1958 Ole Kirk Christiansen dies in March and Godtfred is named the new director. The same year, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen began working with his father in the business, and the two expanded their line of toys; the 1932 price list shows no less than 28 different designs. 1-16 of 98 results for "Ole Kirk Christiansen" Skip to main search results Eligible for Free Shipping. The Great Depression reached Denmark in 1930; agriculture was the first sector to be hit and the effect was devastating for the farmers around Billund. The new building was much larger than he could afford so Ole and his family lived in a single apartment next to the shop in the back and rented the other rooms out. [5] Eventually, Ole had to dismiss his last worker, and his wife died. 186915427, citing Grene Churchyard, Billund ... You have chosen this person to be their own family … It was the forerunner of the LEGO brick. In 1932, Kristiansen founded the Danish construction toy company The Lego Group. Carpentry business was poor and he had little money to feed his four sons. Ole Kirk Christiansen(7 April 1891 – 11 March 1958) was a Danish carpenter. 1949: After two years of development, LEGO produced its first plastic toys. This is a timeline of Ole's life 1891- Ole Kirk Christiansen is born in Filskov Denmark to an impoverished family 1911-1916- Ole completes his apprenticeship under Kristian Blonde Christiansen and finds work in Germany and Norway. As before, Ole rebuilt and carried on. Ole Kirk Christiansen. After much consideration, it was decided to discontinue production of wooden toys and to concentrate solely on plastic toys. On 4 February 1960, the LEGO department for wooden toy production was struck by lightning and burned down. Ole Kirk's grandson Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is the current vice chairman of the board of LEGO. Ownership in the first, second and third generations: 1932 Ole Kirk Kristiansen founds the LEGO Company in … Generation generation). Around this time, he married Kirstine Sörensen, whom he met in Norway and they soon started a family. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. Wood, typically birch, was brought in from the forest and air-dried for two years, then kiln-dried for three weeks. This was the start of something big. Hilary Fisher Page began marketing the Kiddicraft Self-Locking Building Brick in England. The assembled toys were sealed, sanded, primed and finished with three coats of paint. As orders for new work dwindled, Ole struggled to survive. In 1947, he purchased a self-moulding machine and began production of plastic toys. Among these was a plastic brick named the Automatic Binding Brick. Although in poverty, he was able to receive a basic high-school education. 1934 — With toys now the primary focus of the business, Ole held a contest for a new name. [1], In 1924, Karl and Godtfred began to tinker with wood shavings. Billund Maskinsnedkeri og Tømreforretning, https://brickipedia.fandom.com/wiki/Ole_Kirk_Christiansen?oldid=2004798. In 1911, Ole left Denmark to work abroad as a carpenter, first in Germany, then in Norway. (Godtfred Kirk Christiansen). The primary income, which was from sales of ladders and ironing boards, was shrinking in demand. Kristiansen was born in Filskov, South Jutland, Denmark, the 10th child of an impoverished family in Jutland. [1] Kristiansen bought the Billund Woodworking and Carpentry Shop with money he had saved, and made profitable sales over the years. Ole's 60th birthday in 1951 and the Christiansen family as seen in The LEGO® Story. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". The initials "G.I." Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. In addition to the many car, truck and animal models there were also sailboats, tractors, cranes, farm implements, coat hangers, doll buggies, sewing machines, bagatelle games, traditional wooden blocks, chalkboards, board games, and an abacus. Two years later he named his company LEGO after the Danish phrase leg godt (“play well”). By 2003 he was the company’s senior vice president of corporate affairs. On the night of 22 March 1942, a short circuit caused an electrical fire and the LEGO factory and warehouse burned down. Free Shipping by Amazon. Right from the beginning, it was a family business. Many Many years ago, the carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen sat is his workshop wondering how he would make it through another year. Godtfred protested the new expansion. 