Ole Lund Kirkegaard days

Orla Frog-Snatcher lived in Skanderborg
Ole Lund Kirkegaard, Denmark’s famous and muchloved children’s author, whose books have been translated into more than 20 languages, was born and raised in Skanderborg. More specifically in the white house on the corner of Sygehusvej and the former Møllegade which has now been renamed Ole Lund Kirkegaards Stræde.

In 1956, 16-year-old Ole Lund Kirkegaard left Skanderborg to go to school in Aarhus, but he never forgot his childhood and early teens in Skanderborg. And Skanderborg never forgot the author, who died in 1979.

In 1993, the author and journalist Peter Abildgaard, who lives in Skanderborg, wrote a book “Orla Frøsnapper boede da i Skanderborg”, in which he identifies the numerous connections and similarities between Ole Lund Kirkegaard’s boyhood in Skanderborg and the characters, events and scenarios described in his books.

There can be little doubt that a great many of the scoundrels and crazy personalities from Ole Lund Kirkegaard’s books are based on some of the people who populated Skanderborg in those days. People, characters and places which have inspired his wonderful stories.

“Sløngeldage” (Scoundrel days)
Funded by the Municipality of Skanderborg and other sponsors, a local society staged the so-called “Sløngeldage” event in Skanderborg in 2006. This involved three days of films, talks, processions, a market, exhibitions, competitions and the unveiling of a number of works of art and sites in Skanderborg which will remind citizens and visitors of Ole Lund Kirkegaard the storyteller and of the wonderful characters in his books.

The tangible results of Sløngeldagene 2006 are:

•    Gable painting at Ole Lund Kirkegaard’s childhood home by the society for the  beautification of gables in the town.

•    Two “dragon benches” by Karin Morsbøll and Ginette Wien.

•    The “crooked townhouse” inspired by the grocer’s house in Ole Lund Kirkegaard’s story about “Little Virgil”. The brick house, which was built by Palle Garly, Brdr. Thybo, is clad with handmade bricks from Falkenlöwe brickworks. The ceramicist Ginette Wien has supplied the many foundation stones and bricks.

•    Thirty-eight cast-iron plaques featuring characters and drawings from Ole Lund Kirkegaard’s stories have been designed and produced by GH Form and set into the pavements around Skanderborg.

•    Renaming the street Møllegade as Ole Lund Kirkegaards Stræde.

“Sløngeldagene” draws attention to Ole Lund Kirkegaard’s universe and works and is a three-day event held in June.