Urn / Vase Gift, Made From Scrap Metal from a Downed B-52  to Red Cross General Secretary Arne Fremm

Urn / Vase Gift, Made From Scrap Metal from a Downed B-52  to Red Cross General Secretary Arne Fremm

Biography: Arne Fremm, Arne Andreas Peter Fremm, 27.10.1916-28.9.1980, director of the Danish Red Cross. Born in Kbh. (Holmens), died in Brønshøj, buried Søndermark kgd. In 1931, F. left the Classensen legatskole with a middle school diploma and began as an apprentice at Titan A/S with a view to a technical school education, which he however interrupted in 1934 to take a state-controlled commercial exam from the Merchant School (1935). After a few years of office work in private companies, he was then 1939-46 employed in the Ministry of the Navy (naval artillery office), with interruptions, first due to a stay at Askov High School in the winter of 1940-41, and later participation in the resistance movement associated with “De frie Danske”. In 1942 he took his matriculation exam (Kbh.’s matriculation course) to read history, which was however made impossible by the conditions of the occupation. After 29.8.1943, he contributed to the establishment of contact between the naval artillery’s illegal activity and the resistance movement. In addition, he was active within the Danish-Norwegian refugee service, helped send food to Norwegian resistance circles and was later linked to P. Prom’s work. When he had to leave Kbh in the autumn of 1943. He and his wife spent the winter as Th. Arnfred’s guest at Askov. For his efforts during the occupation, he was given a three-month trip to the USA on one of the EAC’s ships. He then started at the left’s press office, but at the beginning of 1946 was employed as business manager in the organization Fredsvenner’s relief work, which a few months before had started its work in the war-affected areas. Here he became a dynamic and inspiring leader of the administration. Together with i.a. Johs. Novrup and Karl Nielsen, he planned the reorganization of the work from the first post-war “ambulance service” to “Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke”, which became the organization’s name from 1949, and took care of the day-to-day management of the work there i.a. included the organization 1956-57 of the stay of the Hungarian refugees. In the latter year, F. was employed as director of the Danish Red Cross.

The urn / vase comes with a letter from Arne Fremm’s son Klavs. It reads:

“My father, Arne Fremm, was for a number of years general secretary of the Danish Red Cross. In this capacity, he was in Vietnam in connection with the final peace negotiations after the war, where the many details of the future humanitarian aid had to fall into place as a prerequisite for the completion of the great peace agreement. When the delegation had to travel home, the members were given various small gifts, and as the head of the delegation, my father was given a gift, which the host people clearly regarded as something special. It was a small vase or urn made from aluminum from parts of a downed American B-52 bomber. Regards Klavs Fremm”

The vase or Urn is as stated made of aircraft Aluminum it meassures: 17,5cm x 15cm at the widest point. Engraved to one side is the North Vietnamese flag and above it engraved is the text: “Mặt Trận Dân Tộc Giải Phóng Miền Nam Việt Nam”. The other side is engraved with a girl and a rifle under palm trees. Each side has a scultured elephant head with a ring attached. The vase is in very good condition with a light age patina.

Super interesting one of a kind items with a great history behind it!!