THE FDNY MEMORIAL WALL

THE FDNY MEMORIAL WALL
This Rambusch Studios Project Stands as a Lasting Memorial
to the Fallen Firefighters of 9/11
by Martin V. Rambusch
Near the base of Manhattan as one
approaches “Ground Zero” from the
south, you will encounter the FDNY
Memorial Wall keeping watch at the
corner of Liberty and Greenwich
Streets.
The FDNY Memorial Wall is a basrelief cast in solid bronze mounted in
three sections that measures six feet in
height and fifty-six feet in length on the
western wall of the Ten House, the home
of Engine 10, Ladder 10, a division of
the Fire Department of New York City.
The memorial visually and physically
enshrines and memorializes the lives
that were lost during the FDNY
response to the challenges that arose as
a result of the terrorist attack on New
York City on the morning of September
11, 2001.
The memorial was funded by
Holland and Knight in memory of a fallen partner of the law firm: a volunteer
firefighter, paramedic, and office fire
warden, Glenn J. Winuk, of Jericho,
New York. On 9/11, once Glenn’s duties
as fire warden were completed for the
day at Holland and Knight, he left his
office to see how he could help at the
unfolding tragedy at the World Trade
Center just a block from the office. He
lost his life when the towers collapsed.
Holland and Knight wished to support
the fire department and expressed an
interest in creating a memorial to Glenn
that would exist as a permanent
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reminder of the sacrifices and efforts of
the entire department as well as those of
Glenn.
Charles Gushing, an admiralty
engineer from the consulting naval
architects and marine engineering firm
of C.R. Gushing & Co. and a friend of
Holland and Knight partner Brian D.
Starer, felt that he could locate a firm
that would bring this project to life. That
firm was the Rambusch Decorating
Company, whose senior project director
was Viggo Bech Rambusch. Charlie had
recently visited the Rambusch firm’s
centennial exhibition at the National
Arts Club in New York City with another partner of the Holland and Knight
firm, Lennard Rambusch, Viggo’s
brother.
A central vision for the memorial
was to emulate the actions of the department so that their selfless story could be
told and fully appreciated by professional
firefighters and non-firefighters alike.
Brian D. Starer, together with Holland
and Knight partners, staff, and a few of
the firm’s clients all contributed in spearheading the funding efforts in Glenn’s
name.Their primary collaborator in the
entire effort was the then FDNY
Manhattan Borough Commander-inChief, Harold Meyers.
Now, the important decision for a
proper memorial to the fallen FDNY
heroes was at hand, and, even though a
location for the memorial existed on the
west side of Ten House, it stood at the
back of the World Trade Center and had
to be re-faced after 9/11. As well, key
decisions had to be made regarding a
format and materials to be used for the
memorial. Viggo Bech Rambusch initiated a study to consider a fitting format
and appropriate materials. After considerable thought and research, he felt that,
since the event occurred in NYC, the
memorial should be new work carried
out by New Yorkers. The Rambusch
firm has a two-generation relationship
with the Bedi-Makky Art Foundry in
Brooklyn, and Viggo was knowledgeable about their expert skills and dedication to projects of importance.
Confident of their skills and mindful of
the heroic Roman memorial tradition —
Trajan’s Column in particular, as well as
the Augustus Saint-Gauden’s Memorial
in Boston to Robert Gould Shaw’s
Regiment — and with Bedi-Makky in
mind, Viggo proposed that the material
should be a noble metal: bronze. Since
there had been a discussion for a Lucite
display case, he stated that Rambusch
would not be involved if a lesser material were used.
Viggo Bech Rambusch determined
the rough style and format of the relief,
and Joseph A. Oddi delineated the
memorial. Joseph A. Oddi, now a retired
staff member in the Rambusch Lighting
Division, is a superb, talented illustrator
who committed to paper the foundation
of the sculpture that would be brought
to life by placing firemen in trucks and
units in relationship to the Twin Towers.
His detailed sketches culminated in a
scale drawing of one-inch-to-the-foot
that was then brought to life by the
sculptor Joseph Petrovics, who brought
the drawings to full scale in Plasticine
clay.
With a physical location for the
memorial and the material and foundry
agreed upon, Viggo Bech Rambusch
began his work in earnest. During the
process of design and refinement, many
times Chief Meyers would close his
eyes and describe to Martin V.
