One of the most famous Danes of all times is the writer of fairy tales writer, Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). His international fame is based on these wonderful fairy tales which are known and loved by all generations. In reality he was a much more versatile writer as he even published novels, a few plays, and auto biographies. As if that wasn't enough he also wrote about himself, his life and friends in his by now published diaries. He himself must have felt the need to strike the fact of his versatility as he is quoted for having said that the parents of his prime readers, i.e. the children, also would find something worthwhile in his stories. Actually, they did and now he is considered a writer both for children and grown-ups. However, he may have felt a little worm of disappointment gnaw at his pride because in his life time his fame was based on stories for children and not on his works for grown-ups even though these fairy tales were considered quite outstanding.
What also gnawed at his system was the thought of his half-sister - or "his mother's daughter" as he called this discarded sibling, Karen Marie Danielsdatter Rosenvinge (1799-1846). Under different circumstances they might have been able to brighten up each other's lives, but as it were she turned into a menace to him. Had they been friends he wouldn't have feared her, but he couldn't bring anything that natural over his heart - and his considerable pride. In his opinion she was a disgrace to him and the seemingly mild writer, even writing those wonderful devotional fairy tales for children, never was happy to see her or as much as hear of her.
Could the reason for this be that she, being the eldest by six years, had bullied him as a child? No, most of her childhood she, who was one of the three illegitimate children of a man who was never married to her mother, was fostered out and she only lived with her maternal family for a short while. The mother of both the children, Karen Marie and Hans Christian, also was born an illegitimate child and she was reputed to be a good person even though she was suspected of being a drunkard. Still he loved her so why could the loving son of this beloved mother not accept her other child, his sister who started out in the same social position as their mutual mother? It is safe to say that he never accepted this sister and that he seems to have suspected her of living an immoral and thus disgraceful life that was a menace to a social climber like himself.
One wonders at him as she when she was confirmed was described as a girl who knew her catechism and also was of a moral character. That means that there was nothing in her early youth to be upset about for her poet-brother. Nevertheless he cut her off early on in life.
In the very interesting article "H.C. Andersens halvsøster, Karen Marie Rosenvinge, og hendes slægt" (: "The half-sister of Hans Christian Andersen, Karen Marie Rosenvinge, and her Family" by Bent Østergaard and Kenneth V. Jørgensen) it is stated once and for all that there is nothing on her in police archives of that time. Or put another way: Karen Marie was neither a prostitute nor e.g. a criminal. In her person she was no disgrace to her family, except that she, being illegitimate, might be seen as a blot on their mother's character. However, she was a hard working washer woman, just like the mother of the siblings. Most likely young Karen Marie was sent out to work as a servant at the tender age of 9-10 years and even though she was very upset when she couldn’t have the address of her brother when he set out from his home to try his luck in Copenhagen she did not stalk him when he got famous and thus wealthier than anyone else in the family.
All she did was to propose to come to see him a few times when she was out of work or money. That is, her boyfriend or maybe husband, Peter Kaufmann, was the one whom the famous writer accepted to see, not his sister. Only once did she come and Hans Christian Andersen noted that she looked quite young and rather well-dressed.
The grave of Hans Christian Andersen
When Karen Marie was found dead in her rooms in 1846 she was buried in Assistens Kirkegården (: The Assistens Cemetary). This beautiful and interesting cemetary also was to become the last resting place of her brother when he died in 1875, but it is not known how their graves are positioned to each other. Many people still visit his grave, but as the location of hers has been forgotten nobody goes there. If I knew where it is I would visit it as I find that she has been wronged in so many ways.
(Ezine article, previously published, slightly revised)
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