1947 Kiddicraft He was chief executive from 1979 until 2004, when Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, a former McKinsey consultant, became the new Chairman of the Board. In 1949 LEGO produced its first plastic brick, a precursor to its signature brick with interlocking studs on the… His father, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, worked with his grandfather, Ole Kirk Christiansen, in the family business: Lego. [1] Godtfred became Ole's second-in-command. At the time, Billund was an obscure village, and Ole Kirk Christiansen was just a simple carpenter with ambition. Ole Kirk Christiansen (7 April 1891 – 11 March 1958) was the founder of the Danish construction toy company the LEGO Group.He was the 10th son of an impoverished family in Jutland in western Denmark.Born in Filskov, Denmark, he trained as a carpenter and started making wooden toys in 1932 to make a living after having lost his job during the depression. Ole Kirk Christiansen was born in 1890s. Ole Kirk Christiansen (April 7, 1891 – March 11, 1958) was the founder of The LEGO Group. He was one of 10 children in his family. His father, Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter, founded LEGO in 1932 out of necessity. Find out about entrepreneur Ole Kirk Christiansen: He invented the term Lego, which came from the Danish words leg godt, meaning play well.. born: April 7, 1891, Filskov, Denmark,siblings: Kristian Bonde Christiansen,spouse: Kirstine Christiansen (m. 1916–1932),parents: Jens Niels Christiansen, Kirstine Christiansen… Introduction The company LEGO officially began in 1932 in Denmark by the skilled hands of the carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen, with the help of his son Godtfred, when he was only 12 years old. Developing a Product Leaflet. Around the end of the war, Godtfred married Dana, the daughter of a cheesemaker from a neighboring village, and they started a family. Although coming from poor families in the economy, he still completed the basic education schools … He turned to work in a factory, then eventually transitioned to woodwork and afterwards a master-carpenter. Founding LEGO Ole Kirk Christiansen (April 7, 1891 – March 11, 1958) was the founder of The LEGO Group. [10][11], MIT Lemelson Program, Ole Kirk Christiansen, https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/christiansen-ole-kirk, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5xLRj035BI, https://astrumpeople.com/ole-kirk-christiansen-biography/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdDU_BBJW9Y, "Lego minifigure creator Jens Nygaard Knudsen dies", https://www.thoughtco.com/ole-kirk-christiansen-lego-1991644, "Inventor of the Week: Ole Kirk Christiansen", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ole_Kirk_Christiansen&oldid=994868487, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2019, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 December 2020, at 23:24. Orig. Gender: [1], Kristiansen was born in Filskov, South Jutland, Denmark, the 10th child of an impoverished family in Jutland. Born in Filskov, Denmark, he trained as a carpenter and started making wooden toys in 1932 to make a living after having lost his job during the depression. [3] He married the daughter of a Norwegian cheese-maker, Kirstine Sorensen. Gunhild Kirk Johansen, née Kristiansen, was born in 1946, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen in December 1947, and Hanne Kristiansen in 1949. He appeared in the animated short "The LEGO Story". [1], On 11 March 1958, Kristiansen experienced a heart attack and died at the age of 66, and his third son Godtfred promptly took over the company until his death in 1995. Brickipedia is a FANDOM Movies Community. He chooses his own entry: LEGO. Ole was able to make items such as Christmas tree stands and toys. Danish Godtfred and Edith had three children, Gunhild Kirk Johansen, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen and Hanne Christiansen. The modifications in relation to the Kiddicraft bricks included straightening round corners and converting inches to cm and mm, which altered the size of the brick by approx. Although simple in design, the toys were finished impeccably and built with the same quality that Ole made furniture. Ole Kirk Christiansen was born in Filskov, Denmark on Tuesday, April 7, 1891 (G.I. [citation needed], Lego is a shortened form of the Danish words Leg godt, meaning "play well", and the company grew to become The Lego Group. His third son (Godtfred Kirk Christiansen) soon took over the company. 0.1 mm in relation to the Kiddicraft brick. Undaunted, Ole had an architect draw up plans and built a new, larger building. Ole Kirk's grandson Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is the current vice chairman of the board of LEGO. In 1947 he was visited by a salesman from Hull who represented a British machine-tool company trying to find new markets for their injection molding equipment. Male Ole Kirk Christiansen (7 April 1891 11 March 1958) was the founder of the Danish construction toy company the Lego Group. Library Binding $24.14 $ 24. The LEGO story started in a Danish woodworking shop in the days before electricity. Follow the family's story from Denmark where Ole Kirk Christiansen began making wooden toys in his Billund Carpentry Shop and Lumberyard to the company's evolution to the LEGO company. Against the advice of those around him, he bought one of the machines. Hailed as the “Toy of the Century,” the plastic Lego bricks that make up the Lego System of Play were invented by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a