Julius Stolle-Niemen glass factory history chronicle

Julius Stolle Niemen insulators

Years 1883-1998

old JSN insulator

1883 The landlord Zenon Lensky forwarded the petition of to the Vilna province administration: “The petitioner of this is willing to organize a glass works for processing glass and glass ware in the forest villa of mine estate of Zaenchitsy and for this purpose he would like to receive the permission of the proper authorities”.

glasswork Neman founded in 1883

1885 In the list of plants and works of the Vilna province there is a guta of Z.Lensky in the Lida district with annual income of 2000 rubles. 16 men, 6 women and 6 youths are employed.

1897 Lensky leases the guta to the chief engineer of the Dyadkovo glass works Wilhelm Krayevsky and the head of the art shop of the works Julius Stolle who have come to Beryozovka to create their enterprise.

1893 The leasers widen their production, install a 10-power locomobile, manufacture lamp-glass, pharmaceutical and household ware, begin to melt crystal. The number of workers increased up to 148 people.

1894 Skilled masters come to the works from Poland; the furnace is reconstructed, a manual press for glasses manufacturing is installed, a polishing plants with a treadle for 12 glasses and 8 washers is started. The number of workers is 200 people.

1895 In 4 km from the leased “Old Guta” the companions build the “New Guta” with the recuperatoring 12-pot furnace, two polishing plants driven by steam-engines with the power of 60 and 90 horse-powers.

new guta old insulator

1897 In “New Guta” two more furnace are built : for 10 and 12 pots with total volume of grass-mass of 6600 kg per day; 20 presses are applied, the number of workers in two gutas is 800 people.

1889 V. Kraevsky and J.Stolle acquire a plant built in Beryozovka by the merchants Bonner, Kaplinsky and Trubovich. It becomes the leading enterprise of the “Kraevsky & Stolle” Company and is called the Neman-A Cristal Works. “New Guta” is renamed into Neman-B. “Old Guta” is abolished.

Neman-2 glass insulator

1905 V.Kraevsky tragically perished (drowned in Neman). J.Stolle pays the share to the relatives and becomes the sole proprietor of two works in Berozvka, one in Gantsevichy and one in Borisov.

1906 Foreign specialists are employed. The chief engineer is the Czech Barts and then Iohan Khalik, an author of some books on glass.

1909 The works’ narrow-gauge railway was laid till the Neman station.

1911 The price list of the J.Stolle enterprise is issued. It contains table sets, glasses for vodka, wine-glasses, tall wine-glasses, cups and saucers, jugs, sugar bowls, salt-cellars, butter dishes, mustard-pots, plates, cream-vases, candlesticks, toilette bottles; total 1828 of item samples.

1912 Stolle appoints his nephew Herman Shall as a chief engineer of the works in Beryozovka.

1914 At the beginning of the First World War H.Shall arranges the manufacturing of insulators for the Russian army which helps to keep the manufacture on and to save the labour force.

1915 The front has approached Beryozovka. While rendering the Russian forces set fire to the glass works with the finished product warehouse. H.Shall takes out the most valuable machinery to Gantsevichy.

1921 The manufacturing of glasses, lamp and pharmaceutical glass is renewed in the restored works in Beryozovka.

1922 The enterprise receives an order for 1 million of insulators from the Ministry of Polish Railway, Post and Telegraph. Shall reconstructs the working bath of the furnace, develops own construction of press and the technology of insulators manufacturing.

1923 J.Stolle’s sons Bronislav and Felix become his companions. The enterprise is now called “Stolle and Sons”.

1926 35th anniversary of the company. The best workers received medals and gifts.

1927 Julius Stolle died at the age of 72. The main positions of the enterprise are occupied by the dynasty, nearest relations. The eldest son Bronislav is the director general, the youngest son Felix is the work manager, the nephew Genrikh is the chief engineer, the second nephew Stanislav keeps the books, the grandson Leopold is a chemist in guta, one more relative Mikhail Titkov is the advertising artist.

1928 The manufacturing enlarges, 60 skilled workers are invited from Mazowsze, maintenance workers and apprentices from local villages are employed.

