Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark, to a father who claimed to be related to nobility. After school, he worked as a weaver's apprentice and as a tailor's assistant. At 14, he moved to Copenhagen to be an actor, and was accepted into the Royal Danish Theatre. His career ended when his voice changed, and he decided to become a writer. He published his first story, The Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave, in 1822. An acquaintance paid all expenses to send him to grammar school in Slagelse. He also attended school at Elsinore until 1827. He later admitted that his school years were the darkest and bitterest of his life.
After school, Andersen resumed writing. In 1829, he started to see his first successes, publishing a short story, "A Journey on Foot from Holmen's Canal to the East Point of Amager", and a collection of poems. In 1833 he received a traveling grant from the King, and he set out to travel through Europe. He published his first novel, The Improvisatore, in 1835. He also published the first set of Fairy Tales, following up with more stories in 1836 and 1837. Although they were not initially successful, they have become his best-known works. He wrote a well-received poem, Jeg er en Skandinav, which celebrated Scandinavism, in 1839.
In 1857, following a visit to Charles Dickens in England, Andersen met Danish actor Lauritz Eckardt and Danish ballet dancer Harald Scharff in Paris. In 1860, he met them again in Bavaria, and the three of them spent a week in Munich together. Anderson fell in love with Scharff, and started corresponding with him when Scharff and Eckardt left Munich. They were united when Andersen returned to Copenhagen in 1862. Their affair lasted for over a year before it was ended by Scharff, and Andersen did not have another serious relationship.
In 1872, Andersen was injured in a fall, and he died of his injuries in 1875.
1,042 works Add another?
Most Editions | First Published | Most Recent
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Fairy Tales
298 editions - first published in 1846 Read -
Fairy tales and stories
143 editions - first published in 1850 Read -
Snedronningen
64 editions - first published in 1894 Borrow -
Grimme ælling
58 editions - first published in 1945 Borrow -
Tommelise
57 editions - first published in 1911 Borrow -
Kejserens nye klæder
44 editions - first published in 1900 Borrow -
Nattergalen
35 editions - first published in 1880 Read -
Standhaftige tinsoldat
29 editions - first published in 1900 Borrow -
Vilde svaner
27 editions - first published in 1863 Borrow -
Svinedrengen
18 editions - first published in 1920 -
Grantræet
15 editions - first published in 1960 Borrow -
Prindsessen paa ærten
15 editions - first published in 1978 Borrow -
Fyrtøjet
15 editions - first published in 1928 -
The improvisatore: or, Life in Italy
13 editions - first published in 1845 Read -
Improvisatoren
12 editions - first published in 1835 Read -
Cuentos de Andersen
12 editions - first published in 1984 -
Hans Christian Andersen
11 editions - first published in 1942 -
O. T. a Danish Romance
10 editions - first published in 1880 -
The Emperor and the Nightingale
10 editions - first published in 1940 Borrow -
Digters bazar: A Picturesque Tour in Germany, Italy, Greece, and the Orient
10 editions - first published in 1846 Read -
Pictures of Sweden
8 editions - first published in 1851 -
The two baronesses: a romance
8 editions - first published in 1848 -
Lille Claus og Store Claus
8 editions - first published in 1951 -
Le vilain petit canard
7 editions - first published in 1959 -
Billedbog uden billeder
7 editions - first published in 1844 -
El Traje Nuevo del Emperador
6 editions - first published in 1992 -
Poems: Syv digte
6 editions - first published in 1955 -
It's Absolutely True
6 editions - first published in 1944 -
Bilderbuch ohne Bilder: (What the moon saw)
5 editions - first published in 1864 Read -
Only a fiddler: a Danish romance
5 editions - first published in 1871 Read -
Den lille havfrue
5 editions - first published in 1955 -
En digters bazar
5 editions - first published in 1877 Read -
The little mermaid and other fairy tales
5 editions - first published in 1960 Borrow -
