Chapter Van Kriminologische Verzameling tot Korpora, Erfgoed Publieke Veiligheid

Abstract

In 2022, Korpora, the Public Safety Heritage Centre opened – tasked with acquiring, managing and exhibiting physical and digital collections on public safety in the Netherlands. Today, Korpora includes the national collections of the Dutch police and the fire service, the Dutch Red Cross and the former Civil Defence service. Korpora’s roots go back to the early 20th century, when firefighting and police enthusiasts began collecting heritage items from these organisations and putting them on display. Despite setbacks due to a lack of funding and a suitable home for the objects, as well as a lack of historical awareness within those organisations, a great deal of heritage items still managed to be preserved. Thanks to the dozen or so foundations – some already in existence, some set up later – the heritage has been preserved, expanded and ultimately culminated in Korpora’s rich and astounding subcollections.