1931 Despite of recession because of the World Depression (the gross output of finished products of the Neman company reduced from 2.205 mln zloty in 1928 to 1.464 mln zloty in 1931) the works keeps the positions in the home and foreign markets, it possess the fifth part of the total Polish import of glass.

1933 The economy stabilizes. The enterprise builds a 7-grade school, a kindergarten, a care center of mother and a child, a shop, a building of the works’ office and of a fire brigade. The Lyutnya wind band of firemen was organized.

1934 G.Shall develops the technology of manufacturing of vodka-glasses with pressed stems from colourless and colour glass. One carriage of ware is shipped to London daily.

1935 The master Mecheslav Myatkovsky produces a big light blue polished urn for the heart of Pilsudsky. The lamp in the Galle-style and sets are manufactured for the residence of the president Mostitsky.

1939 The price list for the Neman’s products is issued containing 1 828 models. The works has its representatives in Warsaw, London, Vienna and other cities. The goods are exported to England, France and French colonies, the Near and Far East, Canada, the USA. The western regions of Belarus are rejoined with the BSSR. Neman is nationalized by the Soviet authorities. The owners of the works immigrated to Poland. 1

944 The reconstruction of the works ruined during the war began. I.M.Bril was appointed as a director, than V.I.Kren was, G.Shall was appointed as a chief engineer who organized the production of essential goods which is window and lamp glass.

1945 The manufacturing of glass dishes was renewed. 140 workers from the Smolensk Krasnoe Znamya glass works destroyed by the fascists came with their families to Beryozovka. The total amount of employees is 393 people.

glass bubble neman glasswork logo

1946 The RU-14 industrial school was created at the works where the glass workers were prepared. 1948 A.V.Shulgin was appointed as a director of the works.

1950 The works has been complely restored. 3 435 000 pieces of sorted ware was produced within a year including the pieces according the pre-war forms The works choir and the amateur theater troop were organized. The total amount of employees is 1360.

1953 L.A.Leonovich was appointed as a director of the works.

1956 According to the decision of the Board of the National Economy of the BSSR the position of the chief artist was introduced at the works. At the Neman glass works this position was temporary occupied by the teacher of the MIPIDI Institute N.N.Rostovtseva.

1958 N.F.Kashtanov was appointed as a director of the works. The experimental art department was created. At the World Exhibition in Brussels the works was awarded with the Bronze Medal for the Ametist toilette set. The author is G.A.Isaevich.

1959 The experimental art department is completed. It consists of the works’ employees E.Gladkov and the graduates of the Leningrad Artistic and Industrial Higher Professional School named after L.Myagkova and B.Murakhver appointed because the chief artist of the Neman works N.Rostovtseva left for Borisov.

1960 1523 people are employed at the works. The first housing estate is being built in Beryozovka. The kindegarten No. 1 is opened. The works was awarded with the 3rd Degree Diploma at the Exhibition of the National Economy Progress of the USSR. 1961 The glass meting began to be transferred from generator driving to natural-gas driving. At the Art and Life All-Union Exhibition the works of Neman’s artists were awarded with the 2nd Degree Diploma.

1962 S.L.Korzyuk appointed as a director of the works. He managed the fundamental reconstruction of the enterprise: the introduction of additional facilities, technologies, organization of production.

1963 The building No.1 with a bath and a 14-pot furnace and with engineering systems was built. The obscure glass is mastered. The works was awarded with 2nd Degree Diploma at the Exhibition of the National Economy Progress of the USSR for the development and introduction of new goods.

1964 Neman’s artists participate in the Belarusian Glass and Graphic Art traveling exhibition (Moscow, Plovdiv, Bremen).

1965 2174 people are employed at the works. The building No. 2 with a bath and a 14-pot furnace, the component shop, the compressor plant with outer nets of air-supplying, two transformer substation are put in operation.

1966 In the building No. 2 three 2-pot furnaces for melting of intensively painted windows and for manufacturing ware with outer and inner colouring were built. The processing shop, the cutting ditch, the slime-collector, the gasoline and lubricants store were put in operation. The production of the works is exhibited at the Exhibition in Poznan.

