Rolighed (Østerbro)

Rolighed was a country house in what is now the Østerbro district of Copenhagen. As a regular guest of the Melchior family, Hans Christian Andersen died there in August 1875.^[1]

Rolighed after being rebuilt in 1869

History

Origins

Rolighed (the Danish word means "tranquility" or "calmness") built around 1800 as a one-storey house with a mansard roof in a large garden. The property was for a while owned by the military officer Johan Hendrik Hegermann-Lindencrone (1765–1849) and his wife Louise Hegermann-Lindencrone. They were known for hosting literary salons attended by some of the leading cultural figures of the Danish Golden Age.^[2] Johan Hendrik Hegermann-Lindencrone died at Rolighed in 1849.

Melchior family and Hans Christian Andersen

Jewish merchant Moritz G. Melchior and his wife Dorothea acquired it as a summer residence in the 1850s. In 1869, they had it completely rebuilt in the Dutch Renaissance or Christian IV style of Rosenborg Castle with a tower and rounded Dutch gables.^[3]

Andersen at Rolighed: Israel Melchior (c. 1867)

Moritz and Dorothea Melchior entertained a variety of famous guests from the late 1850s when the family business really began to prosper. The most famous of these were certainly Hans Christian Andersen who was a frequent visitor, first in their home on Højbro Plads then increasingly at Rolighed where, in 1866, he was given his own room with a balcony overlooking the Øresund.^[3]

Moritz' brother Israel, a keen amateur photographer, was also a frequent visitor. Andersen, who was interested in photography himself, and he became good friends with the result that Israel took many photographs of family gatherings at Rolighed together with Andersen.^[4][5]

Andersen had become increasingly ill after a fall in 1872. He relied increasingly on the care the Melchiors gave him, spending long periods at Rolighed. On 12 June 1875, he arrived there for the last time. A week later he was no longer able to write his diary which instead he dictated to the Melchiors and their children. At 11 a.m. on 4 August, he died peacefully in his bed.^[3]

Commemorative plaque

The house was demolished in 1898 to be replaced by today's apartment building. A plaque has been erected, commemorating Andersen's place of death. It contains two lines from a short poem by Andersen, testifying to his feelings for Rolighed:^[6][7]

Mit hjem i Hjemmet, hvor bag Hyldens Hang

mit Liv fik Solskin og min Harpe Klang

which can be translated into English as:

My home in the home, behind the elderflower

Gave sunshine to my life and made my harp ring

See also

• Israel B. Melchior
• Rosenvænget