Skagen kirkegårde

Sct. Laurentii Kirke

(Den Tilsandede Kirke)

Skagens ældste kirkegård lå omkring den tilsandede kirke og har været begravelsesplads for Skagen sogn i mere end 400 år. Den blev - som kirke - ødelagt ved sandflugten i slutningen af 1700-tallet. Som afløser for denne oprettedes i 1809 to kirkegårde, en i Højen og en i Skagen (Markvej).

Sct. Laurentii Church

(The Sand Buried Church)

Skagen's oldest cemetery was located around the Sand Buried Church and has been the burial place for Skagen parish for more than 400 years. Like the church, it was destroyed by the sandstorm at the end of the 18th century. To replace it, two cemeteries were established in 1809, one in Højen and one in Skagen (Markvej).

Højen Cemetery

was built at the same time as Skagen Cemetery in 1809. According to information from the Skagen Cemetery Office, the land was donated by beach commissioner and merchant Niels Peter Christensen, who is buried in Højen Cemetery.

According to the Lundholm Sørensen Archives, Niels Peter Christensen was born on 14 August 1797, and was therefore only 12-13 years old at the time mentioned!

According to C. Klitgård (p.232), the cemetery was opened on 17 November 1810, and the first body to be buried here was an enemy, namely the Swedish boat captain Niels Larsen from Skærhamn, who drowned in a shipwreck here.

The cemetery is still used by people mainly connected with Højen. The church bell is only used for burials. In the past, burials in Højen Cemetery took place from what was then the Mission House until about 1972, then from Skagen Church or the Cemetery Chapel.

Skagen Cemetery, Markvej

was established in 1809 to replace the cemetery at Den Tilsandede Kirke. In 1884 the cemetery was replaced by the Assistents Cemetery, as the water level was too high. The cemetery was re-established in 1979 and reused for lawn burials. In the southwest corner 8 rescuers from the Daphne shipwreck are buried. There are many old stones and maps in the cemetery from before 1884.

Skagen Cemetery soon became too small - it was also used by the residents of the rural parish - and another place had to be found for burials. Immediately south of Skagen cemetery there was a high dune area which was found to be suitable. The dunes were planned, the site fenced off and the beginnings of Skagen Assistents Cemetery were made.

Skagen Assistens Kirkegård

Den første begravelse på Skagen Assistens Kirkegård fandt sted den 26. oktober 1884. Det var besætningen fra den strandede svenske skonnert "Siri".

Et jernkors umiddelbart øst for kunstnergraven viser stedet. Graven lå dengang i kirkegårdens nordvestre hjørne.

Siden er kirkegården udvidet flere gange - sidst i 1981 - og dækker nu et areal på 60.000 m²

Skagen Assistants Cemetery

The first burial at Skagen Assistents Cemetery took place on 26 October 1884. It was the crew of the stranded Swedish schooner "Siri".

An iron cross immediately east of the artists' grave shows the site. The grave was then located in the northwest corner of the cemetery.

Since then, the cemetery has been extended several times - most recently in 1981 - and now covers an area of 60,000 m2

Kapellet, Chr. X.s Vej 30

Allerede i 1916 var bygning af kapellet på byrådets dagsorden, men realiserinegn trak ud og blev yderligere besværliggjort, da murermester Jensen, som havde entreprisen, pludselig forlod byen.

Men i foråret 1923 blev kapellet, tegnet af arkitekt Ulrik Plesner, taget i brug. Det gamle kapel lå på skolemarken ved siden af kirkegården og blev derefter anvendt som brandstation, men er efter etableringen af byparken nu nedrevet.

Den første, som blev begravet fra det nye kapel, var den 65-årige Sophie Christensen Ottesen, som døde den 2. december 1923 og var gift med fisker Poul Ottesen.

I dag (2022) foregår de fleste bisættelser fra kapellet, dog benyttes kirken, hvis der forventes et ekstra stort følge. Kilde: Hans Nielsen, Plesner i Skagen

The Chapel, Chr. X.s Vej 30

Already in 1916 the construction of the chapel was on the agenda of the city council, but the realisation was delayed and further complicated when the master mason Jensen, who had the contract, suddenly left the city.

But in the spring of 1923 the chapel, designed by architect Ulrik Plesner, was put into use. The old chapel was located on the school grounds next to the cemetery and was then used as a fire station, but has now been demolished following the establishment of the city park.

