Denmark's national radio writes on 9 October 2011 (translated)
Link (DK):
http://www.dr.dk/P4/Fyn/Nyheder/Odense/2011/10/09/110852.htm®ional
2-3000 to the funeral
On Saturday, October 7th
thousands of people joint an unusual funeral in the centre of Odense, Denmark.
The multi-artist Jens Galschiot drove his bronze statue on horse-drawn carriage
from Flakhaven (the Town Hall sq.) to the harbour, where it was ceremoniously
lowered into the water.
Saturday afternoon Jens Galschiot buried his Hans Christian Andersen statue
into the harbour of Odense.
Several thousands of people had turned up at Flakhaven (the Town Hall square)
to accompany the bronze statue to the harbour.
Here a crane lowered it into the water accompanied by horn music and speeches.
Finally, when the statue was in the water, only half of the head was sticking
out of the water.
But multi-artist Jens Galschiot was very pleased:
“It has been amazing with all these people and the popular support. Now
Hans Christian Andersen will just stay here until 2nd April. (the
storyteller's birthday)”
And many people supported wholeheartedly the project, among others, Karen
and Birthe Thrane“, who were not at all surprised by the large number of
people:
-
“In Copenhagen they have got The Little Mermaid. We should at least have a
Hans Christian Andersen here in Odense.”
Now the two ladies look forward to the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen. On
that day the bronze statue will be taken out of the water again and put back on
Flakhaven for one week, before returning to the water.
Whether the authorities will let it stay there until then is uncertain,
however, because the artist has not got any permission to throw it into the
harbor.
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See photos from the funeral procession
and drowning of Hans Christian Andersen in the harbour:
www.aidoh.dk/HCA2011
Contact the artist: +45 6618 4058, mobile +45 4044
7058
General info: www.aidoh.dk
Contact to the City Council of Odense:
+45 6613 1372