”FYRTØJET” The start-up

In this picture from the long-running cartoon "Fyrtøjet", the soldier's hands are seen, as he is about to estimate the magical instrument of the lighter. In his left hand the soldier holds a piece of steel with a wick, and in his right hand he holds a flint stone. By striking the fine stone against the steel, sparks are generated which ignite the wick, which is then made to glow, which flames up when one breathes into it. In this way, one could e.g. light a candle or its pipe. But this particular lighthouse has the special feature that it can be used as a magic signal to summon assistance from the witch's three dogs. - The soldier's hands are drawn and animated by Harry Rasmussen after drawing by Børge Hamberg. - Photo from the film: © 1946 Palladium A/S.

The feature film "Fyrtøjet": The start-up

How it has gone in practice that Allan Johnsen and Müller and Mik have been brought together, can only be guessed at today, but the probability suggests that it took place as described at the end of the section "The cartoon" FYRTØJET ": Prehistory". However, there can be little doubt that especially Børge Hamberg and Bjørn Frank Jensen may also have recommended Johnsen to contact the two, who at the time had the status of Denmark's only expert experts when it came to cartoon production. But Johnsen was not responsive to the well-meaning advice and recommendations, but followed his own head, although he was responsive when it came to Børge Hamberg's and Bjørn Frank's expertise in issues concerning cartoon technical problems.

For Müller and Dahl Mikkelsen - the former was mentioned as previously mentioned in everyday life as Myller, while the latter as previously mentioned was referred to as Mik - around that time there was probably talk that they hoped that "Fyrtøjet" could either be produced at VEPRO , or they may have considered leaving the company on the same occasion. Towards September 1942, it did not seem at all that VEPRO would be able to live up to its original goal: that “once - when the war has ended and conditions have become more stable - it is the company's intention, in addition to the special advertising cartoon, to expand production for real feature films. Imagine if you could beat Disney! ”

But a transition in 1942 Myller and Mik allegedly entered into some negotiations with Allan Johnsen, in which Finn Rosenberg and Peter Toubro probably also participated. However, it soon became clear to Myller and Mik that Allan Johnsen, as the stubborn fighter he also was, did not intend to relinquish control of the film project. It had now become something of a child of the heart for him, and he probably knew how to handle such a thing, and did not want any unnecessary interference from outside.

According to what Børge Hamberg and Bjørn Frank Jensen have told me, what most likely led to a breakdown in negotiations was, in particular, the fact that Myller and Mik, as a prerequisite for possible collaboration and artistic leadership, as experienced cartoonists made the condition that a detailed storyboard was to be drawn up of the action of the film. However, no agreement could be reached between the parties, as Allan Johnsen, as overall responsible for the production of the cartoon, always had to keep the planned budget in mind. He knew exactly from crowns and ears how much - or perhaps rather how little - money was available for production, which, incidentally, was hoped to be able to complete in about a maximum of a year and a half. And seen through Johnsen's eyes, the budget and production plan left no room for the luxury that he obviously thought a storyboard would be. In fact, however, this must probably be characterized as an unfortunate misjudgment.

Incidentally, one must take into account here that Allan Johnsen, Peter Toubro and Finn Rosenberg at the time mentioned above, according to Bjørn Frank Jensen, were obviously of the opinion that the film could be produced in approx. ¾ years. It must be said that it was a blatant misjudgment, which - oddly enough - was probably partly due to the equally optimistic calculations that Jørgen Myller had made in B.T. in January 1939. To the apology of the first three gentlemen, it must therefore be said that they lacked any precondition for being able to give a qualified bid as to what a production of an order of magnitude such as the feature-length film "Fyrtøjet" would require of time, effort and - not least - money. In Myller's case, he only had experience with advertising cartoons of a maximum of 2 minutes playing time, and with short cartoons of approx. 8 minutes of play, of which his first, "Columbus - a bank robbery", had yielded a roaring deficit. But for his own personal sake, Myller was incredibly fast and efficient, and so were his senior executives, Mik and Roepstorff. This may be partly the explanation for his factual misjudgment of both production price and production time on a feature film.

However, the circumstances in a way benefited the newly started cartoon company Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S, as virtually all of the fairly experienced employees at VEPRO were eventually fired or even chose to leave the company. The latter included Erik Rus (if he was employed at VEPRO at all, which is in doubt), Børge Hamberg and Erik Christensen (Chris), who in the late summer of 1942 got a job with Hans Held at Bavaria Film in Potsdam in Germany. After the closure of VEPRO, Bjørn Frank Jensen became a transition freelance draftsman, with white drawings and comics as his specialty. The same applied to the cartoonist Kjeld Simonsen, who, however, also made commercial cartoons, as it was during this period that he, among other things, made the small advertising cartoon for Sylvester Hvid Reklamebureau, which, as both previously and later mentioned, led to me getting the - wrong - opinion that cartoons were made at the agency.

Above are two of the most prominent cartoonists and animators who worked on "Fyrtøjet", namely to the left the studio manager at Frederiksberggade 28, chief animator Børge Hamberg. To the right, cartoonist and chief animator Bjørn Frank Jensen. From the autumn of 1944, the latter became head of the drawing studio on Nørrebrogade. - Photo by Børge Hamberg: Excerpt from a group photo from VEPRO's Christmas party 1941. Dansk Billedcentral. Photo by Bjørn Frank Jensen: © 1943-45 Arne ”Jømme” Jørgensen.

As mentioned, there is some uncertainty about how the various cartoonists came in contact with Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm, but as far as is known, it was also already mentioned on the basis of newspaper ads that several of the cartoonists approached the company and applied for the job . In any case, this applied to Børge Hamberg, who had just returned from Germany, and it may have applied to several others, such as Erik Christensen (Chris), whose employment immediately after he returned from Germany is not known. Possibly he also briefly worked as a freelance draftsman and made joke drawings and perhaps commercial and other kinds of drawings, as well as a few advertising cartoons. Chris was a bit of a bohemian and had trouble being fixed anywhere. He only appeared on "Fyrtøjet" for a short time in the beginning of 1943, where he animated a few scenes.

The cartoonist and animator Erik Christensen (Chris) was a great talent both as an artist and animator. But unfortunately he only got to draw and animate a few scenes in "Fyrtøjet". He worked mostly freelance, both as a draftsman and animator. Around 1944-45, he tried to start his own cartoon production, which was unsuccessful. But as a freelancer, he still managed to make several commercials, just as he drew several joke drawings for newspapers and magazines. - Photo: Excerpt from a group photo from VEPRO's Christmas party 1941. Dansk Billed Central.

This scene of the innkeeper taking a well-deserved mug of beer during a break was designed and animated by Chris in early 1943. In addition to this scene plus another scene with the innkeeper and the scene shown in the following image, drawn and animated Chris also a scene with two chimney sweeps. These four scenes were the only thing Chris drew and animated for "Fyrtøjet". - Photo from the movie "Fyrtøjet". © 1946 Palladium A / S.

This scene is among several similar black-and-white photos taken by the house photographer Arne "Jømme" Jørgensen in May 1944, when about the first half of "Fyrtøjet" was shown as a silent working copy in the Grand Theater in Mikkel Bryggersgade. The screening was initiated by Urban Gad himself, who was the cinema's owner and director. The scene, drawn and animated by Chris, was cut out in the finished film, probably because it smelled of sex and was therefore too daring by the standards of the time. - Photo: © 1944 Arne ”Jømme” Jørgensen.