The first person to be buried from the new chapel was 65-year-old Sophie Christensen Ottesen, who died on 2 December 1923 and was married to fisherman Poul Ottesen.

Today (2022), most funerals take place from the chapel, although the church is used if an extra large crowd is expected. Source: Hans Nielsen, Plesner in Skagen

Urnefællesgraven

Umiddelbart nord for kapellet ligger urnefællesgraven.

Common Grave

Immediately north of the chapel is the common grave (Urns).

5. De Blev Derude

Lige nord for kapellet er et monument, rejst 1948 til minde om de, der blev derude og ikke fandt en grav på det faste land. Skulpturen forestiller en synkende fiskekutter og rundt om på sokkelen står navnene på de søfolk som er druknet og aldrig fundet fra 1862 til i dag.

Havet er Skagens eksistensgrundlag, men er også en hård og ubønhørlig nabo.

Når man tænker på den karrige jordbund og den barske blæst, forbavses man over den frodighed og skønhed, der hviler over dette fredlyste sted. Den første, der er nævnt er Thomas Pedersen, som druknede ved redningsforsøg på briggen Daphne.

Monumentet ajourføres løbende, hvis ulykken igen er ude.

Monumentet er udført af billedhugger Sven Bovin

5. They stayed Out There

Just north of the chapel is a monument, erected in 1948 in memory of those who stayed out there and did not find a grave on the mainland. The sculpture depicts a sinking fishing boat and around the base are the names of the sailors who drowned and were never found from 1862 to the present day.

The sea is Skagen's livelihood, but it is also a harsh and unforgiving neighbour.

When you think of the barren soil and the harsh winds, you are amazed at the lush beauty of this peaceful place. The first to be mentioned is Thomas Pedersen, who drowned while attempting to rescue the brig Daphne.

The monument will be updated if there is another accident.

The monument was made by sculptor Sven Bovin

Unknown Seamen

The very simple tomb has an equally simple tombstone with the engraved text "Unknown Men of the Sea, but Known to God"

7. Engelske flyvere fra 1945

Tæt på mindesmærket for tyskerne ligger de 7 britiske grave.

Et stykke fra det tyske mindesmærke langs en af de brede gyder ligger graven for en allieret flybesætning på 4 personer og en handelsmatros, som alle døde under 2. verdenskrig og er fundet døde på havet omkring Skagen. Denne grav er dekoreret med en ødelagt propel fra et fly.

Andet sted på kirkegården langs en af de store gange kan man finde gravsted for 4 allierede flybesætningsmedlemmer og en sømand fra handelsflåden, der alle omkom under 2. verdenskrig og er fundet i havet ved Skagen. Dette gravsted er udsmykket med en havareret flypropel.

7. British air pilots from 1945

Near the memorial to the Germans are the 7 British graves.

A short distance from the German memorial, along one of the wide alleys, is the grave of an Allied air crew of 4 and a merchant seaman, all of whom died during World War II and were found dead at sea around Skagen. This grave is decorated with a broken propeller from an aircraft.

Elsewhere in the cemetery along one of the main aisles is the grave of 4 Allied aircrew and a merchant seaman who all perished during World War II and were found in the sea around Skagen. This grave is decorated with a wrecked aircraft propeller.

9. Britiske mariner 1916

Søslaget ved Jylland foregik 31. maj og 1. juni 1916. Slaget var det første og eneste totale slagskib-søslag under 1. verdenskrig mellem den tyske og den britiske flåde. Efter søslaget hævdede begge sider at have vundet.

I den engelske grav fra 1. verdenskrig er endvidere begravet en ung mariner, Ronald Mcintosh, 19 år gammel, der omkom ved et ulykkestilfælde, da det engelske slagskib "Rodney" besøgte Skagen sommeren 1938. "Rodney" var et meget stort skib - det lå på reden - og havde en 1300 mands besætning, deriblandt en præst. Han blev begravet med fuldt militærhonnør - hornorkester, som man havde med om bord og geværsalut over graven - en søndag eftermiddag i øsende regn.

9. British Marines 1916

The Battle of Jutland took place on 31 May and 1 June 1916. The battle was the first and only all-out naval battle of World War I between the German and British fleets. After the battle, both sides claimed victory.

Also buried in the British World War I grave is a young Marine, Ronald Mcintosh, 19, who died in an accident when the British battleship "Rodney" visited Skagen in the summer of 1938. The "Rodney" was a very large ship - it was lying on its nest - and had a crew of 1300, including a priest. He was buried with full military honours - a bugle band carried on board and a gun salute over the grave - on a Sunday afternoon in pouring rain.

