When the Spaniards Were Here facts for kids

Quick facts for kids When the Spaniards Were Here
Costume drawing by Edvard Lehmann for the play: Two Spanish soldiers
Written by	Hans Christian Andersen
Date of premiere	6 April 1865
Place of premiere	Royal Danish Theatre, Denmark
Original language	Danish
Genre	Comedy
Setting	Middelfart

When the Spaniards Were Here (original Danish title: Da Spanierne var her) is a fun and romantic play written by the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It is a comedy, meaning it's meant to make people laugh. The play first opened at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on April 6, 1865. This was just a few days after Andersen celebrated his 60th birthday!

How the Play Was Created

Hans Christian Andersen had a special connection to Spanish soldiers. One of his very first childhood memories was seeing Spanish soldiers on the island of Funen in Denmark. This memory stayed with him and inspired his writing many times.

Early Ideas and Inspiration

Andersen first wrote about Spanish soldiers in a poem called Soldaten (The Soldier) in 1830. Later, a Spanish soldier was also the main character in another one of his plays, Skilles og mødes.

In 1835, Andersen wrote a different kind of play called a vaudeville. It was titled Spanierne i Odense (The Spaniards in Odense). A vaudeville is a light, entertaining show with songs and jokes. However, this early version of the play never actually made it to the stage.

From Idea to Stage

Thirty years later, in 1865, Andersen decided to rework his old vaudeville. He changed the story and made it into the play we know today, When the Spaniards Were Here. He also changed the setting of the story. Instead of taking place in Odense, the new play was set in the town of Middelfart. This shows how Andersen often revisited his ideas and made them even better over time.

Image gallery

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  Fritz Hultmann as Carl Bryske

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  Louise Sahlgreen as Madam

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  Louise Sahlgreen as Madam

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  Agnes Lange (som Herminia).png