As previously mentioned, Bjørn Frank Jensen allegedly also appeared on "Fyrtøjet" via a newspaper ad. His longtime friend and colleague, Børge Ring, who was not himself on "Fyrtøjet", tells in an interview with Freddy Milton in the fanzine Carl Barks & Co. no. 17, 1982, that Bjørn Frank one day saw an advertisement in the newspaper, and when he was without a permanent job, he therefore turned to Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm. This is also what Bjørn Frank himself says in his remarks about his career. These remarks, which he wrote down at my request, are undated, but must be considered to have been written around 1986-87, and at a time when he had not yet had the cerebral haemorrhage that i.a. weakened his memory. But in a tape interview in 1999, i.e. about 12-13 years later, the then memory-impaired Bjørn Frank claims that one day in 1942 he was called up by Allan Johnsen. Admittedly, this version of his employment sounds plausible, given his acquaintance with former colleagues at VEPRO. In this version, Bjørn Frank can tell that he joined "Fyrtøjet" in the way that one day late in the year 1942 he was called up by Allan Johnsen, who asked: "Can you draw the Round Tower?". To which Bjørn Frank, according to his own statement, must have the answer: "Yes, it is only a 10 minute walk from here, so it should probably be possible!" (Bjørn Frank in tape interview 1999). Bjørn Frank himself has made the following comments about his own employment with "Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S" and his work at "Fyrtøjet", made in writing in 1985-86:

”[…] VEPRO stopped production in mid-’42. I made joke drawings and tried my hand as a comic strip artist for a while. Towards the end of '42, I saw an advertisement in the newspaper: "Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm" was looking for cartoonists. I got an agreement with the company and met Allan Johnsen, Finn Rosenberg and Peter Toubro at Johnsen's office in Frederiksberggade. They asked me if I could draw a man with an umbrella that went against the wind, I said yes, and went home and animated a scene with a man who gets caught by the wind and gets blown away with an umbrella and everything (it turned out later , that it was not a scene that appeared in their script, but simply a sample).

Next meeting: "can you draw the Round Tower?" “Yes,” I said, I knew my father, in his bookshelf, had a book about the Round Tower, with drawings by an architect showing all aspects of the tower, so that was no problem.

I heard them talk about someone they called the "Bavarian man". Later I found out that it was Børge Hamberg who had worked in Germany with his friend Erik Rus and Erik Christensen in a studio led by a German cartoonist Hans Held, who was working on a film based on Münchhausen's Adventures - one of the many projects that were never realized.

I was hired [at Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S], and the company started in Frederiksborggade in some premises that belonged to a clothing wholesaler. My first job was the astrologer in Round Tower, animation and backgrounds. There was an idea that the animator should also paint his own backgrounds, but luckily that idea was quickly put aside. I think I have only painted 4 backgrounds [for "Fyrtøjet"]: The astrologer's room in Rundetårn - Spiral Staircase - the entrance to Rundetårn (guards + astrologer) and the king's bedroom, where the astrologer falls into the king's slippers. The next job was the guard song, with backgrounds by Rosenberg. At that time, Hamberg was working on models of the various characters. Chris and Dorst were hired as animators and production began in early 1943. […] ”

The small divergence that exists between Bjørn Frank Jensen's own two slightly different versions of his own employment as an animator on "Fyrtøjet", one should hardly pay attention to. But perhaps one should attach most confidence to the version in which Bjørn Frank is called up by Johnsen, as it is probably so probable, not least considering that the initiator of the film, Finn Rosenberg, must probably have known of Bjørn Frank's existence - and by the way also to Erik Christensen - from their time together at Monterossi - and knew that he, among other things. there had made cartoons together with Dahl Mikkelsen. The cheerful and cunning anecdote maker Børge Ring can at least tell that Allan Johnsen was a textile wholesaler who thought he should invest his money in something other than the tax authorities. He therefore turned to the cartoonist Finn Rosenberg, who was an advertising cartoonist at the advertising agency Monterossi and at the time illustrated Johnsen's book about the history of textiles, to find out how to make cartoons. As far as Rosenberg could see, there were not many legs in it, drawing on cellophane instead of on paper. In addition, there were some people at Monterossi who made cartoons. This was aimed at Henning Dahl Mikkelsen and his assistant, Bjørn Frank Jensen.

Børge Ring, who as mentioned was not himself on "Fyrtøjet", but who was a close friend and colleague with Bjørn Frank for many years, both before and after both emigrated to Holland, can also tell about the friend's employment as a cartoonist and animator on the film " The lighter ”. In an interview in the fan magazine Carl Barks & Co., 1982, Ring explains that Bjørn Frank had seen a newspaper ad which stated that they were looking for skilled and experienced cartoonists. According to Ring, such were as rare as camels in Greenland at the time. However, Bjørn Frank responded to the ad and approached Allan Johnsen's office, where, according to Børge Ring, his "technical expert", a man named Ørnbak, was also present.

After being asked if he could draw a Round Tower and an astronomer in the same place, who would even run down through the tower and out onto the street, Bjørn Frank thought it might be fun to do so. He was then asked to go home and draw the prescribed. It obviously fell to the satisfaction of Allan Johnsen and his advisers because it is a fact that Bjørn Frank Jensen was employed by Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S as one of the very first animators. (Carl Barks & Co. Solo Issue No. 17, 1982, p.11).

A small correction is needed of Børge Ring's statement that at the above-mentioned meeting, Johnsen's "technical expert", a man named Ørnbak, was also present. As mentioned elsewhere, there can be no question of Henning Ørnbak, who was first employed as an employee at "Fyrtøjet" in the spring of 1944, the year after the film's production had really started.

Incidentally, there can be little doubt that Børge Ring originally had his knowledge of Bjørn Frank Jensen's introduction to "Fyrtøjet" from Bjørn Frank himself, and although the situation has over time assumed anecdotal form, it is essentially true. This can be seen by comparing Børge Ring's version with Bjørn Frank's own version, which can also be read in the biography of him here on the website.

On the other hand, Børge Ring hardly has his knowledge in order when he thinks that the technical expert, with whom Allan Johnsen apparently consulted early in the production process, should be named Ørnbak by last name. There was only one Ørnbak on "Fyrtøjet" and his name was Henning Ørnbak and he only joined during 1944, when after a successful student exam he was employed as an intermediary and later production assistant, film editor and technical advisor at Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S. For good reasons, he may not have been the technical expert Johnsen consulted with in late 1942 or early 1943. As far as is known, Johnsen had no technical expert at his disposal when the company was set up. December 5, 1942 and the production of "Fyrtøjet" gradually began. As for the literary and artistic, he had Finn Rosenberg, Peter Toubro and Henning Pade to consult with, and regarding the cartoon technique, there were initially only Børge Hamberg, Bjørn Frank Jensen and Erik Christensen (Chris), all three of whom were good cartoonists and relatively experienced animators, i.a. from their time at VEPRO.

Kjeld Simonsen (Simon) was a very prominent and influential cartoonist and animator on "Fyrtøjet". He had also been employed at VEPRO, but then went freelance and as such made both advertising cartoons and drawings and illustrations for newspapers, magazines and magazines. During the occupation, he also drew several children's books, which were published by Carlsen’s Illustrationsforlag (P.I.B.). Later he also drew the comic strip "Misse Mons", which was also distributed by P.I.B. - Photo: Excerpt from a group photo at VEPRO's Christmas party 1941. Dansk Billed Central.

Among some of the first scenes that Simon drew and animated for "The Lighthouse", was the one in which the three record makers look at the soldier from a distance, who buys the cake wife's basket with pretzels and hands them out to the playing children. At this sight one of the record-makers exclaims: "Well then, what a golden bird, huh !?" - "Yes, who had any of his ducats!", The second answers, and the third adds: "Let us invite him on a drive and see what happens!" - Animation drawing by Kjeld Simonsen (Simon). - Drawing: © 1946 Palladium A/S.

The cartoonist and animator Kjeld Simonsen (Simon), on the other hand, only joined later in the production process, as far as I remember the recommendation and encouragement of e.g. Børge Hamberg and Bjørn Frank Jensen, who knew him from their time together at VEPRO. Simon came on late in the year 1943, but in return he animated a lot of the film's scenes over the next year, especially its final scenes. At first he sat for a short time in the drawing room at Frederiksberggade 28 and animated, but at some point in the beginning of 1944 he moved the work to his private home in Holte. Later in the year, he asked to be released from his job at "Fyrtøjet", as he was forced to "go underground", allegedly because he had learned that many of his good friends who were resistance fighters had been arrested, tortured and executed by the Germans.

Another example of one of the many scenes in the last part of the film, which Simon drew and animated during the good one year he worked on "Fyrtøjet". Here is one of the three record makers who has lured the soldier (front right) to raffle. They call themselves his friends, but are only out to pick him for money, which then also succeeds. Both characters are here drawn and animated by Simon. - Picture from the movie. © 1946 Palladium A / S.

Among the first cartoonists and animators who, in addition to Finn Rosenberg, were employed by the company were, as mentioned, Børge Hamberg, Bjørn Frank Jensen and Erik Christensen (Chris). For this purpose, Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm had temporarily rented some premises in Frederiksborggade 12 on the first floor, which had previously been used by a clothing company. The premises were located above the pub "Den vaade Høne", where the cartoonists often either ate their lunch or visited for a relaxing drink.

