Hans Christiaan Andersen (Danish: Hans Christian Andersen). Danish: [hans kʁæsdjan ˈɑnɐsn̩]; April 2, 1805, Odense, Danish-Norwegian Union - August 4, 1875, Copenhagen, Denmark) was a Danish writer, author of world-famous fairy tales for children and adults: “The Ugly Duckling”, ‘The King's New Dress’, ‘Thumbelina’, ‘The Steadfast Tin Soldier’, ‘The Princess on the Pea’, ‘Ole Lukoye’, ‘The Snow Queen’, ‘The Little Mermaid’ and many others.
Andersen wrote 3,342 works, his works have been translated into about 125 languages and represent enduring lessons of virtue and life's resilience.
Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805, in Odense on the island of Funen. His father was a poor clog maker and his mother was a laundress from a poor family.He grew up a very nervous child, emotional and susceptible. At that time, physical punishment of children in schools was common, so the boy was afraid to go to a regular school, and his mother put him in a Jewish school, where physical punishment was not practiced.
At the age of 14, Hans decided to go to Copenhagen; his mother hoped that he would return home soon. When she asked the reason why he was leaving her and home, young Hans Christian immediately replied, “To become famous!”.Hans Christian was tall with elongated and thin limbs and neck and a long nose. Despite his ineffectual appearance, out of pity Hans Christian was accepted into the Royal Theater where he played minor roles. He was offered to study because of the kind treatment he received, seeing his desire. People who sympathized with the poor and sensitive young man interceded with King Frederick VI of Denmark, who allowed him to study at a school in the town of Slagels, and then at another school in Elsinore at the expense of the treasury. The pupils at the school were six years younger than Andersen. He later recalled the years of study at the school as the darkest period of his life, because of the fact that he was severely criticized by the rector of the institution and painfully worried about it for the rest of his life - he saw the rector in nightmares. In 1827 Andersen completed his studies. Until the end of his life, he made many spelling mistakes in his writing and never mastered spelling.
Andersen was not married and had no children. Suffered from neurasthenia.
In 1840 in Copenhagen he met a beautiful lady named Yenny Lind, an opera singer, and later in his personal diary made the entry “I love”.
In 1872, at the age of 67, Andersen fell out of bed, badly injured, and never recovered from his injuries again, although he lived for another three years. Soon Andersen showed signs of liver cancer. He died on August 4, 1875, at the home of friends near Copenhagen and was buried in the Assistens Cemetery in Copenhagen.
