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- From the 1787 census of Odense township:
Graabr?drestr?de 250, 340 Familie: Rasmus Ibsen, 32, Gift 1 Gang, Husstandsoverhoved, Kromand; Else Marie Asersdatter, 31, Gift 1 Gang, Gift Med Husstandsoverhoved; Asser Rasmussen, 10, Ugift, Barn; Jeppe Rasmussen, 8, Ugift, Barn; Margrethe Elisabeth Rasmusdatter, 5, Ugift, Barn; Karen Marie Rasmusdatter, 1, Ugift, Barn; Jens Hansen, 25, Ugift, Tjenestefolk, Bryggersvend; Sara Erichsdatter, 24, Ugift, Tjenestefolk, Udepige; (*) Ane Maria Andersdatter, 12, Ugift, Tjenestefolk, Barnepige; Marie Cathrine Kragh, 56, Ugift, Logerende, Skoleholder; Henriche Nielsdatter, 20, Ugift, Tjenestefolk, Tjenestepige. (* Born circa 1775)
From the 1801 census of Odense K?bstad:
319 Familie: J?rgen Pommer, 40, Gift, huusbonde, Skoemager; Anne Marie, 45, Gift, hans kone; Frideriche Pommer, 12, Ugift, deres barn; Johan Pommer, 7, Ugift, deres barn; Rasmus Pommer, 5, Ugift, deres barn; Johan Christian Sudermann, 28, Ugift, tienestefolk, Skomagersvende; Mathias Gamradt, 25, Ugift, tienestefolk, Skomagersvende; (*) Hans Andersen, 18, Ugift, tienestefolk, L?redrenge; Niels Johnsen, 13, Ugift, tienestefolk, L?redrenge; Karen Knudsdatter, 20, Ugift, tienestefolk. (* Born circa 1783)
From the 1801 census of Odense township:
420 Familie: Anders Bircheroed, 38, Gift, huusbonde, Ki?bmand; Anne Margrethe M?ller, 36, Gift, hans kone; Carl Wilhelm Peter, 6, Ugift, deres barn; Inger Dorthea Sophie, 5, Ugift, deres barn; Johanne Martie, 4, Ugift, deres barn; Johan Mathis, 2, Ugift, deres barn; (*) Marie Andersdatter, 28, Ugift, tienestefolk; Mads Rasmussen, 33, Ugift, tienestefolk, gaardskarl. (* Born circa 1773)
From the St. Knud kirkebog, Odense township:
1805: No. 1; Januarius den 5te, Hans Andersen, Skomager-Svend af Vor Frue Sogn, giv til Pi?nde, at han, efter s?dvaulig tillysning, var til Sinds at ?gte pigen, Anne Marie Andersdatter her af Sognet. Som forlovere for dem underskr. Pauel Bruneberg, Skomager, Rasmus Nielsen, Croman. Copulerede den 2de February ejsud. Anne.
From the St. Hans kirkebog, Odense township:
1805: No. 19; Tisdags Morgen Kl. 1 den 2de April blev Hans Andersen Skomagersvend og Kone Anne Marie Andersdatter en s?n f?dt i samme dag hjemmed?bt af Capellanen Hr. Ramsing i Vacanten og kaldet Hans Christian. Ved daabs confirm 2de Paaskedag den 16de April var fadder: Madam Breineborg b.b., Jomfr. Pommer g.hs, Hattemager Dorch, Skomagermester P. Valtersdorff, Snedkersvend And. J?rgensen, Portner i Hospitalet Gomard.
Note: the above witnesses are namely, Madam Sille Marie Breineberg (born Westphalen); Miss Frideriche Pommer, daughter of J?rgen Pommer, Shoemaker; Peder Waltersdorff, Master Shoemaker; Jens Heinrich Dorch, Hatter; Anders J?rgensen, Journeyman Joiner; Nicolas Gomard, a porter at the Odense Gr?br?dre Hospital.
From the St. Knud kirkebog, Odense township:
1816: No. 82; D?dsdagen: 1816 d. 23de April; Begravelsesdagen: 1816 d. 30te April; Den d?des for- og tilnavn: Hans Andersen; Stand, haandtering og opholdsted: Skomager-Mester i Odense; Alder: 33 aar.
1818: No. 1; Brudgommens navn, alder, haandtering og opholdsted: Niels J?rgensen Gundersen, Frie-Skomagermester, 31 aar; Brudens navn, alder, haandtering og opholdsted: Maria Andersen, Skomager-Enke, 49 aar; Hvem foloverne ere: Peder Wittroch, Skomagermester, Mielmberg Maler; Vielsesdagen: 1818 den 8 Juli; Vielsen forrettet i Kirken.
