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

1864

Psalms

1 April

A book version of On Langebro..

8 April

Signs, for the first time, a "political statement" (the diary). HCA and other well-known public persons have been encouraged to sign this petition addressed to the Swiss people.

9 April

HCA's poem "Denmark" is printed in the newspaper Dagbladet. On the street the next day he meets several "high-ranking officers" who thank him for the poem. HCA himself feels "moved and overwhelmed by the tragedy" and also feels "burdened and aged, death would be best for me" (the diary, 10th).
At a dinner (14th April) hosted by the English attachè, who speaks German well, HCA insists on speaking English. An explanation is given in the diary (same date): "at the moment, this language [German] resonates with the sound of canons and the shriek of the enemy. I would rather rely on my less fluent English".

15 April

Reads aloud at the Students' Association. The proceeds are in aid of burn victims from Sønderborg.

1864: Psalms


18 April

The assault on Dybbøl. HCA is extremely concerned about the fate of Viggo Drewsen during the fighting, but is reassured on 24th when a message relays that he has only been wounded in the leg.

27 April 1864

First performance at the Royal Theatre of Han er ikke født, originalt Lystspil i to Acter (He Has Yet To Be Born, Original Comedy. Two Acts) . HCA experiences the harshness of the events of the day: earlier in the day, before the premiere of the play, he had attended funeral services held at the garrison church for those fallen in the war. - The play is performed 6 times in total.

28 April

Reads aloud at the Workers' Association. The proceeds are in aid of a war widow and her infant. The proceeds amount to 66 rdl., of which the Association keeps half, leaving the widow with 33 rdl.

3 May

Visits Mrs Heiberg before dinner. She is planning to go and see HCA's play on the same evening.

"We discussed the times; I mentioned how bitter everything felt to me, as I am so alone. And she expressed the same regarding her loneliness since Heiberg's death"
(the diary).

10 May

The play He Has Yet To Be Born is released as a book.

11 May

Makes decorative paper cut-outs for charitable bazaars,

"The other day, one item was bought for 1 Species [2 rdl.] by Bruun, the baker at the court; I heard later that he had clasped it to a copy of my collected tales"
(the diary).

21 May

Reads aloud at a charity event at Hotel Phønix. The proceeds go to the wounded and the widows of the fallen:

"It was filled to the brim and dreadfully hot. I almost collapsed during the first reading, The Little Matchstick Girl, then The Butterfly and finally It's Quite True; my strength almost ran out, my legs weakened, water seeped from all my pores. The audience was very satisfied and applauded. The section was concluded with my "Denmark", composed by a young Norwegian. In the second section, I read "The Snowman" and "What The Old Man Does".

Is able, on the same day, to withdraw the final portion of his fee for Paa Langebro (On Langebro). The fee amounts to 330 rdl.

Late May

HCA describes his state of mind in the diary on 22nd: "godless, bitter towards people and without confidence in God". However, he immediately feels this line of thinking is sinful towards God. Also in the diary (27th):

"It is quite tragic the way I am idle and loafing about, accomplishing next to nothing. The weather is very cold, most have a fire. I watch the day passing, wish it was evening so I could go to bed. I look forward to nothing. There is nothing inside me. What will become of me".

3 June

Goes to Basnæs Estate. Here, soldiers from the camp hospital in Copenhagen are convalescing. HCA entertains them and reads aloud both for them and for the people on the estate.
During the stay at Basnæs, HCA writes his "Psalm": "Hartmann has been given it to compose" (letter to Henriette Collin, 22nd).

27 June

Returns to Copenhagen.

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