master carpenter, and his son, Godtfred Kirk. He was married to Kirstine Sørensen and father of Johannes Christiansen, Karl Georg Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen and Gerhardt Kirk Christiansen. Ole Kirk Christiansen is part of G.I. Nationality: Managing Director (1960) Godtfred Kirk Christiansen (July 8, 1920 – July 13, 1995) was the third son of Ole Kirk Christiansen, the founder of the LEGO Group. He was born in the village of Filskov, located between the towns of Sonder Omme and Give in Central Jutland Denmark. Ole's 60th birthday, 1951. Although in poverty, he was able to receive a basic high-school education. Ole Kirk Christiansen (April 7, 1891 – March 11, 1958) was the founder of Lego in 1949.. Christiansen was born on April 7, 1891 in Filskov, Denmark. Over time, Ole expanded the range with more, and more complex, wooden designs. Other articles where Ole Kirk Christiansen is discussed: LEGO: …the Billund, Denmark, workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen, who began making wooden toys in 1932. He was married to Kirstine Sørensen and father of Johannes Christiansen, Karl Georg Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen and Gerhardt Kirk Christiansen. Ole Kirk Kristiansen (7 April 1891 – 11 March 1958) was a Danish carpenter. Along with the new machine, Ole received several sample parts showing its capabilities. Ole Kirk ChristiansenDanish toymaker Ole Kirk Christiansen (1891-1958) founded The LEGO Group, one of the world's largest toy manufacturers. [9], Kristiansen's company expanded throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He is 129 years old and is a Aries. His Billund Woodworking and Carpentry Shop, which built houses in the summer season and furniture during the winter, was severely affected by the Great Depression. Facts about the Kirk Kristiansen family’s ownership of LEGO A/S. The building, which would be known for its large dormer and two lions flanking the front door, is now part of the LEGO Group and is one of only a few of Ole’s buildings that still exist. She was born in Grønbjerg Mark, Lindeballe parish, Vejle, and died in Billund. Ole Kirk Christiansen He was the 10th of the pair Jens Niels Christiansen and Kristine Christiansen, born in the Omvraa Mark, Blåhøj-Filskov parish, Vejle, Denmark. His first designs included mostly vehicles, ferries, airplanes and buses, such as the massive 6 Hjul Rutebil (6-wheeled bus). The studs on the bricks were also flattened on top." By the age of six he was tending the family’s livestock. His son Godtfred became managing director and later CEO. On a Sunday afternoon in 1924, while Ole and Kirstine were napping, Karl Georg Kirk Christiansen (then 5 years old) and Godtfred Kirk Christiansen were playing in the shop and set fire to some wood shavings with a glue smelter. As a result, two of the brothers; Karl Georg and Gerhardt decided to leave the LEGO company and start their own separate business, BILOfix. On a Sunday afternoon in 1924, while Ole and Kirstine were napping, Karl Georg Kirk Christiansen (then 5 years old) and Godtfred Kirk Christiansen were playing in the shop and set fire to some wood shavings with a glue smelter. Date of Birth: 1940 — World War II: Germany invades Denmark and Norway in Operation Weserübung. Sales of both the wooden and plastic toys continued to go well and in 1952 Ole decided to expand the factory, an expansion much larger than what was needed. Among these were samples of a toy brick made by Injection Moulders, Ltd. of London. [7][8], Kristiansen's company began to focus primarily on the production of toys. The animal models were produced until 1958. 17832347, citing Grene Churchyard, Billund, Billund Kommune, Syddanmark, Denmark ; Maintained by Find A Grave . Ole Kirk Christiansen was the founder of the Danish construction toy company the LEGO Group. It was Hilary Fisher Page’s Kiddicraft brick. The next series of designs, from around 1935, included a number of animal models, including the classic pull-along LEGO Duck.These designs were more complex and often required jig work from a pattern; a pattern that Ole would carefully draft himself. Ole Kirk Christiansen was born in Filskov, Denmark on Tuesday, April 7, 1891 (G.I. He died on March 11, 1958. 1932- Ole comes home to Denmark and sets up his own business in … Follow the family's story from Denmark where Ole Kirk Christiansen began making wooden toys in his Billund Carpentry Shop and Lumberyard to the company's evolution to the LEGO company. Ole Kirk Christiansen (or OKC as he was later known within the company) was born 7 April 1891 in Filskov, a small village in the farming and dairy country of central Jutland. He was married to Kirstine Sörensen and he was the father of Johannes, Karl, Godtfred and Gerhardt Kirk Christiansen. Ole’s first wood toys were large and simple in construction. Notable: Pictured: three generations of the Christiansen family; Ole (top), Godtfred (middle), and Kjeld (bottom). As one of 10 children in a poor family he was put to work as soon as possible. He was one of 10 children of Jens Niels Christiansen and Kirstine (Andersen) Christiansen. In 1934, he carved his father’s motto, “Only the best is good enough”, and hung it up on the workshop wall. For the next five years, Denmark would be under German occupation. Founding LEGO. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. He was the 10th son of an impoverished family in Jutland in western Denmark. The company used the highest quality of birch wood and sold a great variety of toys. Ole Kirk ChristiansenDanish toymaker Ole Kirk Christiansen (1891-1958) founded The LEGO Group, one of the world's largest toy manufacturers. It's hard to know Ole Kirk Christiansen birth time, but we do know his mother gave birth to his on a Tuesday. People born on a Tuesday have gr… After many months of deliberation, and thought, he decided to make wooden toys. He was the 10th son of an impoverished family in Jutland in western Denmark. In 1911 he left Denmark and went to work in carpentry for five years in Germany. Generation generation). By the late 1940s, all of Ole Kirk Christiansen's sons were working in the factory. In 1932, Kristiansen founded the Danish construction toy company The Lego Group. When Ole Kirk Kristiansen imported a newfangled contraption called a plastic-injection-­molding machine to Denmark in 1946, people thought he’d lost his mind. They started manufacturing small handmade wooden toys such as cars, trucks, ducklings and piggy banks, to fortify the family during the depression period. [1] His business was becoming slow. Maren Ole Christiansdatter Kirk Født 28.Nov.1816 i Halkjær Marie Ole Christiansdatter Kirk Født 18.Nov.1817 i Kirkegaard Christen Ole Christiansen Kirk Født 03.Okt.1818 i Kirkegaard Sidsel Marie Olesdatter Kirk Født 31.Aug.1819 i Kirkegaard Christen Kirk Født 25.Aug.1820 i Kirkegaard Christine Olesdatter Kirk Født 20.Nov.1822 i Kirkegaard He died of a heart attack aged sixty-six years old. Hailed as the “Toy of the Century,” the plastic Lego bricks that make up the Lego System of Play were invented by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a master carpenter, and his son, Godtfred Kirk. LEGO history dates back to 1932 when Ole Kirk Christiansen (April 07, 1891 – March 11, 1958) founded the Danish company to produce goods for daily use. Ole Kirk Christiansen 1891 – 1958 ... //www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Godtfred Kirk Christiansen (8 Jul 1920–13 Jul 1995), Find a Grave Memorial no. Ole Kirk was born in the Filskov village, located between Sonder Omme and Give in Central Jutland Denmark. …the Danish toy maker of plastic building blocks. Family Life He was the 10th son born to his parents. [6] Ole decided to officially found an unnamed company (later to become LEGO) in 1932. He also appeared on many of the company's packages and marketing materials. He was born in 1891 in the village of Filskovand, Denmark and was the tenth child of Jens Niels Christiansen and Kirstine Christiansen. In 1979, he became president and CEO of The Lego Group. The LEGO Group. Christiansen was born inFilskov, South Jutland, Denmark, the 10th child of an impoverished family inJutland. In this engaging biography, readers will learn about the manufacturers of LEGO, the Kristiansen Family. April 7, 1891 A fire broke out consequently. March 11, 1958 (Aged 66) He first worked as a carpenter and later started creating unsuccessful toys for kids in Denmark after his wife's death and had to … This just managed to carry profits during the depression. [4][1], During the early 1930s, Ole's business fell into the Great Depression as its peak rose in Denmark. He married (1) Hansine Kristine Sørensen (1892-1932) 1916 in Lindeballe. In 1932, Kirstine died, leaving Ole to raise their four sons alone. By the 1950s, LEGO was producing so many different wooden toys that today it would be difficult for even the LEGO Group to catalog them all. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Ole Kirk Christiansen (7 Apr 1891–11 Mar 1958), Find a Grave Memorial no. 4.3 out of 5 stars 9. He took out several loans and built a new, larger 2300-square-metre building on the same grounds as the old workshop. With virtually no new construction work, Ole turned to making small household items that farmers could afford, such as trestle ladders, step ladders, ironing boards, stools, Christmas tree stands and small toys. His Billund Woodworking and Carpentry Shop, which built houses in the summer season and furniture during the winter, was severely affected by the Great Depression. Godtfred Kirk Christiansen was one of Ole Kirk’s sons, and worked with his father in the early days of LEGO. Ole Kirk Christiansen was a Danish carpenter and creator of one of the most beloved childrens toy companies of all time, LEGO. Ole Kirk Christiansen passed away on the 11th of March 1958. https://legokita.