SAND DRIFT

SAND DRIFT -– Stories about characters from Skagen in 1787

When moving around in Skagen’s neighbourhood, you may come across one of its most famous sights, Den Tilsandede Kirke (The Sandburied Church). Today, the top of its white tower rises alone surrounded by Skagen’s harsh nature.

The scene is quite unique and many people ask themselves what dramatic events lie behind the history of the church.

In order to answer this we have to go back in Skagen’s history. From the 16^th century and up until the last part of the 20^th century there were extreme climate changes – named the “Little Ice Age”. In order to keep warm many people in Skagen had to fell the vegetation which led to a new catastrophe, the sand drift caused by heavy storms and floods in Skagen as well as in the rest of Vendsyssel. Because the vegetation had disappeared enormous amounts of fine sand blew in from the beaches which at this time had no beach vegetation that previously been a natural protection.

For generations the drifting sand turned out to have a disastrous influence on life for the people in Skagen as the sand lay as a thick carpet over both fields and the town. Whether you were an ordinary citizen or a fisherman you were affected by the merciless sand.

Some of the grim stories connected to this brutal chapter in Danish history the Coastal Museum are now presented in a new audio installation SANDFLUGT (SAND DRIFT)

Here you can go on a fascinating journey back in time and experience in sound what life was like in Skagen in the year 1787, and we also tell about what was done to save Skagen from extinction.

By listening to the audio guides in the exhibition you will learn about the tragic fates of three persons who lived in Skagen in 1787, the customs officer Olafur Olavius, the fisherwoman Anne Christensdatter and the last pastor in Saint Laurentii Church (now known as Den Tilsandede Kirke) – the Reverend Jens Jensen Lodberg.

They all had in common that despite the fact that they belonged to different social classes they were all equally affected by the destructive power of nature, SAND DRIFT.

The idea behind SAND DRIFT has been developed and conceptualized by a former communication trainee, Thomas Hansen, in co-operation with the professional staff from the museum and Skagen Community Play Organization.