The complete Andersen: all of the 168 stories
5 editions - first published in 1949 -
Sämmtliche Märchen: einzige vollständige von Verfasser besorgte Ausgabe
4 editions - first published in 1800 Read -
Thumbelina (Thumbelina)
4 editions - first published in 1994 -
H.C. Andersens dagboeger 1825-1875
4 editions - first published in 1972 -
Den grimme ælling: eventyr
4 editions - first published in 1975 -
El Ruisenor
4 editions - first published in 1984 -
The Ice-Maiden and Other Tales
4 editions - first published in 2006 -
O.T.: a Danish romance
4 editions - first published in 1800 -
Andersen's Märchen
4 editions - first published in 1893 Read -
En brevveksling
4 editions - first published in 1948 -
Das hässliche Entlein: ein Märchen
4 editions - first published in 1971 -
Hans Christian Andersen's the Nightingale
4 editions - first published in 1965 -
Mit eget eventyr uden digtning
4 editions - first published in 1942 -
Le petit soldat de plomb
4 editions - first published in 1994 -
Die schönsten Märchen
4 editions - first published in 1997 -
Dagbøger 1825-1875
4 editions - first published in 1971 -
Contes
4 editions - first published in 1856 Read -
At være eller ikke være: a novel
4 editions - first published in 1857 Read -
Levnedsbog
4 editions - first published in 1926 -
Tales from Hans Christian Andersen
4 editions - first published in 1965 Borrow -
The mermaid man: the autobiography of Hans Christian Andersen.
4 editions - first published in 1955 -
Den standhaftige tinsoldat
3 editions - first published in 1962 -
LA Princesa Y El Guisante: cuento
3 editions - first published in 1982 -
Romaner og Rejseskildringer
3 editions - first published in 1943 -
Der standhafte Zinnsoldat: Ein Märchen.
3 editions - first published in 1960 -
Brevveksling med Jonas Collin den Aeldre: og andre medlemmer af detCollinske hus
3 editions - first published in 1945 -
Christine's Picture Book: Hans Christian Andersen and Grandfather Drewsen
3 editions - first published in 1984 -
Andersens Märchen: in neuer übersetzung
3 editions - first published in 1800 -
Das Märchen meines Lebens ohne Dichtung: eine Skizze
3 editions - first published in 1921 Read -
La Reina de Las Nieves
3 editions - first published in 1987 -
La petite sirène et autres contes
3 editions - first published in 1992 -
Les habits neufs de l'empereur
3 editions - first published in 1998 -
La Petite Sirene Et Autres Contes
3 editions - first published in 1977 -
I Spanien
3 editions - first published in 1863 Read -
The Little Tin Soldier
3 editions - first published in 1999 -
H. C. Andersens samlede skrifter ..
3 editions - first published in 1876 Read -
The Emperor's New Clothes
3 editions - first published in 1986 -
The white swans and other tales
3 editions - first published in 1870 Read -
The princess and the swineherd
3 editions - first published in 1972 -
De to Baronesser: original Roman i tre Dele. Andet Oplag.
3 editions - first published in 1849 Read -
![Childcraft [Volume 3]](http://covers.openlibrary.org/b/olid/OL24207421M-S.jpg)
Childcraft [Volume 3]
3 editions - first published in 1935 Borrow -
The Snow Queen and Other Tales: Ll & R
3 editions - first published in 1966 -
A treasury of Hans Christian Andersen
3 editions - first published in 1974 -
Andersen's Fairy Tales
3 editions - first published in 2004 Borrow -
The Little Mermaid Coloring Book
3 editions - first published in 1991 -
Thumbelina (Read It Yourself)
2 editions - first published in 1985 -
Princess/Based on Hans Christian Andersen's "the Princess and the Pea": Based on Hans Christian Andersen's "the Princess and the Pea
2 editions - first published in 1993 -
Hans Christian Andersen's Correspondence 1880
2 editions - first published in 2004 -
A visit to Portugal, 1866
2 editions - first published in 1972 -
The Improvisator or Life in Italy 1880
2 editions - first published in 2004 -
Rejsekammeraten
2 editions - first published in 1945 -
Steadfast Tin Soldier (Young Owl Book)
2 editions - first published in 1980 -
Uma visita em Portugal em 1866
2 editions - first published in 1971 -
Hans Christian Andersen's The Fir Tree
2 editions - first published in 1986 -
Den anden April: Udg. af H. Topsoe-Jensen.