Historien om Speed og Johan Olaf Dahler

Hans Chr. Ruth var opsynsmand ved redningsstationen i Gl. Skagen og hans hustru Emma var ansat på Jeckels badehotel. Efter uoverensstemmelser med fru Jeckel i forbindelse med Emmas mors sygdom og død i København får samarbejdet en brat afslutning. Familien Ruth tager derfor i 1904 det første skridt og åbner for sommergæster på "Badepensionatet Vesterhus".

Redningsaktionen

Den 30. januar 1909 blæser det en nordøsten orkanagtig snestorm og bølgerne ved kysten er meter høje. Strandvagterne er sendt afsted på udkig og ved 9-tiden om aftenen bemærker de et sejlskib som er tæt på revlerne, og en stranding er uundgåelig. Strandvagten telefonerer fra nærmeste alarmeringsstation til redningsstationen i Gl. Skagen, hvor Hans Christian Ruth er opsynsmand.

Det var briggen ”Speed” af Sandefjord som var, tom, på vej fra Goole (Hull) i England til Frederiksstad i Norge.

Raketapparaterne blev læsset på vogne og kørt gennem ufremkommelig klitter, for det var umuligt at køre på stranden, hvor bølgerne slog helt op til klitterne. Af samme grund brugte man ikke redningsbåden i Gl. Skagen, men en vestligere placeret redningsbåd, som man 4 gange forsøgte at sætte ud, men den høje sø slog den gang på gang tilbage. Der blev tilkaldt assistance fra de tilstedeværende fisker, hvor af en var nær blevet knust under båden.

Det lykkedes at sætte båden ud i vindsiden (luvart) af ”Speed”, hvis 8 mand store besætning havde surret sig fast i rigningen. Man kastede anker, men strømmen var forstærk og redningsbåden drev forbi briggen og måtte sættes i land igen længere nede af kysten, køres tilbage til vindsiden og sættes ud igen.

Klokken var nu elleve og man tilkaldte nu assistance fra redningsbåden i Kandestederne. Raketapparaterne var nu endelig fremme efter en hård tur gennem klitterne. Første raket nåede ikke ud til skibet på grund af vinden. Det gjorde den anden, men besætningen og mandskabet i land formåede ikke at holde linen på grund af den stærke strøm, så man måtte opgive at anvende redning ved raketapparater.

Man tilkaldte nu også Skagens redningsbåd, ligesom man tidligere havde tilkaldt redningsbåden fra Kandestederne.

Igen forsøger man at transportere redningsbåden til vindsiden langs stranden, men den kører fast og må efterlades på stranden og mændene bringes i sikkerhed i klitterne ved hjælp af tove.

Spirbakkens redningsbåd nåedes trods en hård og besværlig transport op mod den hårde snestorm, frem til strandingstedet kl. 1.30 om natten. Mandskabet fra Gl. Skagen redningsbåd tilbød at gå ud med Spirbakkens båd, da de nu kendte forholdende derude. En enkelt mand var dog så udmattet at han blev erstattet af en mand fra Kanderstedernes mandskab.

Ved fælles hjælp blev båden bragt flot, og der blev kæmpet hårdt for at komme ud til de stakkels søfolk, som de kunne høre råbe om hjælp. Men heller ikke denne gang lykkedes det og kl. 3 om morgenen, måtte man igen søge i land.

Et sidst forsøg blev gjort, men det var vanskeligt at komme over revlerne og flere årer knækkede i forsøget. Der kom nu bud, at det strandede skib var begyndt at splittes og alle 8 søfolk blev kastet i havet iført redningsveste, hvorfor de hurtigt drev i land, hvor lokale stod klar til at tage i mod dem. De dannede kæder og fik de livløse mennesker op på stranden, hvor man forsøgte at få liv i dem, men forgæves.

Johan Olaf Dahler

Kun én mand var i live, nemlig skibets 1. styrmand Johan Olaf Dahler som hurtigt blev kørt hjem til tilsynsmanden Hans Christian Ruths hjem i Gl. Skagen, hvor han sov i 16 timer. Det fortælles, at da han vågner og ser en gammel mand med hvidt skæg som våger over ham, tror at han er død og udbryder: ”Er du Sankt Peter?”

