Hans Christian Andersen i Sydney Australien

H.C. Andersen i Sydney Australien

Busten af H.C.Andersen i Observatory Hill Park i Sydney. Foto Lars Bjørnsten 3.nov. 2009

I en pragtfuld stille park på et højdedrag Observatory Hill med en strålende udsigt udover Sydney Harbour, Sydney Harbour Bridge og Jørn Utzons operahus og kun få minutters gang fra storbyens larm og menneskemylder finder vi H.C. Andersens buste om givet af grønne plæner og store træer.

Teksten på plinten med H.C. Andersens buste i Observatory Hill Park i Sydney. Frit oversat til dansk.

Den originale engelske tekst på plinten i Observatory Hill Park i Sydney.

Der var engang....

I 1955 skænkede den danske koloni i New South Wales i Australien en buste af Hans Christian Andersen til byen Sydney. Busten er udført af den australske skulptør Wendy Solling for at fejre 150 års dagen for digterens fødsel og placeret i Phillip Park i Sydney.

I 1984 var det planen at flytte busten til Wynyard Park, men til alles overraskelse forsvandt den. En verdensomspændende eftersøgning var heldig og og underretningerne lokaliserede den i forskellige steder, men men ingen af dem var troværdige og fjernelsen er i dag stadig en gåde.

Den nuværende plint og pladen med ordene af Dame Mary Gillmore er alt hvad der er tilbage af det original monument.

I 2004 skænkede den danske koloni i Australien denne buste for at den blive afsløret i 2005 i anledning af 200 års fødselsdagen. Den er er en kopi af den kendte skulptur skabt af den danske skulptør H. W. Bissen i 1865.

I 2005 er busten placeret i Observatory Hill Park ( i Sydney) spejdende udover havnen og over oceanerne til Danmark

Hans Christian Andersen var en historiefortæller for børn i alle aldre, ligesom han var journalist, tænker, romanforfatter og kunstner. Han er bedst kendt for sine smukke eventyr og hans identifikation med det uheldige og og udstødte gjorde ham til fader af det moderne eventyr.

Once upon a time...

In 1955, the Danish community of New South Wales donated a bust of Hans Christian Andersen by Australian sculptor Wendy Solling to the city of Sydney to commemorate the sesquicentenary of the author's birth. The bust was located in Phillip Park.

In 1984 plans were made to relocate the bust to Wynyard Park but to everyone's surprise, it was no longer there! A world-wide search was held, and reports located it in far-fetched places, but unfortunately none of them were true and the location remains a mystery to this day.

The plinth, and the plaque containing the quote by Dame Mary Gilmore are all that remain of the original monument..

In 2004, the Danish community in Australia commissioned this bust, to be presented for the 2005 bicentennial celebrations. It is a replica of the famous sculpture created by the Danish sculptor H.W. Bissen i 1865.

This 2005 bust is located within Observatory Hill Park looking towards the harbour and over the oceans to Denmark.

Hans Christian Andersen was a storyteller for children of all ages, as well as a journalist, thinker, novellist, and artist. He is best known for his beautiful tales, and his identification with the unfortunate and outcast made him the father of the modern fairytale.

" If ever a man preached justice and mercy

and love of humanity, it was he

he wrote for the man in the child

as no one else has ever done...

Dame Mary Gillmore"



Plinten med H.C. Andersens buste bærer desuden følgende indskrift: Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) This bust was unveiled on the 7th og March 2005 by HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark in the presence of The Lord Mayer of Sydney Clover Moore MP to celebrate the bicentenary of Hans Christian Andersen's birth.

Kulturminister Brian Mikkelsens tale ved afsløring af HC Andersen-statue
- Observatory Hill Sydney, 7. - Observatory Hill Sydney, 7. marts 2005 marts 2005

Frit oversat til dansk:

Your Royal Highnesses, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen… Deres Kongelige Højheder, Deres excellencer, mine damer og herrer ...

Jeg kan ikke udtrykke, hvor stolt jeg er for at være her i dag vidner til en afsløring af denne statue af den store danske digter Hans Christian Andersen på dette pragtfulde sted. I dag er en meget speciel dag for forbindelsen mellem de to lande, Australien og Danmark. Denne statue står for mig som et perfekt symbol på det kulturelle samarbejde mellem vores to lande. Som vi allerede har hørt blev denne statue erstattet af en, der gik tabt mere end 20 år siden. Den oprindelige statue blev opsat af det danske samfund i Sydney i 1955 i parken bag St Mary's Cathedral. Den originale statue forsvandt på mystisk vis i 1984 og er aldrig blevet fundet igen.