Rambusch — one of Viggo’s twin sons
who assisted him on this critical project
— a missing piece of equipment or
describe a task or maneuver that took
place on this fateful day. To ensure
accuracy and authenticity, Chief
Meyers’ recollections were often adjusted as the tributes evolved on the memorial. To ensure that the scenes he
described were accurate, realistic, and
appropriately presented, considerable
detailed research and photographic sessions were carried out. Now, when one
views the figure of the chief on the basrelief, it is not possible to know that his
hat was actually taken to the sculptor’s
studio, where six changes were made to
the original model to ensure that every
detail was perfect: the shape of the hat,
the scrambled eggs on the brim, the buttons on his shirt pockets, his tie clip,
belt buckle, and, finally, the cord connecting his “talkie” to his radio.
The memorial, cast in bronze, consisted of 16 bronze pieces that were
brazed into three sections. A 17th piece,
a sample, was made to allow the finish,
Top: Prior to installation, some took the opportunity
to privately memorialize friends who were lost.
Below: detail of the central section of the mural.
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The application of patina to a section of rhe mural.
installation, and lighting issues to be
studied at full scale. Specifically, the
memorial finishes were studied thoroughly, and two of them were submitted
for consideration. These finishes were
hand-applied and, when done, were covered with a hot-wax application to preserve the finish and to abate the natural
discoloration of bronze that, when
unchecked, would lead to a weatheredgreen verdigris finish.
This study of the final details was
useful for verbal and visual presentations and was a critical step toward success of the project. The study was also
important for the various points of reference for those specialists involved in the
refinement and coordination of the project, including the backgrounds of law,
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fire, and engineering. The Bedi-Makky
sample was crucial for engendering
clear and productive comments that
were commonly understood by everyone when referencing the sample.
Following hundreds of changes to the
paper design and full-size Plasticine
clay, the full-size model was impressed
in sand and cast in bronze by the BediMakky Art Foundry. The installation of
the bas-relief was coordinated by
Mariano Brothers Specialty Moving.
During the installation, members of the
FDNY electrical and building units were
directly involved.
The Fire Department followed a
tradition that began at the founding of
the department in 1865 by listing on the
bas-relief by rank alphabetically every
active duty member lost in the line of
duty. This tradition was referenced on
the bottom of the memorial by listing
the names of the 343 fallen heroes. So
that a rubbing of each individual name
and rank can be made directly from the
bronze bas-relief, paper and special
crayons were made available to the public for this purpose.
The FDNY Memorial Wall stands
as a tribute to the members of New York
City’s bravest. It represents a communal
effort, using time-honored materials, in
a style that is clear and honest.
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THE MAKING OF THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
MEMORIAL WINDOW
Carlstadt Borough Hall, Carlstadt, New Jersey
by Susan Bockius
The stained glass installed in the
façade of the Borough Hall of Carlstadt,
New Jersey, is a product of the skills and
artistry of the Willet Hauser team of artisans. Designer Jane Collins mixed a
realistic representation of the Statue of
Liberty with stylized views of the
Manhattan skyline in interpreting the
elements suggested by the client. A large
American flag undulates across the
upper border, highlighting the vertical
light beams commemorating the World
Trade Towers. Symbols of the crash of
American Flight 77 into the Pentagon
and the downing of United Flight 93 in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania, are right and
left below.
Glass for the window was selected
by Amy Novak. All of the glass in the
Willet Hauser inventory is handmade,
purchased from German, French, Polish,
Czech, and domestic American suppliers. Amy has used this supply to good
effect, each piece being carefully select-
This 9/11 Memorial Window by Willet Hauser Architectural Glass is
installed at the Carlstadt Borough Hall, Carlstadt, New Jersey
ed for its position and role. Notice the
varying shades of red and blue in the
flag, enhancing the ripple effect. The
reamy glasses in the background lend
textural interest.
The window was painted by Jamie
Czerniakowski. Jamie detailed the statue and darkened the skyline. She added
texture to the base and colors to the dis-
tant windows with enamels. Sections of
the window are also etched and plated.
This window is made in the great
tradition of stained glass, to afford inspiration and viewing pleasure for generations to come.
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PROJECTION
/P
ROJECT
An Exhibition by David Wilde
by David Wilde
Twin Towers
These images are from a show I had
in early 2002 at the Dufferin County
Museum & Archives. My main artistic
desire for this show was to demonstrate
how glass projects, changes a space,
and, perhaps, changes the viewer. So I
wanted to “project” using large panels
of antique glass, of very intense colors.