To the left is Børge Hamberg's first draft of what the soldier in "Fyrtøjet" in his opinion should look like. He had used himself as a model for the character, also - and perhaps especially - in terms of portraiture, which for connoisseurs is evident from the film image to the right. However, the figure was somewhat simplified and changed during the creation process. - © 1942-43 Børge Hamberg. The original drawing, which is in color, belongs after his death to Mrs. Bodil Hamberg. - The picture on the right is from the movie itself. © 1946 Palladium A/S.

It was in these rooms that Børge Hamberg began his work of designing most of the film's characters, and here that Bjørn Frank began to make the first layouts and backgrounds and the first animation, namely for the scenes with the astrologer studying the starry sky from the dome on top of the Round Tower. Next, he drew and animated the night watchman, who singing the old guard song comes walking around a street corner and stops, grabbing into the inside pocket of the ‘pocket lark’, which he (in close up) puts to his mouth and takes a proper sip of. After sticking the bottle back in the inside pocket, the guard continues his walk and sings and walks towards the foreground of the picture. Bjørn Frank also thought he could remember that as one of the first scenes he drew and animated the astrologer, who arrives in the middle of the night in a hurry to the royal bedroom, where he slips in the king's slippers and falls over the double bed royal majesties.

Above are two of the first scenes that Bjørn Frank Jensen drew and animated in "Fyrtøjet". He even painted the backgrounds himself, which, however, only happened in these cases. It was primarily Finn Rosenberg who drew layouts and painted backgrounds. Above, the astrologer is seen in the observatory on the Round Tower, and below the night watchman, who goes his round in the city's empty streets. - Photos from the movie "Fyrtøjet": © 1946 Palladium A/S.

The photo on the left shows Frederiksberggade from around no. 24 and towards Rådhuspladsen. The red building approximately in the middle of the picture is Frederiksberggade no. 28, where Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S had design studios on the 2nd floor. The photo to the right shows the same street from no. 12 and towards Gammel Torv, from where the house numbers were calculated. The building in the middle of the picture is Frederiksberggade no. 10, and on the 2nd floor here, the company Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S and its director, Allan Johnsen, had offices. - Photos: © 2009 Harry Rasmussen.

Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S got an office and administration in Allan Johnsen's former premises, Frederiksberggade 10, 3rd floor on the left. To begin with, as mentioned, some premises were rented in Frederiksborggade 12, 1st floor, and here a drawing room was partly set up for the very few designers who were then employed by the company and who have already been mentioned above. These were Finn Rosenberg, Børge Hamberg, Bjørn Frank Jensen and Erik Christensen (Chris). And partly, a drawing room was set up in the same place for the few younger ladies who, under the leadership of Jenny Holmqvist, took care of the inking and coloring work. Among these ladies was the very young Karen Bech, who was hired on January 1, 1943 as one of the first "colorists", as they called themselves. Another of the "colorists" was Mona Irlind alias Lily Norma Irlind, in daily recitation and indictment romantically called "Irmelin". As far as I know, there are unfortunately no photos from the start-up in Frederiksborggade 12. About her own employment here, Karen Bech alias Karen Egesholm in a letter of 20.10.2001 to Harry Rasmussen, among others. tell the following:

"[…] There is a period between" Vepro "and my employment in" Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm ", where I worked in a company that had premises in Frederiksborggade on the 1st floor, over a pub called" Den våde Høne ”. I colored as I had done at "Vepro" and the premises were the same equipment, but I do not remember the characters, except for a red-haired girl named "Kylle" who smoked like a chimney. The employees spent some time in "The Wet Hen" and I picked up supplies in a coffee shop called "Tit-Bit" and a large patisserie. […] ”

At the time the letter was written, Karen Egesholm was not aware that the company she had been employed in was in fact identical to "Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S", but she later became one. In continuation of the above quote, she writes:

"[…] At "Danish Color and Cartoon" I was hired on 1 / 1-1943 and our experiences are probably more or less identical as far as it concerns Frederiksberggade, both in terms of the course of work and staffing. Mona Irlind’s (Irmelin’s) and my memories are probably more or less identical regarding the time when there was a lot of bustle and the need for extra staff. Here we experienced Nørrebro, Østerbro and Vesterbro and a myriad of ladies who came and went for shorter and longer periods. […] ”

The drawing room in Frederiksborggade was, as mentioned, on the first floor of the property, where the pub "Den våde Høne" was located on the ground floor, and here several of the designers usually ate their lunch, or took a much-needed break from work while enjoying a quiet drink.

However, in connection with the growing need to increase staff, the need to find larger design studios was soon realized. In the meantime, Børge Hamberg, Bjørn Frank Jensen and Finn Rosenberg had had to move to Johnsen's office in Frederiksberggade 10, 3rd floor. But here the space was much too cramped for it to become anything other than a temporary emergency solution. Therefore, in June 1943, a nice large room was rented in Frederiksberggade 28, 2nd floor to the right, which had become vacant and was empty due to the textile industry's crisis situation. The premises had in fact belonged to the textile wholesale company C.L.Albrecht & Søns Etabl., Which, however, had had to close as a result of the conditions for the industry which the German occupation of Denmark had brought with it.

The photo on the left, which was photographed in August 2009, shows the property in Frederiksberggade 28, where Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S had a drawing room and trick camera room. It was behind the four wide and one narrow single-paned windows on the 2nd floor that the work on the feature film "Fyrtøjet" took place from June 1943 until the year 1946. At the bottom right of the picture, slightly to the left of the green awning, it can be seen business, which at the time housed Dragvig's Bodega, from which well-sounding piano tones often sounded in the street. - In the photo on the right, which was taken on October 5, 2001, you can see the four upper windows to the street, as these also looked in 1943, and behind which the drawing room was located. It was here that most of the key cartoonists sat and worked, and here Peter Toubro walked around the room with the script under his arm, and where Finn Rosenberg drew layouts and painted backgrounds, and here trick photographer Marius Holdt had his trick film camera and trick table installed. On the floor below, Pihl's Dairy had premises at the time. - Photos: © 2009 and 2001 Harry Rasmussen.

It was in this room - because there was actually only one large room, apart from the kitchen and two toilets - that the actual start-up and production of the feature film "Fyrtøjet" really started. But how this start-up actually went, I will best be able to give an impression of, by depicting my own situation immediately before and just after I myself was employed by Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S.

A personal account

Although some critical voices will probably think that it is a little too overbearing and ambitious of me, I will, before we move on to a more detailed description of the design studio in Frederiksberggade 28, allow myself to tell about how I myself got the luck, to become an employee of the feature film "Fyrtøjet". This story will at the same time be able to contribute to the understanding of the time, the conditions and circumstances under which the film was made

It was still especially the inspiration from Walt Disney's first long cartoon, "Snow White", and from the annual Disney Christmas Shows in Metropol and those of Disney's short cartoons, you could occasionally also see in other cinemas, which I had had the opportunity until the summer of 1943 and the opportunity to see that was my great source of inspiration for wanting to make cartoons myself.

This goal actually moved a first small step closer, when one day in the beginning of June 1943 I was in the cinema and here i.a. saw an advertising cartoon for Sylvester Hvid’s Reklamebureau. The film's design and plot were quite simple: in the middle of the black and white film image, the name "Sylvester Hvid’s Reklamebureau" was seen in large letters, and on each side of this logo was a staircase with a boy and a girl, respectively, standing at the top. on each landing. After a brief moment, the stairs to the left suddenly smoothed out, so that the steps disappeared and the boy curled down and landed standing approximately at the bottom of the picture. As the boy landed there, the number "7016" appeared under his feet, after which he said in a loud voice: "Seventy-sixteen". Immediately after, the steps were smoothed out on the stairs to the right, and the girl also curled down the stairs and landed standing on the right side of the picture, while the number "7017" appeared under her feet, and she was heard saying: "Seventy-seventeen". After which a male speaker's voice said: "Sylvester Hvid’s Reklamebureau - seventy-sixteen and seventy-seventeen".

This glorious little advertising cartoon meant for me the signal to go into action, as I immediately thought that the mentioned advertising agency had to make cartoons after producing the little cartoon as advertising for the company. I therefore immediately turned to my always interested uncle Thorkild, who was then also ready to step in to help. The next day he called the advertising agency and told him that his 14-year-old nephew wanted to make an advertising cartoon, and an agreement was made that he and I would come into the agency for a conversation a few days later. Uncle Thorkild was told that I should bring some of my drawings so they could take a closer look at them.

