August 1, 2014 “Enhver er sin egen lykkes smed.” – Danish proverb Translation: “Everyone has his own fortune.” English equivalent: The world is your oyster. The city of Chicago has changed drastically over the past 150 years. When the Thorsen family arrived in Chicago from Copenhagen in 1869 there were less than…
DetailsJuly 25, 2014 Four years after Emma Thorsen and her family departed Copenhagen for Chicago – eventually becoming one of the founders of The Danish Home of Chicago in 1891- another young woman living in Orup, Denmark (50 miles SW of Copenhagen) was preparing her family for a similar move, and a comparable influence…
DetailsJuly 18, 2014 Each time I visit Mormor at The Danish Home of Chicago I am treated to the beauty of the North Side of Chicago. As I drive through all of the historic neighborhoods to get to Norwood Park, past the old flats, Greystones and bungalows, I am reminded of what a wonderful…
DetailsJuly 10, 2014 “Where words fail, music speaks.” Hans Christian Andersen It’s no surprise that music plays an incredibly important role in human culture today, but did you know that music has been in existence for an estimated 50,000 years?! Spanning every known culture around the globe, the art of music has…
DetailsJuly 3, 2014 Tomorrow America will celebrate the 238th anniversary of her independence from Great Britain and the historical writing of the Declaration of Independence. Although this magnificent fete may be a bit overshadowed by the boom of fireworks and the many festivals, barbeques, parades and gatherings that will be taking place, there is no…
DetailsLast Sunday The Danish Home held their 110th annual Danish Summer Festival and Fundraiser, and it was yet another fun-filled day on the grounds in Norwood Park! Hundreds of people attended to hear the Bjornson Male Chorus sing, eat Smørrebrød (Danish open faced sandwiches), and test their luck at the raffles and special drawings. There…
DetailsEveryone at The Danish Home is gearing up for the annual Summer Festival this Sunday! Each year this event seems to get bigger and bigger (last year over 400 people attended!) and it’s understandable why: great food and entertainment, a children’s area with fun activities and unlimited games, a raffle with a $1,500 1st…
DetailsJune 11, 2014 As evident from the findings in The Hope chest, Mrs. Emma Thorsen (née Bloch) adored her father tremendously. She often paid homage to him in her journal entries and in the letters they sent back and forth from her home in Chicago and his in Copenhagen. She thanked him abundantly for…
DetailsJune 5th, 2014 “Grundlovsdag” – Danish Constitution Day Today is a very special day in the eyes of Danes as it marks the 165th anniversary of the first Danish constitution, which was signed by King Frederik VII in 1849 and made Denmark a constitutional monarchy. Rewritten a total of four more times, on 1866, 1915, 1920…
DetailsMay 29, 2014 Memorial Day This past Tuesday The Danish Home celebrated Memorial Day with a special barbeque for their residents. I heard from Mormor that it was a beautiful day and everyone enjoyed it tremendously. The Danish Home grounds are beautiful this time of year and everyone is enjoying this wonderful weather. It was…
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