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-founder-family-and-ceo.html He is 129 years old and is a Aries. https://www.brickfanatics.com/the-lego-group-the-kristiansen-familys-company In 1932, Christiansen founded theDanishconstruction toycompanyThe Lego Group. Ole earned a reputation for his work and maintained steady sales. His father, Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter, founded LEGO in 1932 out of necessity. The LEGO workshop before fires 1930 (left) and 2005 (right) after three fires and lightning strokes. He married … Ole Kirk Kristiansen (7 April 1891 – 11 March 1958) was a Danish carpenter. Both the factory and their home burned down. [2], In 1905, when Kristiansen was 14, he began working as an apprentice to his brother. He was married to Edith Kirk Christiansen. LEGO celebrates its 25th anniversary. When Knudstorp was named CEO in September 2004, he became the first person from outside the family of LEGO Group founder Ole Kirk Christiansen (or Kristiansen) to hold that position.… The new machine cost 30,000 DKK, more than twice the previous year's profits. Ole Kirk Christiansen (born April 7th, 1891- March 11, 1958 died at the age of 66 years) is the founder of the Danish toy company called Lego Group. Find out about entrepreneur Ole Kirk Christiansen: He invented the term Lego, which came from the Danish words leg godt, meaning play well.. born: April 7, 1891, Filskov, Denmark,siblings: Kristian Bonde Christiansen,spouse: Kirstine Christiansen (m. 1916–1932),parents: Jens Niels Christiansen, Kirstine Christiansen… He was the 10th son of an impoverished family in Jutland in western Denmark. His family was quite poor but Ole managed to get a basic high school education. As a child, he often inspired and tested new model concepts and their building instructions. The Kristiansen Family (Toy Trailblazers) by Lee Slater | Dec 15, 2015. It was the company’s first factory designed for assembly line production. The shop and the house burned to the ground. Ole Kirk Christiansen (7 April 1891 – 11 March 1958) was the founder of the Danish construction toy company the Lego Group. The shop and the house burned to the ground. Undaunted, Ole had an architect draw up plans and built a new, larger building. Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is named Managing Director, Karl Georg Kirk Christiansen the director of plastics production and Gerhardt Kirk Christiansen the director of wood products manufacturing His father’s name was Jens Niels Christiansen, and his mother’s name was Kirstine (Andersen) Christiansen.Ole Kirk’s products were m… In 1951 Ole suffers a stroke, beginning the decline in his health. titelsiden mangler. Ole Kirk Christiansen (7 April 1891 – 11 March 1958) was the founder of the Danish construction toy company the LEGO Group.He was the 10th son of an impoverished family in Jutland in western Denmark.Born in Filskov, Denmark, he trained as a carpenter and started making wooden toys in 1932 to make a living after having lost his job during the depression. Date of Death: Ancestors of Ole Kirk Christiansen (1891-1958), who was born in Omvraa Mark, Blåhøj-Filskov sogn, Vejle. Together, they had four children: Johannes, Karl, Godtfred and Gerhardt. After all, they had just paid off the 1942 factory and didn’t need to go right back into debt, but Ole simply said "I’ll decide what's to be built - your job is to raise the money!" [1] He turned to work in a factory, then eventually transitioned to woodwork and afterwards a master-carpenter. In 1905, 14-year-old Ole was apprenticed to his older brother, Kristian Bonde Christiansen to learn carpentry. After his death, his third son, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, took over the company. 14 $28.50 $28.50. In 1916, Ole returned to Denmark and, using his savings, bought the Billund Maskinsnedkeri og Tømreforretning (The Billund Carpentry Shop and Lumberyard). By 1944, LEGO had 40 employees. "With the cooperation of a tooling works in Copenhagen, we modified the design of the brick, and moulds were made. In the middle of the Great Depression, Ole continued to make small household items and Wooden Toys. He was chief executive from 1979 until 2004, when Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, a former McKinsey consultant, became the new Chairman of the Board. Add to Print List Remove from Print List Notes. All of Ole's sons assisted in his company, and in 1958 the LEGO Brick patent was created. Something very big. The final cost of the expansion was 350,c000 DKK. They had 4 children: Johannes Christiansen (b.1917), Karl Georg Kirk Christiansen (1919), Godtfred Kirk Christiansen (1920) and Gerhardt Kirk Christiansen (1926). In 1905, at the age of 14, Ole was apprenticed to his older brother Kristian to l… In this engaging biography, readers will learn about the manufacturers of LEGO, the Kristiansen Family. [1] 1891- Ole Kirk Christiansen is born in Filskov Denmark to an impoverished family 1911-1916- Ole completes his apprenticeship under Kristian Blonde Christiansen and finds work in Germany and Norway. Never miss a beat Moulders, Ltd. of London about the manufacturers of LEGO, the carpenter Kirk... 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