Edvard Heinrich Møller was born november 14th 1841 in Copenhagen as a son
of bookbinder Nicolai Martin Christian Møller and his wife Anne Cathrine
Benedicte Jæchel. Heinrich (for unknown reasons he never used his first name Edvard)
was baptised juli 14th 1842, 8 month after the birth. 8 months was an
unusual long time period between birth and baptism. The high rate of infant mortality
caused that kids normally were baptised not more than 2-3 months after the birth.
Heinrich was baptised in Helligaands Kirken (the Church of the Holy Ghost)
in fact the same church in which the famous Danish philosopher Soeren Kierkegaard
was baptised in 1813.
Heinrich had to brothers Peter Martin Møller and Søren Frederik Vilhelm Møller
Furthermore he had two half-sisters Julie Eline Maria Møller and Frederikke
Emilie Møller. From 1844 it is possible to trace the address of the Møller
family and then watch when and where they moved around in Copenhagen. They were
in fact frequent movers, as quite normal for middle class people living in the
Danish capital during the 19th century. From the age of 5 until Heinrich
became 18 he lived in 6 different places. Many of the houses in which Heinrich
and his family lived during the 40's and 50's still exists. E.g. the family
had a flat in Lille Kirkestræde in 1845. Lille Kirkestræde is a small street
in the very center of the city of Copenhagen, close to the Church of Saint Niclaus.
The houses on this street are all beautifull new-classical buildings constructed
after the disastrous city fire in 1795.
The 1845 census shows that the family were still all together. A bookbinder
apprentice lived there too, and a maid was employed to do the troublesome
daily work. The bookbindery were most likely placed in one of the rooms in
the appartement.
Heinrich was trained as a bookbinder like his father. He started to train
in 1856 at the age of 15, shortly after confirmation, where most young people
finished school. A bookbinder apprenticed for 5 years, with hard work and
and a very low payment. Bookbinders worked from 6 AM to 8 PM during summertime
but in the winterperiod workhours shortened from 8 AM to 8 PM, "only"
12 hours. The lunch brake lasted however 2 hours, and during this time the apprentices
and the skilled workers could had lunch at home together with their families.
November the 14th 1860, at Heinrich's 19th birthday, Nicolai died from an accident. He
walked on a path close to an edge, when he suddenly lost his balance and fell
down the edge. Nicolai died instantly and no one could do anything to help him.
Nicolai was burried november the 19th from Trinitatis Church. The record
of Nicolai's belongings shows that he was nor wealthy, neither poor. The
most valuable belongings was the sheets and duvet cover. These things had
an estimated value of 30 RBD (=Rigsbankdaler) corresponding to 60 D.kr (or 10 $)
The bookbindery consisted of some bookbinding equipment and a table at the
value of 5 $!
Heinrich did not partcipate in the 1864 war against Preussia and Austria but
both of his older brothers did. Peter participated in the retreat from Dannevirke
and later on he fought in the battle of Sankelmark. Søren was captured during
the retreat and spent the most of the war in a prison camp. Heinrich did not
participate in the war because he was to young. In 1864 young men were drafted
at the age of 22, and Heinrich had gone 22 years the 14th november 1863 a few weeks
before the hostilities opened.
In 1861 the municipality of Copenhagen submited a tax record in which all the
tax payers were listed by name (not alphabetically but by housing address), income
and tax payment. Heinrich did not occur on the tax list but his mother did
(as the head of the family). Anne Cathrine's yearly income was 400 RBD
about 130 $. The income tax payed by Anne Cathrine was 75 cent! In 1870 Anne
Cathrine's income had increased to 1000 D.kr. (= 160 $).
According to the 1880 census Heinrich was still living at his mothers appartment
in Klareboderne 5, a small street close to Round Tower and Trinitatis Church.
Peter had been through a divorce so he too stayed in Klareboderne. Heinrich now
occurs in the tax records with a yearly income of 800 D.kr (=130 $). Peter
works as a trade clerk earning 1.200 D.kr, and Anne Cathrine income is 1.000 D.kr
The household income has amounted to 3.000 D.kr. a large income for a family
in 1880. From a position in the lower middle class the family is moving upwards
to the higher middle class.
The reason for this increasing wealth could be that Heinrich had entered as a partner
in the bookbinder shop, inherited by Anne Cathrine from her husband.
The prtnership became reality in 1877 when Heinrich received citizenship of Copenhagen.
He was now allowed to hire people in his bookbindery, and he was given the right to
vote for parliament!
At the age of 40 Heinrich was still an unmarried man, most likely living a quiet and
industrious life. But suddenly things changed. March the 14th 1882 Anne Cathrine
died, and april the 29th only 1½ month later (on his parrents wedding day)
he married the 20 year younger Betty Oline Cathrine Olsen. Through the next 9½ years they
had 5 children. Silence had been replaced by sounds of playing kids.
To be continued
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Last updated 24-9-1997.