Hans Christian Andersen's manuscripts and letters are being digitised
Royal Danish Library has received DKK 5.8 million from the A.P Moller Foundation to digitise H. C. Andersen's lesser-known manuscripts and letters.
Photo: Det Kgl. Bibliotek
Published 27 June 2025 | Revision 21 July 2025
Royal Danish Library has received a generous donation of DKK 5.8 million from the A.P. Moller Foundation. The fund support will go towards the digitisation of our extensive collection of lesser-known original works and letters from Hans Christian Andersen.
Hans Christian Andersen is known for his timeless fairy tales, but his literary legacy also includes a treasure trove of manuscripts, letters, diaries and personal notes. These documents are unique sources of insight into the man behind the fantastic tales. While his fairy tales have already been digitised, other parts of his writing have been less accessible to the public.
- We are very grateful to have received this support from the A.P. Moller Foundation. H. C. Andersen's writings and fantastic fairy tales mean a lot to the Danes - we hear them as children, learn about them in school, et cetera. The fact that Royal Danish Library can now bring H. C. Andersen's manuscripts and letters to a wider audience is therefore also of great importance for how we can further communicate our cultural heritage. We look forward to sharing H. C. Andersen's treasures with the public
, says Chief Executive of Royal Danish Library, Bente Skovgaard Kristensen.
We look forward to sharing H.C. Andersens treasures with the public.
The digitisation project, which begins on 1 September, 2025, will ensure that the historical documents are preserved for the future and provide users with easy access to the materials online. The project also includes pilot studies that will explore the possibilities of automatic transcription and advanced image analysis, as well as the collection of metadata to facilitate navigation in the collection.
A total of 26,260 pages will be digitised, which will open up a deeper understanding of H. C. Andersen's working methods and contribute to a new standard for future digitisation projects.
We look forward to communicating the fairy tale poet's life and work through exhibitions and letter performances. And we look forward to sharing Hans Christian Andersen's treasures with the public and to strengthening awareness of one of Denmark's most significant cultural figures.