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

1844

On Holiday With The Royal Couple.
Fairy-tales and Drama.

24 June

Arrives in Weimar. Here HCA is introduced to the circle of people around Goethe: e.g. Chancellor Friedrich von Müller and Goethe's secretary, Eckermann. Also to the writer Amalie Freiherrin von Gross (nom de plume: Amalie Winter), who had arranged Nur ein Geiger (Only a Fiddler) as a popular book. Baron Carl Olivier von Beaulieu-Marconnay invites HCA to stay with him for a week. Is also introduced to the Grand Duke and Duchess (the Duchess is the sister of the Russian Czar). Moreover, HCA gets to know the young Carl Alexandre, heir to the ducdom, at Ettersburg, his castle (Carl Alexandre, with whom HCA becomes friends, is the grandchild of the Grand Duke Carl August, for whom Goethe was a tutor and later a minister.

1 July

Departs from Weimar to Jena and from here by train to Leipzig and Dresden.

3rd - 21st July

In Dresden. Also takes trips to Tharandt and Major Serre's estate, Maxen (here from 13th-17th).

4 July

In Dresden, HCA meets J.C. Drewsen and his wife. From them he learns that Henrik Stampe became engaged a week ago to the daughter of Adolph Drewsen and Ingeborg Collin, Jonna. "It can not be true" (in the diary).

15 July

Is drawn by the Austrian painter, Arthur Freiherr von Ramberg (the portrait is used by the publisher Lorck for the newspaper 'Illustrierte Zeitung' and appears in several German publications of HCA's work).

21 July

Is drawn by the painter Julie Gräfin von Egloffstein, who tires him with her enthusiasm for him, not least when he is pressured to read the poetry of Caroline, her sister. This sister is a lady-in-waiting for Maria Pavlovna of Sachsen-Weimar.

22 July

HCA visits the composer Carl Maria Weber (where he also meets Lorck) and attends an evening party held by Schumann.

23 July

Invited to lunch at the home of Brockhaus, the publisher. Departs on the same day for Halle, where he visits Robert Prutz, the publisher and professor of literary history. Continues on to Berlin.

3rd - 21st July

Staying in Berlin. Goes on 26th to see Jacob Grimm, philologist and publisher of fairy-tales, who had never heard of HCA! Spends the evening at the home of Henrik Steffens along with the philosopher Schelling and his daughter. Receives a visit on 30th from the natural scientist Alexandre von Humboldt and the composer Meyerbeer. On the 31st, he visits Goethe's old friend, the writer Bettina von Arnim (née Brentano, sister of the romanticist poet Clemens von Brentano and married to his friend, the poet Achim von Arnim). She:

"...told me that the kings read my fairy-tales and are better off for it, as in this way, they get to hear the truth" (the diary). On the way to a party in the evening he meets two Danish craftsmen, who inform him "that they and several of their associates had made a toast to me in Potsdam. I was quite moved by this" (the diary, 31st July).

1844: On Holiday With The Royal Couple.


1 August

Leaves Berlin for Stettin and journeys on from here by steamship to Copenhagen.

3 August

Arrives in Copenhagen.

12 August

Departure in the evening, bound for Glorup. Crosses the Great Belt aboard the steamship Frederik Carl Christian on the 13th for the first time. Stays at Glorup from 13th-27th, also visiting Lykkesholm during this time. Is invited by Queen Caroline Amalie to stay with her and Christian VIII on Føhr.

27 August

Goes first of all to Odense to visit the Hanck family, amongst others. Then travels to Assens by stagecoach. After 3 hours of stormy weather on the Little Belt, he arrives in Årøsund. Continues to Føhr via Flensburg and Dagebüll.

29 August

Arrives in Føhr, where the Duke of Augustenborg and C. Rantzau-Breitenburg are also present. Reads aloud fairy-tales for the queen, the king and the court respectively. Participates in excursions to Oland and Amrom.

5 September

This day is celebrated in honour of the 25th anniversary of HCA's arrival in Copenhagen. Christian VIII congratulates him and mentions how famous he now is in Germany. The king enquires about his earnings and hints that he is in favour of increasing HCA's yearly grant, but HCA has too much pride to seize the opportunity. During the conversation with Christian VIII, HCA mentions that his publisher (Reitzel) pays him 12 rdl. for each set of 16 pages written for the books.

9 September 1844

Departs from Føhr. Travels via Flensburg and Sønderborg to Augustenborg.

11 September

Arrives at Augustenborg. During his stay here, HCA sometimes feels very concerned by the political discussions (concerning the question of Slesvig-Holstein) and hears about political/national unrest. The governor, Prince Frederik of Nør, visits Augustenborg (21st-25th) while HCA is there.

1844: Fairy-tales and Drama.


29 September

Departs Augustenborg. Travels via Svendborg to Kallehave and on to Copenhagen by coach.

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