H.C. Andersen 03

His love for travelling leads him to different parts of Europe between 1840 and 1873. He lived in a time that was rapidly changing, with new inventions. He enjoyed his first travel by train and was delighted when he first tested a telegraph line. And.......we don't have to guess how he looked. His portrait was captured on a photographic glass plate.

During his travels he has met a good number of famous writers, like Dumas, Heine, Hugo and Dickens. He also meets Jacob Grimm, a publisher of fairy tales, who had until then........never heard of HCA before!
He was invited to stay at the Danish royal court or with the upper class of those days in Denmark and abroad. During his life he visited most of the major European cities, even stayed in Amsterdam for a day.

The King Of Spades:
"Little Mermaid"
The Queen of Spades:
"The Princess on the Pea"
The Jack of Spades:
"The Steadfast Tin Soldier"

The King of Hearts:
"The Emperor's New Clothes"
The Queen of Hearts:
"The sheperdess and the Chimneysweep"
The Jack of Hearts:
"The Wild Swans"

Between his many travels he finds time to write as well. The "New Tales, 2nd Collection", that includes "The Fir Tree" and "The Snow Queen", is published on the same day, December 21st 1844, as the "Picture Book without Pictures, Second Expanded Edition".

Only a few months later, in April 1845, the "New Tales, 3rd Collection" is released. It includes "The Elf Mound", "The Red Shoes", "The Jumpers", "The Shepherdess and the Chimneysweep" and "Holger Dansk". In April 1847 the "New Tales, Second Volume, 1st Collection"is released. Included are "The Old Street Lamp", "The Neighbouring Families", The Darning Needle", "Little Tuk" and "The Shadow".
Less than a year later, March 1848, the "New tales, Second Volume, 2nd Collection" is published. It includes "The Little Match Girl", "The Old House", "The Happy Family", "The Drop of Water", "The Story of a Mother" and "The Shirt Collar".

In April 1852 "Stories" is published. The fact that this title is chosen over "tales" indicates that HCA is making a change from pure fairy tales to more experimental short stories. The "Stories" include -among others- "The Swans Nest", "A good Mood" and "The Final Day". Already in November of that year it is followed by "Stories, Second Collection", that includes -among others- "The Goblin and the Grocer", "Under the Willow Tree" and "Heartache".

In 1857 a novel "To Be or Not To Be" is published and in March 1858 the "New Tales and Stories", which was very rapidly followed in May of that year by the "New Tales and Stories, 2nd Collection".
It took until March 1861 until the "New Tales and Stories, 2nd Series" was released, which was followed in November of that year by the "New Tales and Stories, 2nd Series, 2nd Collection".
In 1863 a poetry book "In Spain" which shocked his friends by the very sensual poetry. In November 1865 the "New Tales and Stories, 2nd Series, 3rd Collection" was published and a year later the "New Tales and Stories, 2nd Series, 4th Collection".
In 1869 "Three New Tales and Sories" was published. It includes "Chicken Grethe's Family", "What One Can Invent" and "What Happened to the Thistle".

In March 1870 returns from Nice to Copenhagen. From the 26th of June to the 9th of July he stays at the Holsteinborg Estate. He starts working on "Lucky Peter" there and finishes the book on July 29th, during his stay with the Henriques at Petershoj. The book will be his last novel and is published on November 11th.

"Tales and Stories, New Edition" was published on March 30th 1872. It includes -among others- "The Comet", "The Candles", "The Great Sea Serpent", "Dance, Dance, Doll of Mine" and "The Carrot Wedding". After that he travels with William Bloch via Dresden, Prague and Vienna to Venice and returns via Munich to Copenhagen on May 25th.

In November and December he is seriously ill and although his doctor believes that it is "wind in the major intestine", HCA, based on the pain, feels that he probably has a problem with his liver. But he has worked and on November 23rd his last book "New tales and Stories, Third Series, Second Collection". It includes -among others- "The Gate Key" and "Aunty Toothache". This last story was inspired by his own toothaches and not long after the story was published......he lost his last tooth. On March 18th 1873 he gets a whole new set of false teeth.

During a 3 month journey to Germany and Switzerland in 1873 his condition gets worse. Besides the liver cancer he also suffers from arthritis now and often has to take morphine at night. In 1875 he is paid tribute from near and far on his birthday, April 2nd, and to mark the occasion the Royal Theatre performs a play and the opera, that HCA liked best, "Little Kirsten".
On August 4th 1875 he dies at 11.05 as a result of his liver cancer. On August 11th he is burried at the Assistens Churchyard cemetery.

Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog, 1st rank.

konferensråd

Norwegian Order of Olav, with a star.

Councillor of State, 3rd rank

Silver Cross from the order "Men of the Dannebrog".

POET & AUTHOR

Of course this is only half the tale. There's so much more to tell about Hans Christian Andersen.
I'm sure Wikipedia will provide it.