1967 Trans-shipment point in Lida was built and set in operation. The works participated in the Expo’67 World Exhibition in Montreal, in international exhibitions in Damask, Zagreb, Plovdiv, in international fairs in Vienna and Budapest, the works was awarded with the Diploma of the Participant of the Exhibition of the National Economy Progress of the USSR.

neman 1967 blue glass insulator

1968 Neman demonstrates its production at the International Fair in Vienna, the Soviet Exhibition in London, international exhibitions in Paris, Poznan, Bari. The artistic works of Neman’s artists are shown at the All-Union (Moscow) and the 1st Republican (Minsk) exhibitions of arts and crafts; at the Art Glass exposition in Kuskovo (Moscow).

1969 The works has produced the first mechanized plant for chemical polishing of crystal. The buildings of the foundry and the finished products store were built. The artists L.Mygkov and V.Murakhver developed the way to make décor on lightly blown ware with brackets by means of polishing the bulbs till the clear base. The works participates in the International Fair in Sidney.

Berezovka crystal glasswork plant

1970 2771 people are employed at the works. The new building of the manufacturing shop with a bath furnace for colourless glass replaced the old one. Skives began to be used for the edges cutting which helped to apply the speed range. Engraving technique with pobedit needle is mastered. Neman’s glass was showed at the Expo’67 World Exhibition in Montreal and at the All-Union Exhibition of Arts and Crafts in Moscow.

1971 The second stage of the building No. 3 with the block of 5 fellow furnaces for colour glass melting coloured with rare earth elements and the processing shop with two line (for crystal and colour brackets) was set in operation. The sector of the cardboard plant was built. The works is awarded with Diplomas of the Intogmash’71 and Stoymaterialy’71 Exhibitions (Moscow), participates in the Technical Esthetics Exhibition (Minsk) and the Belarusian Glass and Textile Exhibition (Budapest, Debrenec).

1972 A two-section fellow furnace was built in the building No. 3 for manufacturing shades from milky and colour glass. The 14-pot furnace in the building No. 1 was substituted by the more profitable continuous action bath for crystal melting. The effective analysis methods with application of photometry and photophotometry are introduced in the central works’ laboratory. The Quality Mark Attestation is introduced. The works participates in the International Exhibitions in Izmir, the Technical Esthetics Exhibition in Jablonec-na-Nisse and in the International Fair in Zagreb.

1973 Neman’s production is presented at the International Fair in Plovdiv and at the International Exhibition in Jablonec-na-Nisse where the Flower set (author A.Fedorkov) was awarded with Grand Prix and the Flowers composition (author V.Zhokhov) was awarded with the Golden Medal. The Art Glass of the Neman Glass Works exhibition took place in the Yelaginsky Palace in Leningrad.

1974 The new building of the works’ administration was built. The furnace for crystal melting was set in operation in the building No. 5. V.Murakhver created new samples of articles of manual pressing. Neman’s glass was shown at the exhibition in Düsseldorf. The works’ wind band awarded with the honorary title of People’s (band master V.Zuev).

1975 4039 people are employed at the works. Two machine-lines were started which mechanized the production of stem ware for the first time in the country. The glass melting of the bath furnace No. 12 was automated. The works participated in the exhibitions devoted to the Days of Belarus in Lithuania (Vilnius) and in the Arts and Crafts of Socialism Countries exhibition in GDR (Erfurt).

1976 The pilot design of the foam absorber for purification of gas bursts from fluoric compounds at chemical polishing was mounted. The remote control panel for automatic control of scales on the line of charge mixing for colourless glass was mounted. As an experiment the decorating technique of crackle, which was undeservedly forgotten, (author T.Malysheva) was revived. The artist A.Anishchik proposed a new style of diamond cut of crystal ware.

1977 The control of melting processes in the bath furnace No. 2 was automated. Multinip skives are actively used. The fellow furnace in the building No. 3 was reconstructed to raise output.

1978 The working tank of the furnace No. 2 was reconstructed. The melting in the pot furnace No. 4 was automated. Potentiometric methods of chemical control of glass mass were introduced. The works participates in the Arts and Crafts of Socialism Countries exhibition (GDR). The water tower was set in operation.

