BIBIANA, the International House of Art for Children in Bratislava, organised a week in April to celebrate the writings of Hans Christian Andersen, the world-renowned writer of children’s books. The week from April 17 to April 22 was also part of a Danish-Slovak project that celebrated the Danish presidency of the European Union.
During the week several of the author’s famous fairy tales were presented such as The Ugly Duckling, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Emperor’s New Clothes and Thumbelina, as well as the screening of s Danish movie called Wild Swans that was inspired by another famous Andersen fairy tale. The stage and costume designs were made by Her Majesty Queen Margaret II of Denmark.
Another part of Andersen Week in Bratislava exhibited a wide selection of poems, stories and travelogues from this prolific writer at the City Library, as well as his fairy tales. All the books in the exhibition show the elaborate illustrations accompanying his writings and show that Andersen’s books were translated into many different languages, including Galician, Lusatian Sorbian, Korean and others.
Andersen Week was ceremonially opened on April 17 at his stature in Hviezdoslavovo Square that was sculpted by Tibor Bártfay and was commissioned by Slovakia’s Hans Christian Andersen Association. Andersen visited many European towns and cities during his life (1805-1875), including Bratislava in 1841. Andersen’s statue was unveiled on June 2, 2006 on the occasion of the 165th anniversary of his visit to Bratislava.