From the Gr?br?dre kirkebog:
1833: No. 126; D?dsdagen: 7de Octob.; Begravelsesdagen: 11te Octob.; Den d?des for- ot tilnavn: Marie J?rgensen; Stand, haandtering og opholdsted: Kom af Doctors Boder; Enke efter Skomager Andersen; Alder: 66; Anm?rkninger: Digteren H.C. Andersens moder. (Born circa 1767)
Note the discrepancies in the birth years for Anne Marie Andersdatter: 1787 census (Ane Maria Andersdatter, c.1775), 1801 census (Marie Andersdatter, c.1773), 1818 marriage record (Maria Andersen, c.1769), and burial record (Marie J?rgensen, c.1767).
* * * *
Only a few famous men have written about their mothers in as a tender and sensible way as Hans Christian Andersen did, knowing that in the eyes of his contemporaries she was far from a socially respectable woman: In her younger days, she had not exactly led a morally acceptable life, and as an old woman, she had become an alcoholic. Bearing this in mind, Hans Christian Andersen's love for his mother as depicted in "She is no good" seems even more touching.
In "Fairy Tale of My Life" he only rarely mentions his mother's family; he writes a little about his mother's sister, and nothing at all about his half-sister. When writing about his grandmother (his mother's mother), he even rigorously bends the truth. All in all, he always avoids morally unacceptable family facts, which results in the little attention his mother's family receives in his writings!
Hans Christian Andersen's parents, 22-year-old Hans Andersen and 36-year-old Ane Marie Andersdatter, were married on 2 February 1805, at the Church of St. Knud's in Odense, Funen. However, it wasn't until 1806 that they found a permanent place to live. Therefore it still remains unknown where Anne Marie gave birth to Hans Christian two months after the wedding. It is often said that he was born on Hans Jensens Str?de (Hans Jensen's Street). Until 1804, it had been inhabited by Anne Marie's mother, Anne S?rensdatter. When asked at his 70th birthday whether this house really was his birthplace, he answered: "Yes, this is supposedly where I was born." He later, however, proclaimed that "I wasn't born in such a pigsty." On earlier occasions he had said that possibly his birthplace was Skulkenborg in Ramsherred.
In the church records for the parish of St. Hans it is recorded that Hans Christian, son of "Hans Hansen" and Anne Marie Andersdatter, was born on Tuesday, 2 April 1805 at one a.m., and had been baptised at home the same day. It had later been added that his place of birth was Hans Jensens Str?de 43. On 16 April 1805 Hans Christian was presented at the Church of St. Knud's.
In May 1807 Hans Christian's parents moved into a rented flat at Munkestr?de 3. Here he would spend the next 12 years of his life. Although Hans Christian recalls his childhood home to be "wealthy and large", it only consisted of an 18m? room and a little kitchen. The room was not only the small family's living space, but also his father's workshop. Considering that the house probably also was occupied by a foster child (a little girl) but never by Karen Marie (his halfsister), it is easy to imagine how little space there was!
Although the family lived in extremely poor conditions, there is no evidence that they ever claimed or received welfare, apart from a few exceptional occasions. The father made a living as a shoemaker and the mother worked as a laundress and did some casual jobs. The hard work eventually made her become an alcoholic, a development which Hans Christian as an adult in vain attempted to stop.
In the house which the family was living in there were two more flats, one of which was inhabited by Frantz K?cker, a glovemaker. This flat was situated right next door to Hans Christian's childhood home, and in fact the two families had to share the entrance. The K?cker family had many children, among them Christian and Johan who were about the same age as Hans Christian. The other part of the house was inhabited by hatmaker Philip Schenk, his wife and their four children. Their son Godtfred, being four years his senior, often beat up Hans Christian. In his adult life he led an impoverished life as a fisherman by Odense River. When he became an honorary citizen of Odense in 1876, the writer met Godtfred and said: "Well, Godtfred, you used to give me a good beating a great many times, but it is nice of you to turn up now and say hello." At the end of their conversation, Hans Christian gave him a little money.
Hans Christian Andersen's mother had never worked at a farm near Bogense. In her employment and earnings records there is no reference to any such occupation. Hans Christian Andersen's above quotation must have been a (maybe intentional) mistake; perhaps he had been referring to a visit at his grandmother's who had moved to Bogense after getting married for the second time.
The first years after the 30-years-war were a rough time for the family, with the father being ill and confined to bed. His mother took Hans Christian with her around the villages in the area to beg money there. One day Anne Marie and Hans Christian walked 12 km to Ubberud, a trip which well may have lasted a few days in a young boy's (10-11 year) imagination. There they went to see his mother's family. They were welcomed with comments such as: "Oh, here we've got Anne Marie and her degenerated son again"; this implies it was easier for Anne Marie to go and see her family than begging, and that their visit was not exactly a rare event!
Once in his later life, two years before his grandmother died in an poor people's home, Hans Christian went to see his family. In 1823, when he stayed in Odense March 23-29, he went to see his mother's family in Ubberud or the family came to see him in Odense. At that time, Hans Christian was a lodger at Colonel H?egh-Guldberg's at Nedergade 25. (His mother stayed at "Doctors Bode", a poor people's home run by a foundation at Gr?br?dre Hospital. There she received a weekly food allowance of 1 Mk 8 Skilling.)
