The Club of Friends of the OKD Mining Museum in Ostrava completed its anniversary year

OSTRAVA – This year’s anniversary celebration of the Club of Friends of the OKD Mining Museum ended by a professional seminar, held on the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of the Club of Friends of the OKD Mining Museum and 15^th anniversary of the Museum foundation, on Wednesday, 3 December 2008 in the Compressor Hall in the OKD Mining Museum at Ostrava-Petřkovice. As per the information provided by Zdeněk Dombrovský, Club Chairman, year 2008 was extraordinarily challenging, but successful from the Club perspective. The Club anniversary events met with an unexpected interest of the visitors.

One of the culminations of this year’s celebration of the Miner’s Day and Club Anniversary was undoubtedly the Havířov Mining Exhibition, held in September, and visited by almost one thousand visitors. The events, organized by the Havířov branch of the Club of Friends of the OKD Mining Museum, ranked among the most significant cultural events in the City of Havířov, and if the Club manages to prepare a permanent mining display, based on the said Mining Exhibition, it will certainly find its sympathizers. Thanks to the Club of Friends of the OKD Mining Museum, some 60 people met on the occasion of the Miner’s Day in Petřvald. In October, the Club was one of the co-organizers of the conference “Havířov and Its Industrial Heritage”.

Books, Videos and Medals

Some publisher’s and other activities were devoted to the anniversaries of the Club of Friends of OKD Mining Museum and OKD Mining Museum. For example, a special issue of the Mining Newsletter was released; advertising brochures were published on the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of the Club, and the books titled “Landek – Witness to Past History”,  “Ecology and Mining” and second volume of “Mining Colonies of Karviná District” were published.

Six new film documents saw the light of day on DVD. Their contents are best expressed by their titles: 20^th Anniversary of the Club, Dukla Mine Liquidation, Májovák (Miner’s Brass Orchestra), Club’s Thematic Trip, Havířov District Mining Exhibition, Mining in Film.

A nice and valuable present was the commemorative medal, issued on the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of the foundation of the Club of Friends of the OKD Mining Museum, which was graphically designed by Martin Kuchař, the well-known Ostrava sculptor.

And of course, we must not forget the regular activities of the Club. As usual every year, four numbers of the Mining Newsletter, quarterly magazine, and Mining Profession Calendar were issued; over 6 thousand interested persons attended Club’s lectures and forums, held in Ostrava, Karviná, Havířov and Petřvald, and two thematic trips were made. The Club’s representatives participated in the meetings of mining towns and communities of the Czech Republic and other events. At the same time, the Club managed to increase the number of its members – the number has exceeded 400.

(Bohuslav Krzyzanek)