Forhåbentlig vil denne kulturelle udveksling, som er indledt af vores fælles ønske om at fejre en af verdens mest berømte forfattere fortsætte efter 2005. Både Danmark og Australien har så meget at give hinanden, og det vil være en fornøjelse for mig som kulturminister at være en del af en kulturel udveksling mellem vore lande. Naturligvis er denne statue ikke den første og det eneste symbol her i Sydney på de kulturelle bånd mellem vores to lande. Det storslåede Opera House, som vi netop har set, blev designet af den danske arkitekt Jørn Utzon. Jeg er sikker på, at hvis Hans Christian Andersen havde været her hos os i dag, ville have sat stor pris på, at hans buste er her som nabo til den vidunderlige bygning, der huser nogle af de ting Andersen elskede mest i hele sit liv - teater og musik. Jeg vil gerne sige en særlig tak til borgmesteren i Sydney, som har været en ekstraordinær støtte for at gennemføre dette projekt. Takket være borgmesteren har borgerne i Sydney nu mulighed for at besøge denne smukke Andersen-statue, som er en kopi skabt af den danske billedhugger Herman Wilhelm Bissen i 1864. Den oprindelige statue befinder sig i den danske by i Sønderborg. Sidst, men ikke mindst, vil jeg gerne rette en særlig tak til det danske samfund i Sydney, som har gjort et fantastisk arbejde med at skabe bånd mellem Danmark og Australien. For nogle af jer, der er til stede her i dag er det en endnu mere speciel dag, da det er anden gang, de er vidne til en afsløring af Hans Christian Andersen statuen i Sydney. Jeg er stolt af at være sammen med dig her på denne særlige dag. Jeg kan ikke udtrykke nok, hvor stolt jeg er for at være her i dag og være med til afsløringen af denne statue af den store danske digter Hans Christian Andersen på dette pragtfulde sted. I dag er en meget speciel dag for de bånd der er mellem de to lande, Australien og Danmark. Denne statue står for mig som et perfekt symbol på det kulturelle samarbejde mellem vores to lande.

Kulturminister Brian Mikkelsens tale ved afsløring af H.C. Andersen-statue
- Observatory Hill Sydney, 7. marts 2005

(Det talte ord gælder)

Your Royal Highnesses, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen…

I cannot express how proud I am to be here today witnessing the revelation of this statue of the great Danish poet Hans Christian Andersen at this magnificent location. Today is a very special day for the bond between the two countries Australia and Denmark. This statue stands for me as a perfect symbol of the cultural collaboration between our two countries.

As we have already heard, this statue replaces one, that was lost more than 20 years ago. The original statue was set up by the Danish Community in Sydney in 1955 in the park behind St Mary’s Cathedral. But the original statue mysteriously disappeared in 1984 and has never been found again.

The statue being revealed here today is the result of a fruitful collaboration between the Danish Community in Sydney and Sydney City Council. Hopefully this cultural exchange initiated by our common desire to celebrate one of the world’s most famous writers will continue beyond 2005. Both Denmark and Australia has so much to give and it will be a pleasure for me as Minister for Culture to be part of a cultural exchange between our countries.

Of course this statue is not the first and only symbol here in Sydney of the cultural bond between our two countries. The magnificent Opera House, which we have just left, was designed by the Danish architect Jørn Utzon. I am certain that Hans Christian Andersen, had he been here with us today, would have greatly appreciated that his image sits as neighbour to this wonderful building, which hosts some of the things Andersen cherished most throughout his life – theatre and music.

I would like to say a special thanks to the Mayor of Sydney, who has been an exceptional support in realizing this project. Thanks to the mayor, the citizens of Sydney now have the possibility to visit this beautiful replica of an Andersen statue made by the Danish sculptor Hermann Wilhelm Bissen in 1864. The original statue is situated in the Danish town of Sønderborg.

Last, but not least, I would like to say a special thanks to The Danish Community in Sydney which have done a fabulous work in creating bonds between Denmark and Australia. For some of you that are present here today, this is an even more special day, since this is the second time you are witnessing the revelation of a Hans Christian Andersen statue in Sydney. I am proud to be with you here on this special day

Alle foto: Lars Bjørnsten 3. november 2009