Anne Marie was three years old when her mother had her second child, six years when the third child arrived, and ten years when the fourth baby was born. The children each had a different father. Anne Marie's mother lived in Odense, but gave birth to her children in Ubberud. Anne Marie had to look for work very early in her life.
In an application for admittance to "Doctors Bode" she writes:
"I have served in this town since my childhood; I served at Madame Ibsen's for 14 years, at Birkerod's for 5 years and 3 years at Captain v. Selker's. All in all I worked here during 22 years. Then I got married twice, with my first husband I had a son who by the grace of the King is studying in Slagelse. I have not had any children with my second husband. All in all, I was married for 23 years; my husbands have left me in poverty. I hardly earn enough money for food and clothing, but I cannot afford the rent without selling some of the little I have left. I have heard that one of the rooms which at Doctors Bode have become vacant. Therefore my humble plea to let me live in this room."
Anne Marie started working when she was eight, two years in the countryside, as a maid on a farm near Odense. After that she worked 15 years at Merchant Ibsen's at Vestergade in Odense. This is also where she met Karen Marie's father, 22-year-old Daniel Rosenvinge, a tall (1.85m) "Grenader" from the Crown Prince's company. Daniel had been trained to be a potter at Skattergade in Svendborg, then became an army recruit and lived in the lively area in Odense - around N?rregade/Vestergade.
Two years before he had had a relationship with Christiane Nielsdatter which resulted in another child, Caroline. Although Daniel did not get married with either of the two women, he was ordered to pay child support.
The same happened to Daniel once more, then he went to join another "grenaderkompagni" in Kiel, Germany in order to avoid having to pay child support to the three women. As a soldier, the civil law did not apply to him. Anne Marie Andersdatter had her illegitimate child baptised on September 27th. The church record reads: "On Sunday morning at 6 a.m. Anne Marie Andersdatter gave birth to an illegitimate daughter at Rasmus Iversen's, Hans Jensens Gade." The priest also wrote: "The father has been named as Daniel Rosenvinge, a potter here in this town. This has been reported to Mayor Lindved on September 22nd." Anne Marie moved in with her mother: It was the first time for 16 years that mother and daughter lived together again! In February 1805 Anna Marie Andersdatter married shoemaker Hans Andersen. A month before the wedding at the Church of St. Knud's they had become engaged. Hans Christian was baptised at home on April 2, 1805, and presented in church on April 16th. However, Hans and Anne Marie did not live together until the autumn of 1805 when they got a flat on Hans Jensens Str?de.
Once established at Hans Jensens Str?de, Hans Andersen became self-employed: On November 23rd 1805 he applied for a license as an free shoemaker. He wrote that he had only earned 7 Mark a week when he had been employed by someone else. This wage was not enough to feed a family of four, buy clothing and heat the house. His application was accepted, and he was allowed to establish his own business at Munkem?ller Str?de from 1806. Until then, they lived at several different places around the neighbourhood. The couple lived in poverty and no child support was paid for Karen Marie. Therefore Anne Marie Andersdatter wrote in a letter to the authorities that Daniel Rosenvinge had not paid the child support she was entitled to and asked for help to obtain her money.
Hans Andersen's business was not successful at all. Anne Marie had to work again, washing and cleaning for others. Being an admirer of Napoleon, Hans Andersen became a soldier. This would pay 1000 Rdlr. That sum, however, would only be paid to him after he had fought in the war and therefore he only received 5 Rdlr. at the beginning. Hans Andersen gave up his business and became a "Piber" (piper) for the civil arming movement. Records show that he was only paid 2-1/2 Skilling a day. He was registered as "Musketer Nr. 13 at the King's 5th regiment, 3rd Battalion" In the summer of 1812 the regiment was moved to Holsten. Hans Andersen could not cope with the long march south and became seriously ill. When the regiment finally went to fight in the war in 1813, Hans Andersen was left behind, without a chance to get the 1000 Rdlr. he would have earned if only he had been able to fight. His family was doomed to live in great poverty. On April 26th 1816 Hans Andersen died after long suffering from tuberculosis and a heavy fever. The Probate Court session was held in May of 1816.
In the winter of 1817/18 Anne Marie found a new husband: Niels J?rgensen Gunders?e, a 31-year-old shoemaker. Anne Marie was now 50 years old, and Niels J?rgensen's family found she was not good enough for him at all. However she did still own her late husband's workshop and tools. "Maria Andersen" and "Niels J?rgensen Gundersen" were married on July 8th 1818 in the Church of St. Knud. She must have been a very attractive woman, twice married to men who were 20 years younger than her. Her daughter Karen, too, was mistaken to be 20 years old when she actually already was 40, so it probably was a family thing. Anne Marie's sister, Christiane, was probably quite attractive too, considering her profession. . . .
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 21 July 2015.
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1774 - 1833 (~ 59 år)
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