Dates in the life of H.C.Andersen 
A short biography about Hans Christian Andersen Odense
| 1805 | (April 2) Born at Odense in the island of Funen (Fyn). |
| 1816 | Father, a shoemaker, dies. |
| 1819 | (Sept.6) Arrives, aged 14, in Copenhagen, the capital (‘to become famous’). |
| 1820 – 1822 | Pupil at the Royal Theatre’s schools of dancing and singing. |
| 1822 – 1827 | Grammar-school pupil at Slagelse and Elsinore on recommendation of the theatre board, including Jonas Collin, that he be given a chance to get an ‘education’.. |
| 1828 | Passes university entrance examination. |
| 1829 | Journey on Foot from Holmen’s Canal to the Eastern Tip of Amager (the real debut book, first edition published by author himself). |
| 1830 | At Fåborg, in his native island, he falls in love with ‘two eyes of brown’ (Riborg Voigt). |
| 1831 | Travels in Germany ( 02 ) (Harz Mountains). |
| 1833 – 1834 |
First major foreign travels (on two-year grant) to France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and, above all, Italy. In Rome, receives news of mother’s death. |
| 1835 | Success with novel The Improvisatore. First volume of Fairy Tales, told for Children, including ‘The Tinderbox‘ and ‘The Princess on the Pea’. |
| 1837 | Only a Fiddler. The novel makes his name known abroad, via Germany. |
| 1838 | Awarded annual ‘writer’s grant’.. |
| 1840 | First meeting with Jenny Lind. |
| 1840 – 1841 | Journey to Near East (Rome, Athens, Constantinople, up the Danube from the Black Sea to Vienna). |
| 1842 | Travel book A Poet’s Bazaar. |
| 1843 | Journey to Paris; meets Balzac, Dumas pere, Heinrich Heine, Victor Hugo, Lamartine, Alfred de Vigny and the actress Rachel. |
| 1845 – 1846 | ‘Success journey’ in Germany and Austria, Italy , France and Switzerland; planned visit to Spain prevented by ill health. |
| 1847 | First autobiography published by Lorck in Leipzig with title Das Märchen meines Lebens ohne Dichtung. ‘Success journey’ to England and Scotland. |
| 1849 | Extensive travels in Sweden. Travel book In Sweden published in 1851. |
| 1851 | Appointed titular professor. |
| 1855 | Extended autobiography published in Denmark as Mit Livs Eventyr (The Fairy Tale of My Life). |
| 1857 | Spends several weeks as guest of Charles Dickens. |
| 1862 – 1863 | Travels in Spain (with excursion to North Africa). Travel book In Spain published the same year. |
| 1866 | In Holland, France, Spain and Portugal. A Visit to Portugal 1866, published in 1868. |
| 1867 | Made honorary citizen of Odense; appointed titular councillor of state. Pays two visits to World Exhibition in Paris. |
| 1872 | Last tales published; among them “The Door-Key” and ‘Auntie’. |
| 1873 | Last journey abroad (Switzerland). |
| 1874 | Appointed titular conferenceråd (a high Danish title). |
| 1875 | Aug. 4. Dies of cancer of the liver at the Melchior’s villa near Copenhagen. His grave is in the Assistens Cemetery in Copenhagen. |
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Lars Bjørnsten Odense |
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