What was missing was a theme,
until 9/11, that is. My goal was to create
bold designs representing buildings and
suggesting sound structure. The fragility
of the medium of glass was a metaphor
for the destruction that took place.
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I made nine panels, each 2' wide by
4' tall. Some present a direct reference to
the event, and some are “healing” windows with a bit of emotional relief.
After the initial presentation, the
works were shown at the Durham Art
Gallery, where the show was very well
received. What follows is the textual
introduction to the exhibition.
Projection/Project
The title of this exhibition suggests
a duality of intent, and/or a play on
words and interpretation. I would like to
think that the educated viewer will
Uninvited Alterations
embrace a wide variety of responses to
the works presented.
Projection. A few years ago,
Doreen Balabanoff exhibited colored
glass in a warehouse in Toronto to
demonstrate the alterations that occurred
when light passed through glass and
illuminated walls, floors, and columns
in the space. This physical demonstration seemed very important to me,
because even though this was just an
empty warehouse space, the glass
“changed” it; it became an ethereal and
spiritual environment, much more com-
plex than it was prior to the introduction
of colored and projected “light.”
As a result, this exhibition changed
the way I approach the spaces I experience where stained glass is used — the
changes the stained glass makes, or fails
to make, and how I, myself, envision
how my works will make this change as
well. Of course, I believe I was already
privy to this effect of stained glass on a
space, but by separating the effect from
a specific “place,” Doreen demonstrated
a physical power of illumination quite
apart from the spiritual.
In the Dufferin County Museum,
these works will make projections into
and onto the space in a physical sense,
separated from a spiritual reference, but,
then again, maybe not. The physicality
of stained glass was the message I wanted to convey through the use of color
and color fields. I felt that large expanses of a color, with surrounds of complementary colors, would “project” into the
space. Originally, that was all I wanted,
and my recent commissioned works
reflected that intent. Then September 11,
2001, happened, and something within
me, and I believe, in all of us, changed.
The projection that I envisioned had
been of primary importance, and, basically, I wanted the viewer to experience
the “effect” rather than the “content.” In
this exhibition, I have tried to resolve
two issues, and, in doing so, I am asking
the viewer to “project” both the content
and effect of my works onto their own
personal aesthetics and feelings about
the events that have changed the world.
Stained glass, indeed, these very
windows that you see in this exhibition,
can be considered decorative, and I do
not want to deny that important aspect
of the decorative arts. I want people to
look at them, to appreciate their effect
on the space, with that “physical” element of pure visual stimulation. Those
willing to venture further are invited to
do so as well, but I don't want to force
myself and my personal viewpoints and
Purple Intersection, From Above
politics on anyone. Stained glass is still
stained glass.
Project. Yes, in a physical sense, I
want my stained glass to project into this
space and into the viewer’s aesthetic.
I’m asking that these works project
beyond that as well. I am accepting this
as a “project” to indicate that there are
levels of interpretation and understanding totally dependent upon the viewer’s
discretion, but this is something I felt I
had to make a commentary about.
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PIHS
ENTAGON MEMORIAL WINDOWS
Studios Makes Chapel Windows to Commemorate
Events of September 11
Many people were involved in placing the glass to make these windows.
It was a healing process for those who lost friends, colleagues, and
family in the attack on the Pentagon.
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The first window, the one in the
shape of a pentagon, was actually put
together at Hilton Head. Approximately
400 military chaplains participated. IHS
craftsmen precut all the faceted glass
pieces, cutting two of each; one was cut
for the window and one as a souvenir
for the participant to keep.
When all the glass had been set in
their respective numbered places by the
chaplains, we then poured the epoxy.
The window was displayed at their final
worship space. The whole event of laying each individual piece was a very
solemn and religious experience. Most
every Chaplin would say a prayer as
they placed their glass piece onto the
cartoon.
Eventually, the decision was made
that there was to be a chapel built where
the plane impacted the building and that
this faceted glass would be in the
The four additional windows made by IHS Studios for the Pentagon Memorial Chapel.
chapel. The studio then worked with
Chaplin Col. Eric Wester, and IHS
Studios offered to have a limited edition
of 1000 miniatures made, one of which
we would give on the day of the dedication to each family who lost a family
member. Several dignitaries including
the President, were also presented with
those pieces. The remainder were
offered to those who wanted to purchase
one in the Pentagon’s gift shop. We also
made some 5" miniatures that were
offered in the same way.
