Hans Christian Andersen
(1805-1870)

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The fairy-tale of Hans Christian Andersen's life -- the ugly duckling who became a literary swan -- began on the 2 April 1805, and Denmark is not letting his imminent 200th birthday go unremarked, knowing that Hans Christian Andersen belonged not just to Denmark, but to the world, and that his bicentenary should be celebrated internationally.

Andersen's fantastic writings have now reached even further than the author himself, who spent 10 of his 70 years abroad, visiting Iberia and Istanbul, Norway and Naples, a gigantic achievement in the 19th century, when travelling was lengthy, difficult, and filled with frightful dangers. 

Scott # 249

Scott # 555

Scott # 850

Scott # 574

• Denmark 1935.  The centenary of the first publications of the Fairy Tales by H.C. Andersen. Stamp from a set of six, of which the four show the portrait of the author in different colours and face values, and two show symbols of two of his fairy tales. Design by E. Utzon-Frank.  Engraved by Johs. Britze. 

• Denmark 1974.  H.C. Andersen's Childhood Home in Odense, Island of Funen.  The stamp is engraved by Czeslaw Slania. 

• Denmark 1988.  Odense Cathedral (Island of Funen), and in the front a statue of the city's great son, H.C. Andersen. 

• Denmark 1975.  Commemorative issue of H.C. Andersen at the occasion of his 100th death anniversary.  Photograph 1874 -- one year before his death -- by George E. Hansen.  Engraved by Czeslaw Slania. 

• Photograph of H.C. Andersen's Childhood Home in Odense, seen from another angle than the above stamp (Scott # 555). Scan © Ole Laasby for Post Denmark. 

H.C. Andersen was born under extremely poor conditions in the Danish town Odense (the Island of Funen) as the son of a shoe-maker and a washer-woman.  Because of his poor background he decided very early in life  to become "something", and today we must all admit that he achieved.  

To the left is shown a cover with a letter from H.C. Andersen to "Herr Kandidat William Bloch, Kjöbenhavn".  The handwriting is that of H.C. Andersen, as also shown on the image at the top of this page.

He suffered from an enormous complex of inferiority because of his characteristic profile, which made him believe that he was so ugly that nobody would ever want to marry him!  Consequently he never married, but had, nevertheless, countless girlfriends, among others the famous Swedish opera singer, Jenny Lind, known as "The Swedish Nightingale", whom he met in 1840.  Although she always called him "brother", he was hopelessly in love with her.  One of his fairy tales, The Nightingale, was inspired by their life long friendship.  In another tale, "Under the Willow Tree", (not illustrated on stamps) Andersen describes in allegorical form his childhood, youth and infatuation with Jenny Lind.  

Though he is best known for children's fairy tales, Andersen wrote other books.  His first, in 1831, "Shadow Picture of a Journey to the Harz Mountains and Saxony" is a vivid account of his first journey abroad.  Altogether Andersen made 29 journeys in Europe (never without a rope to save his life in case of fire!).  His early fairy tales, including "The Tinder Box, Thumbelina, and "The Princess and the Pea", were published in 1835 and brought him immortality.  

When he died at the age of 70 on 4th August 1875, one newspaper obituary wrote:  "Andersen knew how to strike chords that reverberated in every human heart". 

Scott # 1072

Scott # 916

Scott # 723

• Romania 1955.  H.C. Andersen. 
• Bulgaria 1955.  H.C. Andersen.
• Czechoslovakia 1955.  H.C. Andersen.  Scan by courtesy of Gerhard Batz (Germany).

Throughout his life Andersen wrote more than 300 fairytales, most of which have been translated into nearly any known language of  this world.  Further he was an acknowledged dramatist at the Danish National Theatre, as well as he wrote a few novels based on his rather detailed diaries from his travels, and a lot of poems to which world famous composers have created the music.  

In 1952 a movie about his life was released, starring the American movie actor Danny Kaye in the part of H.C. Andersen. The movie is a musical and fictional account of Andersen's life in which he, as a young shoemaker, discovers his talent for writing and tells several of his stories, including “Thumbelina” and “The Emperor's New Clothes.”.  Here is a quote from the movie:  

Andersen (to a customer in his cobbler shop): “I sometimes think that shoes have a life of their own. The ones that squeak don’t like to leave the shop, and the ones that hurt don’t like the person that’s wearing them.”   

Commemorating 100 years of cinema Danny Kaye has been pictured on an Israeli stamp, issued 1995.

• Israel 1995.  Cinema 100 years.  Danny Kaye, pictured together with Al Jolson, Marx Brothers, Peter Sellers and Simone Signoret.  Scott # 1253. 
• Israel 1995.  First Day Cover, cancelled on 14th December 1995 in Tel Aviv.

Please note that Danny Kaye has also been pictured on an entertainers set from Gambia (5th November 1988), showing Cary Grant, Danny Kaye, Yul Brynner, Laurel & Hardy, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rodgers, Marx Brothers and others.  Set of 8 + 2 souvenir sheets.  Sc. 768-77.  

Finally Danny Kaye has been pictured on a set of USA-entertainers, Grenada 1992, featuring Phil Silvers, Frank Sinatra, Jack Benny, Danny Kaye, Bob Hope and others.  The set contains 8 stamps + 2 souvenir sheets, Sc. 2083-92.  

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