An example of one of the many drawings drawn by me as approx. 12 years old. I was early on encouraged to draw in what I then understood by a 'cartoon style'. - Drawing: © 1940-41 Harry Rasmussen.

Another example of what I then approx. 12-year-old kid, understood by ‘cartoon style’, where the characters in my limited opinion should be comical and with rounded shapes. The drawing is in fact, according to others, a well-liked caricature of one of my uncles. - Drawing: © 1940-41 Harry Rasmussen.

It was so lucky that in addition to my many drawings with experimentally baroque cartoon-like figures, I also had a series of drawings of a so-called serious nature. Once in 1942, through my mother's intervention, I had signed up for a correspondence course, "Learn to draw yourself", and since I had been relatively diligent in drawing the tasks given, I had gradually come into possession of a nice number of drawings. demonstrated, among other things, how I performed different types of pencil, ink and brush technique as well as how I was able to draw directly after "nature", i.e. draw after living plants or real objects.

The course took place in such a way that you were sent some drawing assignments, which you then had to perform and submit to the course address, where one or more professional illustrators assessed the result and corrected with red pencil if they thought there was something to correct, ie. something that could be drawn better or differently. My drawings were also regularly added minor corrections, but by and large they were usually approved, in some cases even with a few appreciative remarks. But drawing "seriously" was not what I liked most at the time, because it seemed a little boring to me, who would much rather make funny fantasy figures.

It was a somewhat excited 14-year-old - I turned 14 on June 12, 1943 - who in his stiffest plaster, and with a folder with my best drawings under his arm, set off with the tram to the Town Hall Square, from where I walked to Frederiksberggade 31, where my uncle would bump into, so that together we could go up to the advertising agency. This domicile was located on the first floor, which stretched from Frederiksberggade and around the corner and some distance down Mikkel Bryggersgade. I already knew the district and Strøget fairly well, because not far from the advertising agency was Metropol, the Disney cinema in front of everyone, and also the film distribution company Gloria Film A/S, which at the time had exclusive rights in Denmark to the distribution of the Disney company's films.

My uncle was already there when I arrived. He stood waiting for me below the large, wide front door up to the advertising agency and smoked one of his numerous daily cigarettes, which he procured, despite the fact that there was tobacco rationing and virtually no cigarettes to buy, neither in the tobacco shops nor elsewhere. But that is a different story.

Uncle and I went up the stairs to the first floor and entered a nice big front office where a receptionist and telephone lady were sitting and receiving. Thorkild stated that we had an agreement on a meeting with director Sylvester Hvid at 9.30. The office lady asked us to take a seat, after which she disappeared in through a large door in the background. A moment later, the office lady came out of the executive office again, leaving the door open and letting us know that the director was waiting for us.

This photo shows the property on the corner of Frederiksberggade at the front and Mikkel Bryggersgade at the right. The entire first floor was the home of Sylvester Hvid’s Reklamebureau in the 1940s, and signs in the windows proclaimed that this reputable company was located here. The director's office was behind the three windows on the corner, while the design studios were behind the windows facing Mikkel Bryggersgade. The 7-Eleven store on the ground floor was of course not there at the time, but there were just as many people on a daily basis on the busy business street at the time when it had not yet been turned into a pedestrian street. - Photo: © 2009 Harry Rasmussen.

When Uncle and I had entered director Sylvester Hvid's relatively large corner office, from which there was a view of both Frederiksberggade and Mikkel Bryggersgade, we saw a rather impressive, middle-aged figure sitting behind a large, dark desk. It was, of course, the director himself, Sylvester Hvid, who appeared to be a large and heavy man whose gray-breasted temples revealed that he no longer belonged to the very young. He looked a little pale-faced and had large, slightly dark-colored bags under his eyes. The hair was partly silver-gray, but the somewhat darker color of the eyebrows testified that this man must have been dark-haired in his younger days. But even though the director did not get up to shake our hand, he seemed kind and accommodating, immediately asking us to take a seat in each of our chairs in front of the desk.

Also present in the office was another middle-aged man, who, however, seemed to be a little younger than the director, who introduced him to us as the studio manager Poul Petersen, who, by the way, I soon found out was a skilled poster artist and also a nice, albeit very busy man.

After some introductory remarks and a not very specified explanation of what the apprenticeship as an advertising cartoonist would entail, Sylvester Hvid asked to see my drawings. I handed him the folder. as I had sat and hugged under his arm, for though he seemed kind, I was nevertheless quite nervous and tense over the situation, which I felt would be decisive for my future.

Sylvester Hvid and Poul Petersen now looked through my drawings, and these must obviously have found favor with their apparently critical eyes, because Sylvester Hvid asked if they could keep the folder with my drawings for the time being. And as he held out his hand until goodbye, he said we could call the next day and be told if the agency could possibly use me as a student. After saying goodbye to Poul Petersen, Thorkild and I left the office and followed each other to Rådhuspladsen, where we parted.

The situation had not become less tense after the conversation with Sylvester Hvid, and the wait seemed unbearable to me and to last an eternity. However, as agreed the next day, Thorkild called Sylvester Hvid and got the message that the agency would like to hire me as a student. We therefore had to come into his office the same day, to sign the student contract, and so that I could be informed in more detail about working hours and conditions. I was still a minor and consequently was not allowed to sign papers of that kind. It was therefore my uncle, who had been given a power of attorney by my parents, who had to sign the contract on their and my behalf. On the phone, my uncle Thorkild director Sylvester Hvid explained that it would probably be difficult for me again to get free from my temporary job as a piccolo in an office, to which the director replied that it was not really strictly necessary that I also met up.

But that morning it was a very excited me who cycled out on one of the debt collection trips which were part of my work tasks as an office piccolo. It was a gray and sad rainy day and even though I had been given a raincoat by the company, I still got wet on my face and on my legs and feet, and it did not bother me, because I have been unaccustomed to wet weather every day. In addition, the bills and money got wet more easily when I opened the similarly wet bag. It both annoyed and upset me, because partly I was also a bit of a perfectionist and partly I knew that the office clerk, Mr. Vrisse, as I in his quiet mind called him, would be extra grumpy if I came back with unpaid bills that had gotten some raindrops.

When I returned to the company from the debt collection trip described above and went into the office, the clerk, Mr. Vrisse, got up from his seat behind the counter and snarled: "Walk around the back entrance! You make everything wet!". I did as he said and walked around and in through the kitchen door, taking off my wet outerwear and wiping my hair with a towel. Below, the office lady came out into the kitchen or lunchroom, as it was called, and she told me that my uncle had been there but that he would come back later in the day. My heart was pounding in my chest when I heard that and so I asked her, "Did he say anything else?". "No, he did not!", She replied.

Of course, I was extremely excited about what was going to happen next for me, but for now, I had to go into the office at my desk and do accounting. While I was sitting here, my uncle suddenly came in the door and walked straight to me, handing the signed contract to me and saying, "Everything is in order! You have to start on Monday!". "Yes, but then we'll just fix it with the company here first!" I answered. Uncle then walked in front of the counter and Mr. Vrisse and put forward what the case was about. However, Vrisse referred to the fact that it was the boss he had to talk to about this, and he was unfortunately not present at the moment. Incredibly, however, Vrisse showed us the kindness to immediately call the other company, Grundejernes Forsikring, to talk to the boss, whom he briefly put into the situation.

It took no more than about a dozen minutes before the heavy broad figure of the boss stepped in the door and asked my uncle and me to join him in the conference office. Sir. As always, Vrisse also came along. Uncle explained to the boss what it was all about, and think, the kind man said that they were probably bored of getting rid of me, but that he could very well understand that I had to think about my future. He also said something about the fact that the job with him could not really be something for me now that I was burning so much to get to make cartoons.

To my great and pleasant surprise, even Mr. Vrisse gave him the right, and his almost always sour or grim facial expression was slightly softened by a slightly strained grimace, which was supposed to represent a smile. In fact, I think he deep down rejoiced at the thought of finally having to get rid of a spoiled mother's boy that he definitely thought I was.

At that time, I had been employed for three eerily long weeks in the Homeowners' Subscription, and I therefore had to be paid for the last week. It was also a contractual obligation that the employee as well as the company usually had a one-week notice period. But given the special situation, the boss chose to disregard normal practice so that I could actually quit already the same day after the end of working hours. My heart was bursting with happiness over my great luck, and especially over the fact that after that night at. 18.15 should forever be free to show up at the sad office and act whipping boys for Mr. Vrisse's whimsical and wry mind. In this mood of liberation, the rest of the day therefore went very well.

