From the Hans Christian Andersen biography "The Life of Hans Christian Andersen. Day By Day", written by DPhil Johan de Mylius:

1823

Getting to know B.S. Ingemann

1823: Getting to know B.S. Ingemann


Meisling and Collin agree that HCA be forbidden to spend his time writing poetry. He does however compose a commemorative poem when his benefactor Dean Gutfeldt dies.

The beginning of this year

1 February

The commemorative poem for Gutfeldt is printed in the newspaper Den Vest-Siællandske Avis (edited by Pastor H. Bastholm).

Easter

During Easter, HCA goes to Odense for one week to see his mother and his former benefactors (Colonel Guldberg, Iversen the printer and Miss Bunkeflod).
His paternal grandfather is now accepted as a boarder at the almshouse, Gråbrødre Hospital. On this occasion, the estate is settled and HCA inherits approx. 51 rdl. (this net amount is half of the estate's value, the rest goes to the almshouse).
Writes a song for Shrovetide: "Nordens Kraft er ei forsvunden" (The Power Of The North Has Not Disappeared) which is sung in Slagelse at the batting of the barrel (a Danish tradition for Shrovetide; children take turns batting at a barrel suspended from the ceiling. Whoever deals the fatal blow, thereby destroying the barrel, becomes Shrovetide King or Queen).
During Easter, HCA also composes the poem "Til Min Moder" (To My Mother) (in Digte (Poems) 1830) and an occasional poem to mark the fact that Meisling's appointment as principle was officially recognised at the Episcopal visitation in July. (When HCA published this poem, "Frøet Liv Alherren giver" (To the Seed the Lord Giveth Life), in his Samlede Skrifter (Collected Writings), he mistakenly connected it with Meisling's appointment as principle in Elsinore in June 1826).

Sundays/Breaks

On Sundays and during breaks, HCA would often walk to Sorø, where he got to know and later became friends with the poet B.S. Ingemann, his elder by 16 years. As newly appointed lecturer at Sorø Academy, Ingemann resided in the rococo pavilion to the east of the burnt-out main building, which was being rebuilt at this time (regarding the visits to Ingemann, see HCA's posthumously published Levnedsbogen (The Biography). Amongst the alumni at the Academy in Sorø, he also got to know Carl Bagger, who later became a poet, bohemian writer and editor, as well as Fritz Petit (who in 1829 moved to Germany and became one of HCA's translators). These three became close friends in their youth.
Wrote impromptu, while visiting Ingemann, the poem "Sjælen" (The Soul) (in Digte (Poems), 1830).

Search the timetable    ?