Herzenberg’s House

Herzenberg’s House in early 1920s

Herzenberg’s House in 2014

This house, which was demolished in 2015, once split the current Atmodas Street stream into two parts - Jelgavas Street and Kalvenes Street - as the front of a peculiar land ship. As the house was built in the parting of these two streets and its owners have been the Herzenbergs since 1894, but other Herzenbergs lived on both Liepājas and Atmodas Streets, the witty townspeople called the owner of this house “split Ercenberg”, also “Šekumercenberg” in local language, but over time this building on № 1 Kalvenes Street was identified with this nickname.

The first information about the owner of this vacant plot of land dates back to 1801, when it belonged to Polikowsky. The following information can be found in the Purchase Agreement of April 13, 1839, according to which the the owner of Padure (Padder) and Droga (Droge) Manors, the noble Baroness Julia von Sacken, born von Korff, sells her building plot called Triangle in Aizpute between Boju and Jelgavas Streets to carriage builder Friedrich Christoph Lange for 10 Silver Rubles. The buyer undertakes not to set up any smithy, pottery, or to engage in or allow to engage in this type of craft or trade in any building built on this site, as this is prohibited by the terms of the fire insurance policy of the seller's big residential building at 31 Atmodas Street.

Lange House was built in 1843 or 1844. More specific information about what this house was like and when it got the outline shown in the photo could not be found. In 1863, there were as many as three residential houses on this plot. The plot itself and the 2 largest houses belonged to Königsfest, the smallest - to Dentler.

The next information is about 1876, when the owner was Baron von der Osten-Sacken, who sold it for 2,700 Silver Rubles to Wilhelm Ferdinand and Amalia Teschner. Teschner set up a small item store here, but in 1879 the property was bought by baker Abraham Sussmanowitsch and merchant Elias Herzenberg, from whom in 1894 half of Sussmanowitsch was bought by Elias Herzenberg's son Schanno (Jossel, also Joseph) Herzenberg, who had a small item store here, after the First World War also the reception point of wool, later - a grocery store.

In 1915, the condition of the building was assessed as good, but on October 15, 1919, the Council Construction Committee found that the building was in such a bad condition that if it was not urgently repaired by the owner, it should be closed.

In 1930, the owners applied for a loan from the Latvian Mortgage Bank for the overhaul of the house. In 1931, the bank's representatives found that the building was old and in a bad condition. The exterior walls of the ground floor are damaged. Major repairs and partial reconstruction were needed. The loan was granted, but only in 1934, and in 1935 the building was repaired and partially rebuilt.

In 1936, the house was inherited by Ida, Dora and Huno Herzenberg. Then there was 1 retail space, 3 apartments (3 kitchens and 11 rooms). In one apartment there was a private practice of doctor M. Davidson, in the trade room - Mausche Foss coal shop, in 1940 - Rouwen Brandt various goods store.

In 1926, a 64-foot (approximately 19.2 m) deep well was drilled on the right side of the poster pole in front of the house, and a closed drinking water pump was installed above the well next to the poster pole. The water level was 48 feet (approx. 14.4 m). Around 1928, the poster pole was replaced by a wooden stand for posters, and a triangular enclosed green area was created in front of the house.

Herzenberg’s House in 2015

Herzenberg’s House in 2016

 The building was demolished in 2015.

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