Before he said goodbye and left, Uncle Thorkild handed over the contract with Sylvester Hvid to me, and I placed this treasure in my bag, carefully making sure that it would not get greasy from my lunch box.

My drawing career begins

But as for my debut as an advertising student, everyone I knew was happy on my behalf that my big goal now seemed within reach. This applied not least to mother, but the joy had a shard for her, because she had to think about the money. At Husejernes Abonnement I had only received a salary for the last week I was employed by the company, and I also had to be on probation for the first three weeks with Sylvester Hvid. So the prospect of getting scrapped enough money together to be able to hold a reasonably proper confirmation party seemed a bit uncertain so far. Sometimes I had a bad conscience about spending the tips I had received on my debt collection trips, on myself and partly also on my two comrades, on whom I usually spent ice cream or milkshakes when we went to the cinema. But today it is a bit of a consolation to think that, after all, what I usually got from tips was limited, at most DKK 8-10 a week, even though it was actually a lot of money at the time.

But the weekend was spent daydreaming about cartoons and talking to my two friends about what might be waiting for me when I showed up at Sylvester Hvid’s Reklamebureau on Monday.

As far as I remember, I started as a student at Sylvester Hvid on a Monday about a week in June 1943. The first day I had to meet at work, I cycled along Rantzausgade and via Gyldenløvesgade to Vester Voldgade and turned off down Frederiksberggade and to the company address. I parked the bike in Mikkel Bryggersgade, below the company's windows. When I got up to the front office, the office lady welcomed me and immediately called a younger man who introduced himself as a drawing room assistant. Neither Sylvester Hvid nor Poul Petersen were present on that occasion. The younger man, whose name I unfortunately no longer remember, took me into one of the two drawing rooms I soon found out was there, and showed me where to sit. My seat was behind one of the two or three large windows facing Mikkel Bryggersgade, and what I came to sit by was actually the one furthest away from Frederiksberggade.

The drawing board itself was actually an extra wide windowsill, so there was plenty of room for a drawing board and the drawing tools, which so far were limited to a few pencils and an eraser. The younger man was sitting about a few feet from me by the other window, and here he was drawing some letters for an ad text. In the room there were also a couple of tables and along the inner wall and the back wall there were shelves with books and the like. At the end of the room, which was closest to Frederiksberggade, there was a room separation, made of wood, and with windows, which were imitated halfway up. Behind this wall, the head of the design studio had his drawing room, which also served as an office. When he drew and painted posters, it apparently took place in the room where the younger man and I were sitting, too close to the room separation was a large easel on which a poster not yet completed was placed. The drawing on the poster depicted Absalon's equestrian statue, the one standing on Højbro Plads next to the Castle Bridge. I was immediately very impressed by the drawing, which I thought was nice and skillfully made, and especially it was especially inspiring to see that part of the figure and its surroundings and the text still stood only with pencil lines.

However, the younger man came to me with a booklet of fonts, and said that the first thing I should do was try to draw a particular font that I can no longer remember the name of. Well, I thought, this is how you have to start, even if you have to make cartoons, and even though it disappointed me a bit that it was not yet about cartoons, I thought that a journey always begins with the first step. And I was all too benevolent and shy to want to ask where in the agency cartoons were made. Consequently, I started drawing letters as best I could, all the while my "supervisor" occasionally looked at what I had made and praised or corrected it, as he now thought it deserved.

Working hours at that time were pretty much the same everywhere, except for shops and factories, ie. at 8-17, so 9 hours, and even though it was a long working day, not least for a young guy like me who had been used to a school day of six hours, I was so enthusiastic that it meant nothing to me. Moreover, it was summer, the sun was shining and for me the future was bright and promising, despite the oppressive conditions of the occupation and the fear of what the Germans might come up with in relation to Denmark. And the conditions were oppressive and threatening enough in 1943, which I shall return to a little later.

At 12-12.30 there was a lunch break and I ate my brought food at the drawing room. Coffee or tea was offered in the morning, for lunch and in the afternoon, but since I was not a big fan of any of the parts at the time, I contented myself with eating my four half, flat foods, which had become damp and soft. of the tomato food and of the pickled beetroot or cucumber salad on the liver pate, after lying in the lunch box in my bag since they had been smeared in the morning at. 7. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to look out the window and study life down on the relatively narrow Mikkel Bryggersgade. Opposite where I was sitting by the window, and a little further down the street, you saw the large posters in front of the old honored Grand Theater. This venerable cinema, however, I had not yet had occasion to pay a visit, but after the occupation I came there regularly.

When it was still summer and hot weather, the large windows in the drawing room were half open, and you could therefore hear the buzzing sound of people, buses and horse-drawn carriages passing by down on the busy Frederiksberggade. It was part of Strøget, and here it was always lively and full of walking people, who walked in both directions and looked at business windows or went into the shops to shop. There were many shops in the street and they were close to each other, as was the case with the rest of Strøget, i.e. Nygade, Vimmelskaftet and Østergade.

After lunch, I resumed the, in my opinion, a bit tedious work of trying to draw letters, which I thought you could just print. I did not yet understand that there can be a special charm, something vivid, over hand-drawn letters, such as I realized years later. But since I was partly dutiful and partly a bit authoritative, believing that the bureaucrats had to know best what to learn in order to become a good draftsman, I made every effort to trace the type of letter I had been given. as a template. This is how the first day went, and before I thought about it, it was suddenly 5 pm and the working hours were over, without me having seen anything that day for either Sylvester Hvid or the studio manager Poul Petersen.

It was a not so little tired me, who after nine hours of work, spent sitting in pretty much the same position all day, left the drawing room and picked up his bike, which was parked around the corner in Mikkel Bryggersgade. As it was rush hour and therefore extra traffic at that time, I chose to cycle along Kattesundet, Larsbjørnsstræde and Teglgårdsstræde to Nørre Voldgade, and from here via Gyldenløvesgade, Rantzausgade and Jagtvej to Jægersborggade. This route became my favorite because it seemed easier and faster to me.

My parents, mother not least, and to some extent also my two brothers aged 9 and 6 respectively - little sister Lizzie was only two years old at the time - were obviously curious and excited to hear more about how my day had gone and what it was I had been dealing with, and I told in broad terms everything I had experienced. Also that it surprised me a little that I had not had the opportunity at all to see anyone in the drawing room making cartoons, just as I had found that in the drawing room as well as in the reception office and the boss's office there were only "serious" drawings, especially in the form of posters and ad drawings. Perhaps apart from the two logo figures, the boy and the girl, which I had seen in the previously mentioned advertising cartoon, and which were also part of the company name, which was painted on signs in several places on the facade of the building where Sylvester Hvid had for houses. As far as I remember, the boy and the girl were also printed on the company stationery.

But especially my mother supported me in the assumption that it could be that the advertising agency had another design studio somewhere where cartoons were made. They must have had that since they had made a commercial for the company. Mom suggested that I could just ask the younger artist in the drawing room if that was not the case. This thought was my encouragement for the time being, but when I showed up again the next day in the drawing room, where the younger artist was already sitting bent over his drawing board, I still could not bring myself to ask about it. I felt that it would reveal too much impatience in me, and that it might seem outrageous that I already wanted to make cartoons, when I had only just started in the company, where it was even apparently thought that I had to learn to draw letters. Therefore, I kept quiet and sat down in my seat, where I continued to practice drawing the letters of the alphabet.

At the agency, the following days took shape pretty much, as was the case with the first day of work, and I still saw nothing of either the design studio manager or the director. The younger artist and I sat side by side all day and drew on their respective assignments. He on an ad drawing and I on the letter drawing in my opinion difficult but also a bit boring art.

This is how my first week went at the then well-known advertising agency Sylvester Hvid. The days passed, one after the other, as I continued to try to take an interest in and concentrate on the art itself, drawing letters. It was very quiet in the drawing room, where only the younger artist and I stayed, and we did not exchange many words with each other during the day. The only noise heard was the buzzing sound of the street. The head of the design studio just stuck his head in the door in the morning and said, "Go 'morning!", That was all we saw and heard from him that week.