Johan Olaf plejes kærligt af husets datter Dagmar og sød romantik opstår..... Men Dagmar er på dette tidspunkt blot 16 år og Johan Olaf tager igen på havet - efter kraftige formaninger fra farmand Ruth! Han lover dog at komme tilbage, han holder sit løfte overfor Dagmar og i 1912 gifter Dagmar og Johan Olaf sig.

Johan Olaf får nu sin daglige gang hos Gl. Skagens redningsstation, hvor Hans Christian nu er daglig leder, og deltager derudover i de mange opgaver på Ruths Hotel som nu er blevet udvidet.

I 1917 får Dagmar og Johan Olaf muligheden for selv at blive hotelejere. De køber Strandhotellet - nabohotel til Ruths Hotel - som Fru Marie Schmidt Kristensen havde bygget i 1910. Senere overtager de også driften af Ruths Hotel. I mere end 60 år indtager "Mama Dahler", som Dagmar elskværdigt blev kaldt af familie såvel som lokale samt af gentagende sommergæster, en central rolle i Gl. Skagen idyllen.

Ved hendes død i 1974 blev ejerskabet af hotellerne splittet op. De to hoteller er i dag, takket være Jørgen Phillip-Sørensen, igen under samme tag. Det historiske og karismatiske Strandhotellet Gl. Skagen hedder nu Ruths Strandhotel.

(Kilde: Ruths Hotel m.fl.)

The story of Speed and Johan Olaf Dahler

Hans Chr. Ruth was a supervisor at the rescue station in Gl. Skagen and his wife Emma was employed at Jeckels Badehotel. After disagreements with Mrs Jeckel in connection with Emma's mother's illness and death in Copenhagen, the partnership comes to an abrupt end. In 1904, the Ruth family takes the first step and opens the "Badepensionatet Vesterhus" for summer guests.

The rescue

On 30 January 1909, a north-easterly hurricane-like snowstorm blows and the waves on the coast are metres high. The lifeguards are sent out to look and at 9 o'clock in the evening they notice a sailing ship close to the reefs and a stranding is inevitable. The lifeguard calls from the nearest alarm station to the rescue station in Gl. Skagen, where Hans Christian Ruth is the supervisor.

It was the brig "Speed" of Sandefjord which was, empty, on its way from Goole (Hull) in England to Frederiksstad in Norway.

The rockets were loaded on wagons and driven through impassable dunes, for it was impossible to drive on the beach, where the waves beat right up to the dunes. For the same reason the lifeboat was not used in Gl. Skagen, but a more westerly located lifeboat, which they tried to launch 4 times, but the high sea knocked it back time after time. Assistance was called in from the fishermen present, one of whom was nearly crushed under the boat.

The boat was successfully launched into the windward side of the "Speed", whose crew of 8 had lashed themselves to the rigging. Anchors were dropped, but the current was strong and the lifeboat drifted past the brig and had to be put ashore again further down the coast, driven back to the windward side and put out again.

It was now eleven o'clock and assistance was called from the lifeboat at Kandestederne. The rockets had now finally arrived after a tough trip through the dunes. The first rocket did not reach the ship because of the wind. The second did, but the crew and shore crew were unable to hold the line due to the strong current, so rescue by rocket apparatus had to be abandoned.

The Skagen lifeboat was also called in, just as the lifeboat from Kandestederne had been called in earlier.

Again an attempt was made to transport the lifeboat to the windward side of the beach, but it ran aground and had to be left on the beach, the men being brought to safety in the dunes by rope.

The Spirbakkens lifeboat, despite a hard and difficult transport up against the heavy snowstorm, reached the stranding site at 1.30 am. The crew from Gl. Skagen lifeboat offered to go out with Spirbakkens boat, as they now knew the conditions out there. However, one man was so exhausted that he was replaced by a man from the Kandersteder crew.

By common help the boat was brought afloat, and a hard struggle was made to get out to the poor sailors, whom they could hear crying for help. But again they were unsuccessful, and at 3 o'clock in the morning they had to search ashore again.

A last attempt was made, but it was difficult to get over the reefs and several oars broke in the attempt. Word now came that the stranded ship had begun to split and all 8 sailors were thrown into the sea wearing life jackets, so they quickly drifted ashore where locals were standing by to receive them. They formed chains and got the lifeless people onto the beach, where attempts were made to revive them, but to no avail.

