“Fort-Unija” at Fort IV: trench candles for Ukrainian soldiers, made by visitors

On Saturday 29 August we were at Fort IV of the Kaunas Fortress with a tent, a box of tins and strips of cardboard – at the “Fort-Unija” history festival we had invited you to. Thank you to everyone who came and sat down at our table: children, parents, grandparents and people who until then had only heard of trench candles.

A candle anyone can make

Everyone who stopped by could make a trench-candle blank for Ukrainian soldiers: a tin, a precisely folded strip of cardboard and a few minutes of patience. Filled with paraffin, a small blank like this burns for about two hours in a trench – it warms hands, heats food and gives off almost no smoke. We did not melt paraffin at the fort: every blank made on Saturday went to our workshop in the basilica basement, and once filled it will travel to the front.

We gently reminded the parents who stopped by that from September children can earn their community-service hours with us: in the basement of the Kaunas Christ’s Resurrection Basilica (Žemaičių g. 31A) school students make blanks, weave camouflage nets or pack shipments – and take part in Ukraine’s fight for the freedom of us all. The schedule and how to come are on the volunteering page.

A day at the fort

For two days “Fort-Unija” lived by its motto of speaking about warfare through creativity: re-enactment clubs from Lithuania, Poland and Latvia marched through the fort’s tunnels, and the heritage fair filled the left courtyard – our tent stood among its stalls. Fort IV is familiar ground for us: we poured trench candles here until June, so coming back even for one afternoon felt good.

Our sincere thanks to the Kaunas Fortress Park for the invitation, the warm welcome and a meaningful event.

Join what we do

• Support us – by bank transfer to LT05 7044 0901 1228 8322 (recipient: Labdaros ir paramos fondas „Visi išvien“) or online – by card or as monthly support. Your support buys paraffin, fuel and vehicles for Ukraine’s defenders.
• Come and volunteer – Žemaičių g. 31A, Kaunas. No experience needed, we show you everything on the spot.

Together – visi išvien! 🇱🇹🇺🇦