But finally it was Saturday where we only had to work until 2pm, and then it was weekend, and time to be a little more with my family and my two childhood friends than the other regular days of the week allowed. My impatience was great, not because I did not feel like working, but because I could not get into making cartoons fast enough. So that is why I actually hoped the weekend would be over quickly.

However, I naturally felt both happy and proud that I had now become a student at an advertising agency, because there was a certain air and respect alone around the word and the concept. It was also a first small step outside the social environment in which I was born and raised and had hitherto found myself. My two comrades were full of admiration that I had come this far, but at the same time they were both somewhat skeptical and perhaps also a little jealous of me, at least unconsciously. Skeptical, because none of them nurtured the slightest desire to move beyond the working and artisan environment in which they themselves were born, raised, and still found themselves. Without wanting to, and without realizing it, they each despised me a little bit, for purely instinctively they felt that it was almost the same as a kind of betrayal, to fail the social class one belonged to through one's birth. and upbringing, and which one therefore, in their opinion, was almost predestined to belong to.

After the weekend's experiences and in my opinion too long a break, it was Monday again and a new working week began. I could not get started fast enough and was very much looking forward to getting into the drawing room again, even though letter drawing was not the most exciting thing I knew. But I still hoped that every day would bring me closer to my goal: to make cartoons.

It turned out, however, that I still had to draw letters, letters and letters again, from 8 am to 5 pm, only interrupted by the lunch break. I did so on Monday and Tuesday, but on Wednesday morning I had had enough of the very little fun it was to draw letters all day long. Therefore, I dared to ask the younger cartoonist about where in the agency cartoons were made, referring to the fact that in the cinema I had seen a commercial cartoon advertising for the agency.

The younger and very quiet cartoonist saw something incomprehensible on me and said that he did not know anything about the fact that the agency even made cartoons, and he actually thought that one did not. "Yes, but I have seen the commercial for Sylvester Hvid that is shown in the cinemas!", I said doubtfully and added: "That is why I have applied as a student here!"

The quiet and friendly younger man looked disoriented at me and said: "It was not so good! Let me just examine it further!", After which he got up from his seat and left the room by the door to Poul Petersen's office. A few minutes later he came back, followed by the drawing room manager, who immediately asked me, "What do I hear, Rasmussen! Do you want to make cartoons?" - "Yes!", I replied, "that is why I applied here with you, because I thought you made cartoons, and no one has told me that you do not!" - "No, we do not make cartoons here at the agency!" he said, adding: "But we'd better talk to director Sylvester Hvid about this!". He walked towards the door in the background that led out to the reception, from which there was access to the director's office. Along the way, he said, "I just want to see if he's available right away!", After which he disappeared out the door.

There were now a few minutes in which I anxiously waited for what would happen next. When the head of the design studio returned immediately after, he said to me: "Sylvester Hvid would like to talk to you immediately!". I got up and followed him into the director's office, where I was asked to take a seat. The friendly director then began to ask me more about what it was all about. When I had told him in detail about my background and intention to apply to his advertising agency, he said: "It's a bit of a boring misunderstanding! The advertising cartoon for our agency that you saw in the cinema was made outside the agency by a cartoonist named Kjeld Simonsen! "

After a short pause, during which he looked up at me inquisitively, he asked, "Are you now quite sure that these are cartoons you would like to make?" - "Yes, it's me!", I replied with a determination that obviously convinced him that I really meant it seriously. "Yes, well, but then it's lucky for you that there is currently a cartoon company that is working on a major cartoon! If they can use you there, I would like to agree to cancel your contract with us ! ", he said and immediately picked up the phone, called up and talked to someone at the other end of the phone. I no longer remember what exactly was said on that occasion, only that Sylvester Hvid, after hanging up, said to me: "Now go over to No. 10 and up to the 3rd floor. There they would like to see your drawings! And then come back and tell me the result! "

"Thank you, Mr. Director, but my folder of drawings is here with you!", I said excitedly and excitedly "Well, they do!" he replied and turned to the drawing room manager and said: "Petersen, will you find Harry Rasmussen's folder with drawings!". The head of the drawing room nodded and went into his office, from where he a moment later came back with my drawings and handed them to me.

Finally at the finish line!

Full of excitement and happy anticipation, I left the friendly and smiling Sylvester Hvid and the equally smiling and friendly design studio manager, and immediately walked the short distance obliquely across the other side of Frederiksberggade, past Metropol Teatret and to no. 10, where I took the elevator up to the 3rd floor.

On the large door on the left there were two signs, one that said: "Allan Johnsen Agentur" and another with the inscription: "Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A / S", and a small brass sign announced that "The door is open ". But the word" Cartoon "alone made my heart beat faster, and almost with a kind of devotional feeling, I opened the door and entered a fairly spacious and neat office. A counter divided into two parts, one for the customers and one for the office staff. However, there was only one person in the room, namely inside the counter, where a younger man leaned with his back to me, bent over a sloping desk, which I later had to get to know and become familiar with. under the name "light desk".

Later I also got to know the younger man at the light desk. It was Bjørn Frank Jensen, who I soon realized was one of the most talented and talented animators that existed in Denmark at that time. It was him about whom we have heard earlier in this account that he started his cartoon career as a student at Dahl-Mikkelsen (Mik) when he worked for Monterossi.

But strangely, the younger man with his back did not react at all when I entered the office and went in front of the counter, which reached me up to the middle of my chest. But so did another younger man, who at the same moment came in from a door in the background of the room, which I later had to learn led into the director's office. This younger man immediately went to me and asked, "Is that you are coming over from Sylvester Hvid?". "Yes!", I replied, after which he continued, "It is me who has spoken to him, so I know why you have come! Let us see your drawings!" - With slightly shaking hands, I handed the folder over to the counter for him, who I later had to get to know as the artist and especially the background painter Finn Rosenberg Ammitsted. As already mentioned in the introduction, he was the initiator of the big cartoon project, which was to end up being a 78-minute-long cartoon about H.C. Andersen's fairy tale "Fyrtøjet".

Finn Rosenberg put the folder in front of him on the counter and started browsing my drawings, and a moment later he exclaimed: "Look right here!". The words, of course, were addressed to the other younger man sitting behind the light desk, and he immediately got up and looked along. Then the two looked at each other and Finn Rosenberg said: "That's exactly what we need!", To which Bjørn Frank Jensen nodded in confirmation. "Wait a minute!", The former said addressing me, and went with my drawings in hand into the director's office, closing the door behind him. He was apparently going to confer with someone or maybe more who were staying there.

A third and final example of I approx. 12-year-old ‘cartoonists’ perception of ‘cartoon style’, where the characters e.g. only had four fingers. It is not a question of great drawing art, but of the fact that it was drawings of figures like these that were particularly contributing to me in 1943, at the age of only 14, being employed as a student at Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S. - Drawing: © 1940-41 Harry Rasmussen.

Later I was told that it was the company's director himself, Allan Johnsen, and the illustrator and animator Børge Hamberg, of whom the latter, as previously mentioned, had been appointed head of the upcoming design studio in Frederiksberggade 28, 2nd floor to the right.

Moments later, Finn Rosenberg came out of the front office again and said to me: "We can use you well! But we cannot say at this time how long there will be work for you, but maybe for two years. Working hours are the normal from 8 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday and 8 am to 2 pm on Saturdays. The salary is DKK 35 per week to begin with, and you get two weeks of paid summer holiday a year. " He took a short break, handing me the folder with drawings, after which he continued: "For our sake, you can start right away. But now go over and talk to Sylvester White, and then come back here and let me know!".

Had my heart pounded with excitement and anticipation when I showed up at Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S 'office, it was now beating with jubilant joy and happiness over what I felt and sensed was a significant step in that direction, and towards the goal I had dreamed of and hoped to go and reach, ever since I saw a cartoon for the very first time during a school trip to Nykøbing Sj.

Back at Sylvester Hvid's office, I could tell the director that they would like to hire me at Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S, and preferably as soon as possible. "Yes, but then we cancel your apprenticeship with us immediately, and you can quit now!", Said the friendly and helpful Sylvester Hvid and added: "We were otherwise happy to have you with us, but may well understand that there is little else you need to deal with than what we can offer! ".

So it is partly director Sylvester Hvid, I can thank you for making it possible for me to get started with my desired job as soon as possible. I therefore thanked also touched the unusually nice and helpful director and said goodbye to him. He wished me good luck that it now seemed that I had come on the right path in my life. The head of the design studio and the younger artist at the design studio did the same. Then I hurried back to Allan Johnsen's office, where I was told I could start right away. "It was good!" said Finn Rosenberg, adding: "Come up to the office tomorrow early at 8!".