Neman's crystal glass produce

1979 The set of vases produced by the method of coating (author V.Murakhver) was awarded with the Golden Medal at the International Exhibition in Jablonec-na-Nisse. The personal exhibitions of V.Murakhver and L.Myagkova took place in Minsk.

1980 4899 people are employed at the works. Semi-automatic devices of mechanized decoration of machine-formed items were introduced in the building No. 5 The first stage of the building No. 4 was set into operation. A new accumulator plant was built. A training and manufacturing center was opened at the works. 240 senior pupils from Beryozovka and local school are trained with glass manufacturing professions. German Shall died in Poznan at the age of 99.

1981 N.F.Parshuk was appointed as a director of the works. Photo and chemical graving was mastered. The works was granted with the Honorary Diploma of the All-Union Competition For the Enlargement and Renovation of the Assortment for Public Catering.

1982 The furnace No. 4 for colour glass was set in operation. The melting in the bath furnace No. 13 was automated. The modules of colour glass for stained-glass windows in the Minsk tube were manufactured. The artist G.Sidorevich developed the image system and technique for creating pictures inside glass. The new building of the technical school No. 116 was constructed. The works is awarded with the Diploma of the All-Union Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

1983 The 100th anniversary was widely celebrated. The works was awarded with the Labour Red Banner Order, a large group of workers received orders and medals. The reconstruction was resumed. 11 shops and 16 sectors were built and equipped within some 20 years. The productive fund rose from 2.15 to 23.2 mln rubles, the output increased from 1.74 to 23.35 mln rubles in the prices of 1982 and made up to 95.5 mln articles a year with the assortment of 500 samples. The number of workers has increased to 5000 people since 1523. 65 000 m² of accommodation was built: two hostels for 800 people, a hotel for 40 people, a hospital for 15 people, 2 kindergartens, day nursery and 2 schools for 1940 children. The Palace of Culture with the concert hall for 800 spectators, canteens for 300 people, 3 shops with the area of 1500 m². The works participates in the International Fair in Plovdiv. The choir of veterans was created at the Palace of Culture (director R.Khaidorovo).

1984 The electrical furnace for crystal melting was set in operation in the building No. 4. The melting in the bath furnace No. 14 was automated. A new compressor plant was set in operation. The works’ artists participate in the traveling exhibition of the soviet glass in Finland. Children paint shop was honorary titled as Exemplary.

1985 5136 people are employed at the works. The modules for the stained-glass windows (author L.Myagkova) and decorated glass elements for the chandelier in the Belarus sanatorium in the city of Sochy (author T.Malysheva and O.Sursky) were made. The artist O.Sazykina proposed a new décor system on the basis of imprints of natural surface. The works’ central laboratory was attested for the right to test production. The works’ preventorium was built.

1986 The trade abruptly reduced the purchases of glass for drinks due to the anti-alcohol campaign. Hundreds of metal forms were remelted. The plant of semisubmerged chemical polishing was developed and produced (author M.Chilek). The works participates in the International Fair in Thessaloniki, was awarded with the Diploma of the All-Union Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the development of relations with foreign countries.

1987 The bath furnace No. 15, the electrical furnace No. 16 and the pressing equipment were reconstructed due to the substitution of the vodka-glasses assortment with other production. A new electrical furnace for milky glass for shades of lamps was started.

1989 The equipment of working places of the Administration members with personal computers was begun. The second stage of purification of gas burst at polishing with ion-exchange filters was produced and installed. The total number of such plants is 5. The accessory for pressing crystal pendants for chandeliers was constructed and made together with the Thermoplast factory. The exhibitions of V.Murakhvedov and L.Myagkova took place in Moscow.

1991 4885 people are employed at the works. The bath furnace No. 10 was reconstructed and the automated pressing and blowing equipment of the Linder enterprise was installed in order to produce a sparger in the building No. 3. Robots began to be used for automated diamond cut of crystal ware. The works participates in the International Fair in Paris. The Neman Art Glass exhibition and the personal exhibition of V.Zhokhov took place in Grodno.

