Hans Christian Andersen Center

HCA Center ProfileThe Hans Christian Andersen Center is a unit at the University of Southern Denmark. The center carries out research and courses and offers information regarding Hans Christian Andersen and subjects pertaining to his whole body of work. The centre was established in 1988.In the Native Town of Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the world-famous Danish author, whose work has been translated into almost 150 languages, was born in Odense - then Denmark´s second largest town, today the third largest. The first 14 years of his life were spent in this town, which provided him with subject matter for several of his fairy-tales, as well as for parts of novels, memoirs and plays. For this reason, the Hans Christian Andersen Center is ideally located at the University of Southern Denmark. In Odense you will also find the museums Hans Christian Andersen´s House and Hans Christian Andersen´s Childhood Home.The Subject Hans Christian Andersen

The extensive interest in Hans Christian Andersen, not only within Denmark but also internationally, encompasses both the man and the writer: His fairy tales (210 in total), autobiographies (3), travel journals (5), novels (6) etc., his personal connections with the arts, music and theatre of his time, and not least Andersen as the inspiration for recent children's literature and drawing, illustrators, puppet films, cartoons, movies, stage productions, ballets, operas etc. Also significant is the use of Hans Christian Andersen in the tourist industry.The Homepage

Texts, material and information, as well as bibliographical, historical and current references are available at the Hans Christian Andersen Center Web Site for a variety of users, who differ widely regarding culture, nationality and interest. Researchers, whether interested in Andersen as a writer for adults, for children or Andersen as a cultural-historical phenomenon, will be able to gather facts, inspiration and current information here, as will creative adaptors of HCA and those having a general interest.The Hans Christian Andersen Center Web Site is a pivotal point for the use of and information flow concerning Hans Christian Andersen.Staff

The center is staffed with 2 researchers (the director of studies Johan de Mylius, and research assistant Lars Bo Jensen) and 1 part-time secretary (Solveig Brunholm Ottosen).Niels Oxenvad, former director of the Odense City Museums, is an unsalaried visiting scholar. More about Oxenvads project: Current projects. Further reading about visiting scholars at http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/center/funktioner_e.html#visit.Moreover, there are students employed to assist in current projects and to function as instructors in ad-hoc teaching tasks. has been webmaster of the homepage of the centre since February 2000 and has contributed substantially to the technical solutions behind the revised homepage (2002).The center also regularly co-operates with Viggo Hjørnager Pedersen, Ph.d., who is a senior lecturer at the Institute of English/Centre for Research in Translation, University of Copenhagen and Aage Jørgensen, senior lecturer and Hans Christian Andersen bibliographer, from Mårslet, near Århus in Jutland.Functions

The Hans Christian Andersen Center operates locally, nationally and internationally.

Locally, the center services University of Southern Denmark internally (research, courses for students, assistance to other centres and institutes). The center also services the local community (Odense City / the Funen area: e.g. co-operation with Odense City Museums, assistance to schools, folk high schools, private organisations and other institutions).

On a national level, the center offers information and research pertaining to Hans Christian Andersen. Amongst those who draw upon these resources are for example publishing houses, the media, institutes of higher education, schools, folk high schools, research libraries, the Danish Language and Literature Society, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, public libraries, the Great Danish Encyclopaedia, private enterprises, tourist organisations as well as private individuals.

Internationally, the center carries out tasks for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (HCA-publications, material for promoting Denmark internationally), services embassies and consulate-generals, foreign publishing houses, motion picture producers, Danish lecturers in foreign countries, colleagues at universities and teachers´ training colleges around the world, and also private individuals.

Current Projects

Development of this Internet portal in cooperation with The Royal Library, The Museum Hans Christian Andersen´s House and H.C. Andersen 2005

Investigations of the lines of development and aesthetic qualities in the entire collection of HCA´s fairy-tales and stories.

Translation problems and the history of translation.

Scientific HCA publications in co-operation with DSL (the Danish Society of Language and Literature).

Publication of Hans Christian Andersen's correspondence with the Melchiors and Friederike Serre.