It was an indescribably happy me who picked up my bike that day around noon, which was parked in Mikkel Bryggersgade, and sprinted home to Jægersborggade and told my surprised mother the big news. She was happy, mostly on my behalf, when she heard what had happened, because she understood better than anyone else in my family, perhaps just apart from my uncle Thorkild, that it was my big dream that was obviously about to come true. And when Dad came home from work and got the news told, it was clear that he thought it was all right that I could now start dealing with a job that I had been raving about for so many years. From his point of view, it was not so bad with the DKK 35 a week I would get in salary, and for mother it naturally meant a great relief that I would now be able to seriously contribute to saving up for the confirmation.

After dinner I met with my two friends, Jørgen and Jørn. We used to meet each other around the corner, in front of the stairwell where Jørn lived in the living room to the right with his parents and five siblings. Here I could tell what had happened to me the same day, and the two not very enterprising or ambitious young men expressed that they were happy on my behalf over my seemingly great luck. I invited them to our usual ice cream bar over on Nørrebrogade opposite the tram depot, and treated them to an extra-large portion of ice cream, which I knew they both liked very much.

The conversation went between us, and it was especially Jørn who asked more about what my future work consisted of, just as it was he who thought that I should immediately join the union, to secure my rights. The concept of union was at that time only something I knew in connection with my father and grandfather. My grandfather in particular was a sworn supporter of the trade unions, which was also the reason why he joined the syndicalists at the beginning of the century. But both my grandfather and my father believed that cartoonists came under the term "flip proletarians", and such were not needed in the trade union movement. Trade union or not, I was now most excited about how my first working day at Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S would take shape.

When I got home that night and went to bed, I could hardly fall asleep out of sheer impatience and anticipation, at the thought of the next day when I was about to start in the cartoon business. Eventually, however, I fell asleep, but slept restlessly and woke up already at. 6 in the morning. At that time, father had already gone to work in the harbor, where he, as usual, had to meet at 6 in the morning.

After the morning toilet and breakfast, which consisted of rye bread meals and milk, the clothes came on, long pants, clean shirt, tie and jacket. This attire was used by 'man' at the time, for example if you were a male office assistant or business clerk. My grandfather called it a dress for "flip proletarians". Mom, who had gotten up at about the same time as me, greased my four half pieces, which were placed in the shiny tin lunch box that was put down in the faux leather folder I had been given when I was to start as a piccolo at the Homeowners Subscription. It could not go fast enough for me to get off, so I was a little early on when I cycled my usual route into Frederiksberggade, however with the deviation that instead of driving along Kattesundet turned off at Vestergade and drove down to Gammel Torv, where I parked the bike. From here I walked the short distance to Frederiksberggade no. 10 and would have taken the elevator up, but when it was busy, I went instead up the stairs to the third floor, and here stood a man with a light desk under his arm and waited. He seemed to be somewhat older than the two men I had met in the office the day before. "Go 'mor'n!" he said politely, but in a slightly muddy voice. "Are you going to Allan Johnsen's office too?" - "Yes!" I answered. "No one has come yet!" he added. I looked at my wristwatch and found that it was only twenty minutes to eight.

By the way, it seemed a little strange to me that such a grown man said "They" to me, even though at the time it was the most common form of accusation between people who did not know each other. But I had not yet become accustomed to the fact that I, though yet unconfirmed, had now apparently grown up enough that people usually no longer said "You" to me.

Above is the artist and animator Otto Jacobsen during the work on "Fyrtøjet" at the design studio in Frederiksberggade 28. He drew and animated quite a few scenes in his distinctive line, which stood out by his slightly angular and rigid style and animation. In addition, he painted a number of backgrounds in the special technique called "wet-in-wet", which gave a very special effect. - Photo: © 1944 Arne ”Jømme” Jørgensen.

Incidentally, the grown man with the light desk under his arm did not present himself to me on that occasion, nor did I do so to him. We were both too shy about that. But soon after, I got to know him as Otto Jacobsen (1915-), and he told me that he was 28 years old and from Karise. He was educated as a carpenter 1930-34 and had worked at this craft in the province until 1940. It could also be clearly heard in his South Zealand dialect. But his great desire was to become a professional draftsman, which is why he traveled to Copenhagen and applied to a drawing school there. Through a rental agency, he had been assigned a room at a boarding house in Nørregade, which was run by a Mrs. Jørgensen. Her son also turned out to work in the cartoon industry, but still in Germany with the German cartoon pioneer Hans Held, who was artistic director of the cartoon department at Bavaria Film. In addition to Mrs. Jørgensen's son, Arne Jørgensen, with the nickname "Jømme", who was employed as an intermediary, it turned out that two other Danish artists also worked for Hans Held, namely the previously mentioned artists Børge Hamberg and Erik Rus.

Via a baroness Lerche, who at the time lived in the apartment next to Mrs. Jørgensen's boarding house, and whom Otto Jacobsen soon got to know, he was told that he could also get a cartoon job with her good acquaintance at Bavaria Film, the above-mentioned Hans Held. In this way, "Jacob", as we always later called him in daily publicity and indictment, came to Germany.

It was, as I said, during the war and after the Germans had occupied Denmark, but in 1940 it was not yet considered treason to go to Nazi Germany and work. Many Danes did so at that time, especially because there was high unemployment in Denmark, and they did so with the then Danish government, ie. The approval of the Stauning government, and the Danish authorities, yes, even at the request and encouragement of these.

But now Otto Jacobsen and I were standing here on the stairs outside Allan Johnsen's office, waiting for it to be opened so we could get inside and start the work that for each of us would fill a large part of our lives the next few years, and for the rest leave some memories that apparently none of us have ever been able to forget. To my question about how he had been told that a longer Danish cartoon was now to be made, the answer was that he had seen an advertisement in the newspaper in which Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S was looking for cartoonists for the project. As apparently none of us yet knew what exactly was going on, or at least I did not know. For as strange as it may sound, Finn Rosenberg had not told me about it when I spoke to him the day before, nor had I had enough presence of mind or boldness to ask. It had been fully sufficient for me to learn that I could now get into the business of making cartoons.

The time seemed endless, but at long last a lady came out of the elevator and locked us in the office, where she asked us to wait. The lady in question, who was probably somewhere in her 30s, turned out to be Allan Johnsen's office lady and secretary at the time. It was now eight o'clock and immediately after Finn Rosenberg also showed up. He gave Otto Jacobsen a key and said that we should go to Frederiksberggade no. 28 on the second floor to the right, where our future workplace was located. Here we had to wait for the studio manager, chief designer Børge Hamberg, to come a little later and tell us what was to happen next and with us.

It turned out, however, that Otto Jacobsen should not start the same day, but he still got the key to No. 28, so he could lock us in and put his desk there. Afterwards, he had to hand in the key at the office in No. 10.

Together, Jacob and I, who only reached him to the chest in size, went to No. 28 and up to the 2nd floor. On the door to the drawing room, there was a large sign stating that Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S was housed here. Jacob unlocked the large, heavy door, and together we entered the room inside, for my part, almost with a trembling sensation that I was entering a sanctuary.

The drawing studio in Frederiksberggade

Inside the difficult front door was a large, high-ceilinged room with dark brown linoleum on the floor. The characteristic of the part of the room that could be seen from the door was a large square, load-bearing column or pillar, which stood about four meters from the window wall, which with its three large single-paned windows and a slightly narrower single-paned window faced the street. Along the window wall stood a very long and relatively narrow table, probably about six meters long, and covered with new, white machine paper, which was commonly used as table paper at that time. It was attached to the table with drawing pins, and it turned out that it was not one long table, but several that were simply in line with each other. Behind the table stood a few wooden chairs of a type that at the time were modern and very commonly used in companies.

Just inside the door and up to the pillar or pillar, two long oak counters were placed parallel to the window wall, but 4-5 meters from this, in extension of each other. The counters contained a number of shelves that had been used for storing clothing coupons, as it was called, ie. rolls with textile fabrics. In the wall to the left of the front door was a door that led into the company office to which the empty premises belonged. The company was called C.L.Albrecht and Søns Etabl., And this company name was also read on the lower part of each of the large windows facing the street.

