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[The Voluntary Fire Department in Leśna] [An iconographic document]
Date issued/created: Description:The photo depicts a large group of men in white firemen uniforms and tall caps with short peaks. There are some civilians among them as well. In the first row, in the middle, there is a man in a suit with a white and red arm band on his left arm. In the last row there is a group of young boys. The photo was taken in front of a brick shrine, which is obscured by the firemen and only its top with the niche for the holly sculpture can be seen. There is a large brick building behind the shrine. According to the photo's owner, it depicts the Voluntary Fire Department in Leśna near Żywiec, Bielsko-Biała voivodeship, and was taken on the occasion of its establishment in 1914. The photo was taken in front of a private home, which is still standing, and a roadside shrine, which was demolished by the Germans in 1941. According to the photo owner's account, it is a Polish fire service, which was characterised by its white outfits: white jackets, high collars, caps with shallow peaks, black trousers and high shoes of jack boots type. The photo was taken before a parade to the church. The war broke out in 1916 and the firemen went to fight, half of them did not come back. In the middle of the first row there is a school head teacher - the seated civilian with the white and red arm band. The owner of the photo, while making this description, was 55 years old and also served in the voluntary fire department, like his two sons did ; 1914, Leśna near Żywiec, voiv. bielskie ; The photo sent to the contest named “Photography of the Polish village pre-1948” organized in 1983 by the quarterly “Fotografia” (Photography) and the weekly “Nowa Wieś” (New village). Copy of the photo kept at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (former Institute for the History of Material Culture)
Type of object: Subject and Keywords:Voluntary Fire Brigade ; ethnography ; material culture ; social culture ; fire brigade ; fireman ; social organization ; man ; work ; social bonds ; clothing ; fireman's uniform ; Leśna, Lipowa commune (Poland)
Resource type: Detailed Resource Type: Format: Source: Rights:Rights Reserved - Restricted Access
Terms of use: Digitizing institution:Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Original in:Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Projects co-financed by:Programme Innovative Economy, 2010-2014, Priority Axis 2. R&D infrastructure ; European Union. European Regional Development Fund
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