Further information:

http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/center/index_e.htmlH.C. AndersenHans Christian AndersenHCAHCA2005 - H.C. AndersenLife & Work - H.C. AndersenEducation - H.C. AndersenHCA2005 Foundation - H.C. AndersenVisitdenmark - H.C. Andersen

C.A. Jensen's portrait of H.C. Andersen 1836

The Hans Christian Andersen Center is a unit at the University of Southern Denmark. The center carries out research and courses and offers information regarding Hans Christian Andersen and subjects pertaining to his whole body of work. The centre was established in 1988.

In the Native Town of Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the world-famous Danish author, whose work has been translated into almost 150 languages, was born in Odense - then Denmark´s second largest town, today the third largest. The first 14 years of his life were spent in this town, which provided him with subject matter for several of his fairy-tales, as well as for parts of novels, memoirs and plays. For this reason, the Hans Christian Andersen Center is ideally located at the University of Southern Denmark. In Odense you will also find the museums Hans Christian Andersen´s House and Hans Christian Andersen´s Childhood Home.

The Subject Hans Christian Andersen

The extensive interest in Hans Christian Andersen, not only within Denmark but also internationally, encompasses both the man and the writer: His fairy tales (210 in total), autobiographies (3), travel journals (5), novels (6) etc., his personal connections with the arts, music and theatre of his time, and not least Andersen as the inspiration for recent children's literature and drawing, illustrators, puppet films, cartoons, movies, stage productions, ballets, operas etc. Also significant is the use of Hans Christian Andersen in the tourist industry.

The Homepage

Texts, material and information, as well as bibliographical, historical and current references are available at the Hans Christian Andersen Center Web Site for a variety of users, who differ widely regarding culture, nationality and interest. Researchers, whether interested in Andersen as a writer for adults, for children or Andersen as a cultural-historical phenomenon, will be able to gather facts, inspiration and current information here, as will creative adaptors of HCA and those having a general interest.

The Hans Christian Andersen Center Web Site is a pivotal point for the use of and information flow concerning Hans Christian Andersen.

Staff

The center is staffed with 2 researchers (the director of studies Johan de Mylius, and research assistant Lars Bo Jensen) and 1 part-time secretary (Solveig Brunholm Ottosen).

Niels Oxenvad, former director of the Odense City Museums, is an unsalaried visiting scholar. More about Oxenvads project: Current projects. Further reading about visiting scholars at http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/center/funktioner_e.html#visit.

Moreover, there are students employed to assist in current projects and to function as instructors in ad-hoc teaching tasks. has been webmaster of the homepage of the centre since February 2000 and has contributed substantially to the technical solutions behind the revised homepage (2002).

The center also regularly co-operates with Viggo Hjørnager Pedersen, Ph.d., who is a senior lecturer at the Institute of English/Centre for Research in Translation, University of Copenhagen and Aage Jørgensen, senior lecturer and Hans Christian Andersen bibliographer, from Mårslet, near Århus in Jutland.

Functions

The Hans Christian Andersen Center operates locally, nationally and internationally.

Locally, the center services University of Southern Denmark internally (research, courses for students, assistance to other centres and institutes). The center also services the local community (Odense City / the Funen area: e.g. co-operation with Odense City Museums, assistance to schools, folk high schools, private organisations and other institutions).
On a national level, the center offers information and research pertaining to Hans Christian Andersen. Amongst those who draw upon these resources are for example publishing houses, the media, institutes of higher education, schools, folk high schools, research libraries, the Danish Language and Literature Society, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, public libraries, the Great Danish Encyclopaedia, private enterprises, tourist organisations as well as private individuals.
Internationally, the center carries out tasks for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (HCA-publications, material for promoting Denmark internationally), services embassies and consulate-generals, foreign publishing houses, motion picture producers, Danish lecturers in foreign countries, colleagues at universities and teachers´ training colleges around the world, and also private individuals.

Current Projects

Development of this Internet portal in cooperation with The Royal Library, The Museum Hans Christian Andersen´s House and H.C. Andersen 2005
Investigations of the lines of development and aesthetic qualities in the entire collection of HCA´s fairy-tales and stories.
Translation problems and the history of translation.
Scientific HCA publications in co-operation with DSL (the Danish Society of Language and Literature).
Publication of Hans Christian Andersen's correspondence with the Melchiors and Friederike Serre.

Further information:

http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/center/index_e.html