Via the office of the said company, there was also access for a law firm behind, which as far as I remember was called Henriques & Buttenschøn, and whose staff had access to use the same kitchen and toilet that our design studio staff needed. (As the names suggest, these were Danes of Jewish origin who at that time could still live and work as they used to, but from the night until October 2, 1943, when the so-called "Jewish action" began, it was over. the freedom of the Danish Jews in Denmark. It was, by the way, my confirmation day). Next to the first large window to the left of the room, stood a large old-fashioned desk perpendicular to the window wall. To the right of the front door, a room of approximately 16 m2 had been built up to the side wall, which on the two sides was separated by wooden walls from the rest of the room. These wooden walls were provided with a few special kinds of windows, presumably called mansion windows, which consisted of many wooden framed smaller panes with glass panes in. There were two such windows and a doorway in the middle of the side of the wooden wall facing the back of the room. This wall ended at the innermost side wall of the room, where there was a relatively large window facing the property's narrow backyard, which on all sides was surrounded by high house walls. This window had a relatively wide and deep windowsill, and on this stood a telephone.

The room continued with a somewhat narrower and approximately 6-8 meters window side. As far as I remember, there were two or three large, double-glazed windows in this wall, which also faced the courtyard, but these windows were blinded off, so that from the inside one did not notice that they were there. Along these windows were also a couple of large, heavy counters, which faced the front of the room. The window wall adjoined the innermost and somewhat narrower wall of the room, in which there was a door on the left, which via a narrow corridor led out to the company's kitchen and toilet. That is, just inside this door, there was a small toilet on the right, which the drawing room staff should preferably use.

From the kitchen, a door led into a larger and finer toilet with shower and tub, all lined with white tiles. However, this toilet was reserved for the staff of the textile company and the law firm. And from the kitchen there was also a door to the back stairs, through which you could get down into the backyard. To this, however, there was also access from the main staircase, which was located at the back left in a relatively wide and high gate opening that just led into the backyard.

The photo to the left shows a look in through the gate opening to Frederiksberggade 28 with the courtyard behind. At the time, there was a Vegetarian Restaurant at the back of the yard. The door, which is partly seen to the left in the gate opening, was and still is the main staircase to No. 28. - In the photo to the right, the courtyard side of the fortification and the western side building to the property can be seen. The windows only partially shown on the left in the picture belong to the staircase, while the top row of windows - not in the attic, but below - are windows that in 1943-45 belonged to Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm A/S 'drawing room, however, such that the window on the left belonged to the photographer's trick room. - Photos: © 2009 Harry Rasmussen.

On the very long side wall, which extended from the side of the window towards Frederiksberggade and all the way back in the room to the wall with the door to the kitchen, there were shelves over floor half of its length, which were divided into sections and which each contained a quantity of shelves. The shelf and the shelves were, like the shelves of the counters, originally intended for clothing coupons, ie. rolls of clothing for suits and the like. But the counters, the shelves and the shelves were yawning empty, because due to the war and the occupation it was no longer possible to import clothing, and then not at all from England, as was especially the case before the war. Even in Germany it was no longer possible to import goods from, as the Germans themselves had to use everything German garment factories were able to produce, especially clothing for uniforms.

Admittedly, there were Danish garment factories that might have produced to the necessary extent if it had been possible to import the raw materials used in production, but all imports from abroad were closed. Later, however, it was decided to replace the natural wool with so-called cell wool, from which it was possible to spin and weave usable textiles. Allan Johnsen, who was himself a clothing manufacturer and wholesaler, had written the book "Fra Dyreskind til Celleuld", which Det Schønbergske Forlag published in 1942. But Allan Johnsen had rented the large room from some colleagues who, like himself, had become "unemployed" due to the restrictions due to the war and occupation situation.

But in order to "blur" the gaping empty shelves along the approximately 10 meter long side wall, the shelves were lined from floor to ceiling with stretched, beige-colored canvas fabric. At the end of the bookcase by the door to the kitchen, a door had been made, which consisted of a wooden frame, on which there was also stretched tight-fitting canvas fabric. The door was kept closed by a fairly simple hasp. However, there was something special about the fact that behind the door was the radio that we cartoonists used to listen to the Danish radio broadcasts from the BBC when we worked over and there was no one else on the premises. These broadcasts were strictly forbidden to Danes to listen to. But many did now anyway.

After placing his desk on the large counter by the pillar and looking around a bit, Jacob immediately left the room with the words: "Goodbye and see you again!". On the way from No. 10 to No. 28, he had told me that he would only start in a few weeks, because he wanted to travel home and visit his parents and family in Karise, where he did not stay due to Germany. had been for more than a year.

Left all alone in the large and almost empty room, I walked around curiously for information, and below I had the opportunity to observe what the room looked like and was tentatively decorated, namely, as I have already described above. However, a single detail still needs to be mentioned because it gained some significance for me personally. From the above-mentioned square pillar and over to the long side wall, an ordinary clothesline was stretched out, and on this was hung a curtain or porters, which shielded from the light of the large windows facing the street. Behind this curtain was temporarily placed a one-step high podium, and on top of this stood an old-fashioned, dark oak desk and a ditto desk chair.

Finally I went to one of the large, wide single-paned windows facing Frederiksberggade, and from here I looked with interest at life down on the busy alley, where at that time there was still driving traffic in the form of cars and vans, buses, bicycles and, in ever-increasing numbers, horse-drawn vehicles. It was a hot June day in 1943, and a couple of the windows were therefore ajar, to give a little ventilation into the large and slightly crowded room, which had apparently been abandoned and empty for a long time. From the window you could look obliquely to the left across the street and among other things clearly see the corner of Frederiksberggade and Mikkel Bryggersgade, where behind the large windows to Sylvester Hvid’s Reklamebureau was the drawing room, where I had sat a few days before and drawn letters.

In the property just opposite the design studio, there was at street level, among other things. a goldsmith shop and Reinhardt van Hauen's bakery. And when I looked obliquely to the right across the street, I could see the facade and entrance of the Bristol Theater, and next to and to the right of this one, the chocolate shop, where I and others of the later design staff regularly bought ice cream waffles or other forms of such.

Above is the property on Frederiksberggade 25-27, which I, among other things. had a view from upstairs of Dansk Farve- og Tegnefilm's windows, and which was sloping opposite no. 28. But here the cinema BRISTOL had been housed since the rebuilding of the cinema KINOGRAFEN in 1939 was closed and after a short rebuilding reopened on December 26 the same year as BRISTOL BIO. The latter closed in September 1966 and was then used as a theater for a few years, until it also closed and like so many other Copenhagen cinemas ended up as a grocery store. The current facades are poor and banally colored to look at in comparison to those that characterized the street scene before, during and after the occupation. - Photos: © 2009 Harry Rasmussen.

In comparison with the photo at the top left, which shows Frederiksberggade no. 25, where in its time the CINEMA and later the cinema BRISTOL were located, a rather not very good photo of the Bristol cinema's facade, as it actually looked in 1940, must be shown here. and largely until its closure in September 1966. For further comparison, a drawing of the façade of the predecessor KINOGRAFEN is also reproduced:

The photo on the left shows the BRISTOL cinema in Frederiksberggade 25, as it looked from 1939 until it had to close in 1966. The drawing on the right shows BRISTOL's predecessor KINOGRAFEN's facade in the same place, and which this probably looked like shortly before the cinema temporarily closed in 1939 due to of remodeling and then reopened December 26 of the same year under the name BRISTOL. - The photo of the BRISTOL cinema is from Politiken's Press Photo and the drawing is from Politiken's mention of KINOGRAFEN's opening on October 9, 1906. The Danish Film Museum's Collection. The two pictures are reproduced, respectively. pp. 24 and 218 in Erik Nørgaard: Live pictures in Denmark - From the old cinema to modern times…”. © 1971 by Erik Nørgaard and Lademanns Forlagsaktieselskab, Copenhagen.

It may be added that on the initiative of the actor Morten Grunwald, the closed BRISTOL cinema's basement was furnished in 1971 and converted into a theater room under the name BRISTOL THEATER, which he ran and was director of until 1980, when the theater and management were taken over by the actors Lone Hertz and Malene Schwartz. But they were forced to close permanently as early as 1982. The time was not for either cinema or theater operations, so the place has since been taken over by grocery stores and a fast food store.

But before I go on to a more detailed description of what happened next at the studio in Frederiksberggade 28, I will first present and to some extent characterize some of the most important people who were behind the production of Denmark's first long cartoon.

Next section:

"The daily work"