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

1856

Rejse til Tyskland

30 April 1856

Takes the train from Copenhagen to Slagelse and then a coach on to Mrs Scavenius at Basnæs Estate. On Saturday 26th, the extension to Korsør of the Copenhagen - Roskilde train line had just been completed, with an 11 day delay. HCA was thus able, for the first time, to drive past Sorø and gaze in at the Academy and Ingemann. Outing to Førslevgård (childrens' party at the Neergaards).

15 May

To Holsteinborg to see Mimi Holstein, nèe Zahrtmann. The diary for this day:

"The food was sumptuous, I was placed in a very elegant bedroom and a cabinet facing the great Borggaard, which is rather similar to Kronborg [castle]".

Here he works on his new novel:

"The whole unity of the new novel came to me; a struggle towards the sole consolation of awareness" (the diary, 23rd May).

Experiences haunting at Holsteinborg:

"At night I hear a distant sound, like that of a tower clock! I asked the valet and he said the place is haunted. A young lady here also heard it and said it sounded like someone hobbling down the hall" (the diary, 19th May).

26 May

Goes to Sorø, where HCA joins the celebration of Ingemann's birthday on 28th.

1856: Rejse til Tyskland


1 June

Return to Copenhagen.

6 June

By train to Korsør (the trip took 3 hours and 15 minutes. In Sorø it was possible for Swane (teacher and later rural dean) to arrive comfortably at the station and greet HCA, who was godfather to Swane's son). From Copenhagen HCA travelled with the Czech pianist and composer Alexander Dreyschock. Takes the steamship Zephyr to Kiel. From there, on by train via Altona and Hannover (where "a young lady sat reading in Bilderbog (Picture Book), the diary, 8th). On through Braunschweig and Leipzig (meets with Lorck) to Dresden (arriving 10th June). Goes to see Dahl, who was "painting his last work". Tries to interest Julius Pabst, dramatist a the court theatre in Dresden, in Klein Karin (Little Karin).

13th - 21st June

Staying with the Serres at Maxen Estate, where the poet Gutzkow also arrives. He tells HCA about his adaptation of Goethe's Faust II for the theatre. HCA feels despondent as Gutzkow continually criticises his abilities as a writer. There is an outing to Rabenhorst, now to be called Adlerhorst, where HCA sees the inscription with his name at Schwanennest.

22 June

Continues to Weimar. Here he sees Goethe's Faust I at the theatre. Is welcomed by the grand duke at Ettersburg:

"Tears came to my eyes when I thought about how I, the son of a poor shoemaker and washerwoman, was embraced by the nephew of the Emperor of Russia; how odd when extremes meet" (the diary, 23rd).

Sees the premiere of Faust II, act 1 at the theatre. (Goethe's grandson was also present). Accompanies Walther Goethe on an outing to and from Ettersburg and also goes to see him when leaving. Reads Faust II. (Goethe's Faust is examined in detail in HCA's novel At være eller ikke at være (To Be or Not To Be) and has a certain thematic significance for the novel.
Goes to see Lorck, who leads HCA to L. Wiedemann, a publisher from Leipzig, with whom HCA discusses publication and translation. It is Wiedemann who takes over and continues Lorck's publishing business.

29 June

Return to Dresden, where HCA meets the composer Spohr and his family at the theatre. Seeks out Auerbach and hears about his new novel Barfüssele, and finds an element in it (the harmonica) which is also present in his own forthcoming novel.

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