2 editions - first published in 1971 -
Travels
2 editions - first published in 1999 -
A poet's day dreams
2 editions - first published in 1853 -
Snow Queen, The
2 editions - first published in 1987 -
Hans Christian Andersen, Volume 1: Fairy Tales and Folklore
2 editions - first published in 2005 -
The old house
2 editions - first published in 1984 -
LA Princesse Au Petit Pois
2 editions - first published in 2000 -
Contes merveilleux; Tome II
2 editions - first published in 2007 -
Cuentos de Hadas Para Ninos I
2 editions - first published in 1994 -
The Will-O-The-Wisps Are In Town, And Other New Tales
2 editions - first published in 2007 -
El Patito Feo/ the Ugly Duckling
2 editions - first published in 1995 -
Lykke-Peer
2 editions - first published in 1870 -
El Patito Feo
2 editions - first published in 1992
Hans Christian Andersen
Close
Subjects
Fairy tales,
Accessible book,
Danish Authors,
Fiction,
Description and travel,
Protected DAISY,
Translations into English,
Biography,
In library,
Children's stories, Danish,
Juvenile fiction,
Translations into Russian,
Folklore,
Travel,
Cuentos de hadas,
Diaries,
Correspondence,
Juvenile literature,
Ficción juvenil,
Nightingale,
Short stories,
Children's audiobooks,
Toys,
OverDrive,
Specimens
Places
People
H. C. Andersen (1805-1875),
Paul Durand artist,
Charles Dickens (1812-1870),
August Bournonville (1805-1879),
Bernhard Severin Ingemann (1789-1862),
Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844),
Carl Alexander Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1818-1901),
Collin family,
E. A. Lemann,
Goldilocks,
H. C. Andersen (,1805-1875),
H.C. Andersen (1805-1875),
Helge Gottlieb Topsøe-Jensen (1896-),
Henriette Wulff,
Horace E. Scudder,
Horace Elisha Scudder (1838-1902),
Jonas Collin (1840-1905),
Kate Greenaway (1846-1901),
Lina von Eisendecher,
Lucie Marie Ingemann (1792-1868),
Mathias Weber (1850-1933),
Signe Læssøe (1781-1870),
Valdemar Daa (1616-1691),
no,
the Moors
Links (outside Open Library)
Alternative names
- Hans Christian ANDERSEN
- Hans Christian Andersen
- ANDERSEN, H.C. (HANS CHRISTIAN), 1805-1875.
- HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
- ILLUS. PAUL HUNT HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
- Hans Christian, Andersen
- Hans christian Andersen
- Christian Hans Andersen
- Hans, Christian Andersen
- Hans-Christian Andersen
- Hans Andersen Christian
- Andersen Hans Christian.
- H. C. (Hans Christian) Andersen
- Andersen, H. C. (Hans Christian), 1805-1875.
- Hans Christian Anderson
- Hans Christian Andersen worth
- Trans. Erik Christian Haugaard Hans Christian Andersen
- The Brothers Grimm/ Hans Christian Andersen
- Hans Christain Andersen
- H. C. Andersen
History Created April 1, 2008 · 11 revisions
| August 29, 2011 | Edited by LA2 | Project Runeberg link |
| August 29, 2011 | Edited by LA2 | merge authors |
| November 20, 2010 | Edited by Alan Millar | fix names |
| November 20, 2010 | Edited by Alan Millar | merge authors |
| April 1, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | initial import |