Johan Olaf Dahler

Only one man was alive, the ship's first mate Johan Olaf Dahler, who was quickly taken home to the home of the supervisor Hans Christian Ruth in Gl. Skagen, where he slept for 16 hours. It is said that when he wakes up and sees an old man with a white beard watching over him, he thinks he is dead and exclaims: "Are you Saint Peter?"

Johan Olaf is lovingly cared for by the house's daughter Dagmar and sweet romance occurs..... But Dagmar is only 16 at this point and Johan Olaf sets sail again - after strong admonitions from his grandfather Ruth! However, he promises to return, he keeps his promise to Dagmar and in 1912 Dagmar and Johan Olaf marry.

Johan Olaf now has his daily routine at Gl. Skagen's rescue station, where Hans Christian is now the daily manager, and also takes part in the many tasks at Ruth's Hotel, which has now been expanded.

In 1917 Dagmar and Johan Olaf have the opportunity to become hotel owners themselves. They buy the Strandhotel - the hotel next door to Ruth's Hotel - which Mrs Marie Schmidt Kristensen had built in 1910. Later, they also take over the running of Ruth's Hotel. For more than 60 years, "Mama Dahler", as Dagmar was affectionately called by family and locals alike, as well as by repeat summer guests, plays a central role in Gl. Skagen idyll.

On her death in 1974, ownership of the hotels was split. Today, thanks to Jørgen Phillip-Sørensen, the two hotels are once again under the same roof. The historic and charismatic Strandhotellet Gl. Skagen is now called Ruths Strandhotel.

(Source: Ruths Hotel and others)

13. Første begravelse 1884, "Siri" 6 sømænd

Den første begravelse her fandt sted den 26. oktober 1884. Graven lå dengang i det nordvestlige hjørne. Et jernkors umiddelbart øst for kunstnergravene viser stedet, hvor de 6 sømænd fra den strandede svenske skonnert "Siri" lå.

Den svenske skonnert Siri fra Bergkvara syd for Kalmar med skipper Erik Petterson var på vej fra Hull til Ystad lastet med stenkul, da den undervejs blev læk og i 4 dage holdtes på pumperne indtil den natten til 18. oktober 1884 strandede ud for Gammel Skagens redningsstation.

Fra skibet blussedes kl. 5, men besætningen var tilsyneladende ikke opmærksom på, at hjælp var på vej, for snart inddrev skibets 2 joller, nogle kister med tøj og en tavle med optegnelser til skibsjournalen senest ført kl. 4, da Skagen Fyr var i sigte.

Samme eftermiddag fandtes i strandkanten vest for Gl. Skagen liget af en ubekendt ca. 40-årig sømand, antagelig fra besætningen. I dagene 20.-23. oktober fandtes yderligere 5 lig, deraf 3 i fiskernes vod og hvoraf den ene formodes at have heddet Carl Baastad og muligvis var nordmand. De omkomne begravedes 26. oktober på Skagens kirkegård med deltagelse af 6-700 mennesker. Kilde: Ribewiki.dk

13. First burial 1884, "Siri" 6 sailors

The first burial here took place on 26 October 1884. The grave was located in the northwest corner. An iron cross immediately east of the artists' graves shows the place where the 6 sailors of the stranded Swedish schooner "Siri" lay.

The Swedish schooner Siri from Bergkvara south of Kalmar with skipper Erik Petterson was on her way from Hull to Ystad loaded with coal when she leaked on the way and was kept on the pumps for 4 days until she ran aground off Gammel Skagen's rescue station on the night of 18 October 1884.

The ship sounded at 5am, but the crew were apparently unaware that help was on the way, for soon the ship's 2 dinghies, some chests of clothes and a board with records for the ship's log were recovered by 4am, when Skagen Lighthouse was in sight.

That same afternoon, a ship was found on the shore west of Gl. Skagen the body of an unknown seaman of about 40 years of age, presumably from the crew. In the days 20-23 October, five more bodies were found, three of them in the fishermen's raft, one of which is presumed to have been named Carl Baastad and possibly a northerner. The deceased were buried on 26 October in Skagen cemetery with 6-700 people in attendance. Source: Ribewiki.dk

14. Tyske mariner 1895

Torpedobåd S 41 Jammerbugt 1895

En eskadre af 16 tyske torpedobåde var 28. august 1895 i stormvejr på øvelse i Nordsøen ud for Jammerbugt, hvor S 41 kæntrede og øjeblikkelig sank, så de 13 under dæk værende ikke havde en chance for at komme ud og de gik under med skibet. Kun de 3 mand på dækket, deriblandt chefen, slyngedes i vandet og reddedes alle levende op.

