view of this fact, information was gathered from the museum's collection of documents and printed material on the voluntary firefighters' associations (BUB) in Pārdaugava from the time of their foundation until 1935, which suggests that the owner of the object was Augusts Ozoliņš, treasurer of the Zolitudes BUB, founded in 1913 and located at 81 Anniņmuižas Street, Riga (LUM 255, "Ugunsdzēsējs", LUS publication, 1927.), No. 4, pp. 64-66).
The publications of the Latvian Firefighters' Union (LUS) 1922-1940 monthly "Ugunsdzēsējs" contain a lot of information about the use of hydropults in fires in the first half of the 20th century in the territory of Latvia. Both foreign products and offers of Latvian manufacturers were used, e.g. The combined foam and water hydropults "Argus" were produced by the Ed.Opmanis metalwork factory "EDO", located at 136/138 Brīvības Street, Riga, and the fire extinguishing tools factory and trading company "Titans", located at 89 Brīvības Street, Riga (LUM 269, "Ugunsdzēsējs", LUS edition, 1929, p. 218).
In the 2020 we received generous addition to our collection of 1920’s and 1930’s photos, which sadly happens increasingly rare nowadays.
Guntars Šaripo, the head of the Fire Fighting and Rescue department of the SFRS Operational Management Department, gave to museum's item that was found by his acquaintance Natalija Kibisova, She found said item on a Jaunciems forest road, near Ķīšezers. Later discovered to be 20th century Jekabpils volunteer firefighters' membership mark, which has not been in the museum's collection. The museum is grateful to G. Šaripo for his kind attitude towards historical values and regular enrichment of our museum's collection.
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Alexander Spiridonov (1901-1978) devoted his entire life to firefighting. In our collection we received five portraits from 1924 to 1933, featuring A.Spiridonov's professional growth. He was member of Riga Castle 3rd firefighters Brigade and Riga “Peter” Volunteer Fire Brigade. Awarded the Latvian Fire Brigade and Organizational Union Awards "For diligence” third class in 1931 and "For Outstanding Merits in Fire Fighting" fourth class in 1934. In 1933 graduated Officer Testing Course.
Austris Gaņģis, the third generation firefighter, a former Ogre city firefighter from 1986 to 2013. Gave to our museum 29 photos of firefighters from the first half of last century. Photos show firefighters at work, while doing sports and recreation activities, as well as development of prominent firefighter’s trough history.
The first firefighter in his family, Nikolajs Gangis (1885-1941), from 1918 to mid-1920s, was a coachman for Riga City Fire Brigade. Later Nikolai and Eduard, the sons of N.Gangis, were firefighters for the Riga City Fire Brigade too.
Firefighters of Riga City Fire Brigade fourth Division - 1st place winners of volleyball contest. Hanzas street 5 depot, end of 1930s.
Riga City Fire Brigade first Division employees in Maskavas Street 1b depot yard, 1930’s. In the first row, the fifth from the left sits 2nd divisons brandmaster Jānis (Žanis) Ansons, the sixth Riga brandmajor Arthur Kiesner, the eighth brandmajor assistant Eizen Leija, the ninth chapter 4 brandmaster Eduards Lapovics
Staff of Riga City Fire Brigades first Division in training at Maskavas Street 5, 1930’s.
At 19th of September 2018, we received architect Jāņa Vilhelma Orleāna (1891-1986) medals, chest badges from Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and France firefighters unions, Baltic state firefighters union, International Firefighters association (CTIF) and unique Latvian Firefighters unions arm bands.
All those items what tells story about life of Jānis Vilhelms Orleāns, we received from his son Oļģerts Orleāns and his family.
We are pleased and grateful to Jānis Vilhelms Orleāns family for preserving this unique items and donating them to our museum collection.
