Jørgen Thormøhlen facts for kids
Jørgen Thormøhlen (born around 1640 – died 25 December 1708) was a very important merchant, shipowner, and industrialist from Norway. He was born in Germany but became a powerful businessman in Bergen, Norway.
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Who Was Jørgen Thormøhlen?
Jørgen Thormøhlen was born around 1640 in a place called the Duchy of Holstein. At that time, this area was ruled by the King of Denmark. His father, Jürgen ther Möhlen, was a wine trader from Hamburg, Germany.
His Early Life and Businesses
In 1664, Thormøhlen moved to Bergen, Norway. There, he married Giertrud Magers. Her father, Hendrich Magers, was known as the richest merchant in Bergen. Thormøhlen soon became the biggest ship-owner in Norway. He traded fish from Northern Norway and was involved in many other businesses.
He earned a lot of money through trade, both in Norway and with other countries. This included being involved in the Danish slave trade. He also owned many ships. Thormøhlen built a large industrial area at a place called Vestre Sydnes. This area had a salt factory, places to pack goods, a deep harbor for ships, and homes for his workers.
Challenges and Later Years
Thormøhlen was the main owner of a Norwegian slave ship named Cornelia. In 1673, this ship sailed to West Africa. It carried items like liquor and trinkets. These were exchanged for many enslaved Africans. The ship then forced 103 enslaved people to travel to the island of Saint Thomas in the Danish West Indies. The next year, the Cornelia made another similar trip, taking 103 more enslaved people to Saint Thomas.
In 1682, King Christian V made him a trade director. Later, in 1695, the king gave him permission to print banknotes. From 1685 to 1693, Thormøhlen owned a grand house called Kronstad Hovedgård. This house was located south of Bergen. However, Thormøhlen lost a lot of money in overseas trade. Also, big fires at Bryggen in 1702 caused him more problems. Eventually, he went bankrupt.
His Family and Lasting Impact
Jørgen Thormøhlen was married to Giertrud Magers. They had several children together. One of his great-grandchildren was a famous writer named Claus Fasting.
After Thormøhlen's death, his involvement in the Atlantic slave trade became a topic of debate. During protests in 2020, some people called for a statue of him in Bergen to be removed. There have also been calls to rename the neighborhood of Møhlenpris, which was named after him.