1992 The Finnish plant of centrifugal forming was started in the working shop No. 1. The experimental art shop developed the samples with consideration of new technologies. In a view of economy the fellow furnace for melting lilac brackets was stopped, the graphics of seasonal maintenance of furnaces and holidays were rationalized. The works participates in the International Fair in Italy. V. Murakhver’s works is exhibited at the exhibition of Jews Culture in Minsk.

1993 The technology of precision molding of metal forms with reproduction of engraving was mastered. The introduction of flame cutting of glasses caps after their forming was begun which helped to substitute five operations with one. Due to the scarcity of fuel and difficulties in delivery of refractory products from former soviet republics 3 more furnaces were stopped including 14-pot one with a vast range of colour glasses which supplied the art department. Three glass manufacturing machine lines were stopped. The catalogue of the Collection of the Neman Glass Works was issued. It presented 350 samples of production. Neman’s production was offered to buyers at fairs in Warsaw and Vienna. Neman’s artists participate in the Live Long Belarus exhibition in Minsk. The personal exhibitions of V.Zhokhov took place in Minsk and Riga.

1994 The works’ central laboratory was granted the Certificate of Accreditation. The technology of additional pressing of the difficult configuration stems in manufacturing crystal ware is mastered. Because of systematical non-payment for the spargers the furnace No. 10 which melted the glass for their manufacturing was stopped. The works participates in the Expo’94 and the Spring’94 International Exhibitions in Grodno.

1995 4765 people are employed at the works. A.L.Zhigalo was appointed as the director of the works. Taking into account the demand for the items with combined colour a 2-pot furnace for colour glass was built in the working shop No. 1 The efficient work graphics for brigades and powers during holidays and maintenance were developed which allowed using the working equipment more efficiently. The Certificate of Conformity was received for the manufactured goods. The production of the works was signed with the Arch of Europe special prize in Spain. The exposition of Neman was shown in the Belarusian Embassy in Moscow.

1996 Foreign glass powder for coloring articles during the process of forming, low-temperature stains, easily melted gold for decorating of crystal are mastered, new conglutination technology of compound 2-part articles is applied. The souvenir sculpture from cast glass (author V.Murakhver) is produced in small lots. The equipment for flame cutting of caps of large dimension ware with the height of up to 450 mm and the diameter of up to 230 mm. was created by the proper resources of the works. The hydraulic works for 6000 m³ day of manufacture work was set to operation.5000 m of water pipe was laid including 700 m in the private sector. The western district of the private resident area was supplied with gas. The exposition of the Neman Glass Works was opened in the Research Institute of Construction Materials.

1997 4594 people are employed at the works. The reconstruction of the bath furnace No. 12 was fulfilled which allowed setting the temperature in each working sector autonomously. The same works were held later in the furnace No. 2. The works participates in the International Exhibition in China.

1998 4749 people are employed at the works. the volume of production in current prices is 474.9 billion rubles. The assortment is 500 names of articles. The income is 65.5 billion rubles. The cost of main funds is 755.2 billion rubles. The works has completely paid all the debts of budget, credits, salary, for electricity and public utilities. Two plants of encapsulated chemical polishing with electronic control manufactured by the Neutra Company were introduced in the working shop No. 3. The dosing and mixing line with computerized control for preparation of crystal charge was modernized. The construction of the 1st stage of the treatment works with capacity of 5000 m³ of sewages a day was finished. The collection of the Neman Glass Works catalogue was issued. It presented 608 samples of articles. The artists G.Tkachova and S.Shchetik developed a new technology of using powder stains for richer colour spectrum. The association and coordinator of the Partnership for Progress Program awarded the works with the prize for the movement of production, volume of sales, commercial flexibility, ecology. The research center of the European market awarded the works with the Euromarket’98 Prize for success in technological innovations, quality of products, commercial development and potential growth within the European market. Neman brought next large collection of articles to the International Fair in Frankfurt-am-Main. Profitable contract of importing were concluded.

They have not produce insulators for sale present time((( 

Materials from Neman Glass Factory

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