Ligene af flere af de omkomne fandtes en måneds tid senere på Karred og Starholm forstrand (Strande i Hulsig ved Skagen) og begravedes på Skagen Assistens kirkegård, hvor der opstilledes en mindesten. Kilde: Ribewiki.dk

14. German Marines 1895

Torpedo boat S 41 Jammerbugt 1895

A squadron of 16 German torpedo boats was on exercise in the North Sea off Jammerbugt in stormy weather on 28 August 1895, when S 41 capsized and immediately sank, leaving the 13 below deck no chance of getting out and they went down with the ship. Only the 3 men on deck, including the captain, were thrown into the water and all were rescued alive.

The bodies of several of the dead were found a month later on Karred and Starholm foreshore (beaches in Hulsig near Skagen) and buried in Skagen Assistens cemetery, where a memorial stone was erected. Source: Ribewiki.dk

Erik, Ane og Hulda Brøndum

Anna Anchers forældre og den ene søster er ikke begravet i Kunstnergravene, men lidt længere øster.

Erik Brøndum

I 1846 blev han gift med Ane Hedvig Møller og deres vilkår var vanskelige de første mange år. En truende fallit 1850 blev afværget af hans svigerfar, Søren Møllebygger, og i 1861 fik han hvervet som overformynder. I 1859 fik han tillige borgerskab som gæstgiver, og under hans ledelse og med hustruens og tre børns (Chresten Degn, Marie og Hulda) indsats voksede Brøndums Gæstgivergård i takt med kunstnerkolonien i Skagen.

Se mere om Erik Brøndum her

Ane Brøndum

Stedets fattige gik ikke forgæves til fru Brøndum. Hun var dybt religiøs og sluttede sig sammen med tre af sine døtre til Indre Mission (Agnes, Marie og Hulda).

Samtidig accepterede hun datteren Annas engagement i den kulturradikale kunstnerkreds og sønnernes (Degn og Jon) til tider udsvævende liv.

Omkring år 1900 trak hun sig tilbage og overlod hotellets drift til børnene. Hun trak sig til den blå stue, hvor hun klædt i hvide kapper og sjaler tilbragte tiden med bibellæsning og skrivning.

Se mere om Ane Brøndum her

Hulda Brøndum

Efter moderens død overtog hun ansvaret for Brøndums Hotels køkken. Af sind var hun mildere end søsteren Marie (som havde ansvaret for hotellets personale), værdsat af mange, også udenfor den nærmeste familie.

Hun levede et langt liv uden en sygedag. Da hun "omsider" - i 1935 - fik lungebetændelse, gik der otte dage, før man fik lov til at sende bud efter lægen. Selv med høj feber passede hun sine ænder.

Se mere om Hulda Brøndum her

Erik, Ane and Hulda Brøndum

Anna Ancher's parents and one sister are not buried in Kunstnergravene, but a little further east.

Erik Brøndum

In 1846 he married Ane Hedvig Møller and their circumstances were difficult for the first many years. A threatened bankruptcy in 1850 was averted by his father-in-law, Søren Møllebygger, and in 1861 he was appointed as head guardian. In 1859 he was also granted citizenship as a host, and under his leadership and with the efforts of his wife and three children (Chresten Degn, Marie and Hulda), Brøndum's host farm grew in step with the artists' colony in Skagen.

Read more about Erik Brøndum here

Ane Brøndum

The poor of the place did not go in vain to Mrs Brøndum. She was deeply religious and joined the Inner Mission with three of her daughters (Agnes, Marie and Hulda).

At the same time, she accepted her daughter Anna's involvement in the radical cultural circle of artists and the sometimes extravagant lives of her sons (Degn and Jon).

Around 1900 she retired and left the running of the hotel to her children. She retired to the Blue Room, where, dressed in white robes and shawls, she spent her time reading the Bible and writing.

Read more about Ane Brøndum here

Hulda Brøndum

After her mother's death, she took charge of the Brøndums Hotel kitchen. In spirit she was milder than her sister Marie (who was in charge of the hotel staff), appreciated by many, even outside the immediate family.

She lived a long life without a day's illness. When she "finally" - in 1935 - contracted pneumonia, it took eight days before they were allowed to send for the doctor. Even with a high fever she looked after her ducks.

Read more about Hulda Brøndum here