Langenthal Fire Department celebrates 100 years: A highlight of safety!

Langenthal Fire Department celebrates 100 years: A highlight of safety!

The Langenthal Volunteer Fire Department is about to celebrate a very special anniversary: ​​next weekend it will celebrate its 100th anniversary. This will be worthy of celebration with a district fire brigade association festival - an event that was last held in Langenthal in 1966. Historical documents show that a group of 52 citizens founded the fire department as early as 1925, while its beginnings date back to an undocumented compulsory fire department. [HNA] reports that the fire department has overcome many challenges over the decades, including significant operations such as the major fire following a lightning strike in 1959, in which three houses burned down, and the floods on Diemel and Weser in 1965. The fire department has also been active in the recent past, most recently during the storm in August 2024 in Gottsbüren.

The path of the Langenthal fire department is rich in experiences and historical substance. With an average of 10 to 15 missions per year, the 29 active members, including three women, not only take care of firefighting, but also provide technical assistance. The youth fire brigade, founded in 1977, now has seven members, while the support association already has 205 partners. The significant successes of these last 100 years are also reflected in the most recent development: a new fire engine (LF10) will replace the 33-year-old equipment, and the addition of the equipment shed was completed in April 2025 after a year of construction.

Festival program and honors

The weekend festival program promises an exciting and entertaining get-together. Saturday, June 14th, begins at 2 p.m. with a seniors' afternoon in the Schützenhalle, followed by a celebration at 7 p.m. in which numerous honors will be awarded to long-standing and committed members. The evening is crowned with a dance evening with Bevertal village music, which starts at 9 p.m. On Sunday, June 15th, all interested parties can expect, in addition to the annual general meeting of the district fire brigade association at 10 a.m., a parade through Langenthal at 2 p.m. Afterwards, various bands in the Schützenhalle provide musical entertainment. Residents are invited to decorate the parade route with shooting festival flags.

The importance of the fire department goes far beyond Langenthal and is part of a long history that goes back to Roman times, when the city was founded as early as 21 BC. The first fire department in the Roman Empire existed in the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages, it was the municipalities that were responsible for fire protection, and the first fire brigade regulations were passed in the 13th and 14th centuries. In Germany, especially in the 19th century, numerous volunteer fire departments emerged, such as the one in Meißen, which was founded in 1841 and is now considered the first volunteer fire department in Germany. [Wikipedia] This shows how traditional and adaptable the fire departments have remained over the centuries.

Much has changed in recent years - technical assistance is now part of the service and the firefighter community is strengthened through both the youth and senior divisions, as seen at the last annual general meeting in December 2024. There, the members presented impressive pictures of their past missions and honored the services of a long-time military leader, Michael Siefert, who is about to retire. [Langenthal Fire Department] All of this makes it clear that the Langenthal Fire Department is not only an important part of the local community, but also a place where history and future are closely intertwined.