That next year, we were asked to
create four more windows for the
chapel, which were constructed in the
same way at the Pentagon. Those who
participated were those who were there
on the day of the attack, those who lost
friends, and others who had a personal
involvement in the loss of that day. This
also was a very healing and solemn
experience for those involved.
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WINDOW COMMEMORATES MOMENT OF IMPACT
J. A. Geiger Studio
by Josephine A. Geiger
This is an image of the window I created from photos (through the AP online)
of the Twin Towers burning just after the
planes crashes into them. While many
people loved the window panel, most
were slightly horrified once they realized
the subject matter. The exception to this
were people who had known someone at
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Ground Zero or law enforcement, emergency, or medical personnel. This window was eventually purchased by someone from that group.
The owner of this panel is an EMT in
Minnesota with ties to NYC, and I was
very humbled by his commitment, honor,
and words describing the panel:
“A beautiful creation in memory of a
horrific event; it’s reassuring to know that
something good may come from something bad.”
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STUDENTS COLLABORATE ON “FIRST
RESPONSE” TO 9/11
by Terry Zigmund
I am an instructor at the Community College
of Vermont, and this piece was created by the first
class I taught there. Our class met for the second
time on September 12, 2001, in the immediate
aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center.
Because of the myriad emotions and confusion in
the wake of this horrific event, the college suggested to instructors that we do a little processing
of the event with students.
Our class collaboratively designed and created this piece in response to the events of
September 11. It measures 4' x 3'; the image
reflects that we all hold the world — the hands are
mirror and reflect the viewer. The piece is installed
in the Community College of Vermont’s Winooski,
VT, building.
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ARTIST DRAWS FROM THE REVELATION OF JOHN
For Imagery in This Memorial Window
by Aidan McRae Thomson
Description
The window was designed and made by myself in
2003 for the Roman Catholic church of St. Anne at
Chapel End, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. This
particular window is the last of five lights, a project I
had been working on prior to 9/11 and had already considered the Apocalyptic subject of “The Woman
crowned with the Sun” facing the 7-Headed Dragon for
the window as a symbolic representation of the battle
between Good and Evil in our world. The day the
tragedy struck, I vowed to acknowledge this historic
event in some form in the window I was about to make.
Revelation 12:1-5
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a
woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her
feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she
being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to
be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in
heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven
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heads and ten horns, and
seven crowns upon his heads.
And his tail drew the third
part of the stars of heaven,
and did cast them to the
earth: and the dragon stood
before the woman which was
ready to be delivered, for to
devour her child as soon as it
was born. And she brought
forth a man child, who was to
rule all nations with a rod of
iron: and her child was
caught up unto God, and to
his throne.
And the dragon was
angry against the woman:
and went to make war with
the rest of her seed, who keep
the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
And he stood upon the sand of the sea.
The Apocalyptic scene, based on the verses above, occupies only a narrow vertical slit in the centre of the window and
is executed in monochrome, etched in scraffito on a plain yellow glass. The dragon, being the manifestation of the Devil, an
incarnation of all evil, is shown spreading discord and violence
throughout the world, its seven heads spewing forth bombs,
missiles, and aircraft to fuel chaos on Earth. One of the more
prominent heads symbolizes the terrorist attack, with the aircraft issuing from the mouth heading toward the Twin Towers
below (the first has already hit). Other parts of the vignette reference the ensuing wars in the Middle East, to suggest the spiral of violence and warfare that followed the rise of Al Qaeda.
As such, it was intended that the window had a very contemporary message, relating to the world we live in today.
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RESIDENTIAL WINDOW BY MARK LEVY
COMMEMORATES 9/11
by Mark Levy
Thematically, the long, teal-colored element is the World Trade Center; the smaller rectangular and
square shapes represent the surrounding buildings; the large green disc is the earth, and the smaller circles the other planets. The blood-red fulcrum at the bottom that throws everything out of whack in the
universe (hence the planetary references) is the blood on the hands of the hijackers and Bin Laden.
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THE FOURTH
I
NFANTRY DIVISION EMBLEM
Created in Stained Glass by IHS Studios
This stained glass panel is a piece IHS Studios did for Fort
Hood in Killeen, Texas. It is the emblem for the 4th Infantry
Division and sits in back of a statue made from bronze that was salvaged from the toppled statue of Saddam Hussein.
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