Bodil Neergaard

Ellen Bodil Neergaard née Hartmann (10 February 1867 – 18 May 1959) was a Danish estate owner, philanthropist and socialite. She is remembered for her life in Fuglsang Manor on the island of Lolland where, together with her husband Rolf Viggo de Neergaard, she hosted prominent artists and musicians. Following her husband's death in 1915, she had an additional building constructed to provide a roof for needy men until they could find employment. Each summer, she invited elderly women from Copenhagen to spend a few weeks on her country estate and arranged a holiday camp for some 50 boys near Guldborgsund. Over her years at Fuglsang, she built up a fine collection of artworks.[1][2][3]

Bodil Neergaard photographed by Frederik Riise

Early life and family background

Born on 10 February 1867 in Copenhagen, Ellen Bodil Hartmann was the daughter of the composer Wilhelm Emilius Zinn Hartmann (1836–1898) and Bolette Puggaard (1844–1929). Her paternal grandfather, J.P.E. Hartmann, was also a composer while her maternal grandfather, Rudolph Puggaard was a prosperous merchant. Her younger brother, Oluf Hartmann, became an acclaimed painter. She was brought up in a home with cultural interests and contacts, becoming acquainted with the writers, artists and musicians of the times.[1][4]

Marriage to Viggo Neergaard

Viggo and Bodil Neergaard with friends

On 2 May 1885, she married Rolf Viggo Neergaard (1837–1915) who owned the Fuglsang and Priorskov estates, one of the most extensive properties in the eastern provinces. The couple moved into Fuglsang Manor, where Bodil Neergaard took care of the interiors which had fallen into disrepair. In addition to furniture, she acquired portraits of members of the Hartmann and Puggard families, painted by masters including Wilhelm Marstrand, Kristian Zahrtmann and Otto Bache. She also brought in musicians to perform in the manor's large music room.[1]

Cultural interests

Bodil Neergaard (right) with Tony Hagerup, her sister Nina Grieg, and two unknown girls

A strong supporter of the arts, Neergaard invited many cultural celebrities to Fuglsang. For many years, Carl Nielsen was a frequent visitor.[1][2] Nielsen's String Quartet No. 4 in F major or was first performed privately at Fuglsang in August 1906.[5] He composed At the Bier of a Young Artist for her brother's funeral in 1910. Edvard Grieg was among those who played the grand piano in the music room.[4] Ither visitors included Franz Neruda and Julius Röntgen.[5]

Philanthropy

When her husband, who was 30 years her elder, died in 1915, Neergaard took over the management of both estates. Inspired by Pastor Johannes Munck of Møltrup Manor in Jutland,[6] she soon became socially active. She established the Sønderskov Home (Sønderskovhjemmet) on her property to house up to 17 men suffering from lack of employment. Initially she covered all the costs herself but from 1923 it became an independent institution.[1][2] Her charitable interests extended to providing holiday camp lodgings for some 50 boys from the capital to spend their summers near the shores of Guldborgsund while she made another building available to the writer Aage Falk Hansen for housing those in need. She adapted the main building on the Flintingegård estate for elderly women from Copenhagen to spend a few weeks in the country, inviting them in groups of 10 at a time. In 1919, she bought the old school in Toreby so that it could be used by the YMCA and YWCA.[2]

Death and legacy

Bodil Neergaard spent the rest of her life at Fuglsang where she died on 18 May 1959. In 1947, she had transferred all her property and possessions to the charitable foundation, Det Classenske Fideicommis.[1] She is buried in Toreby Churchyard.[7]

Awards

In 1947, Nerrgaard was honoured with the Medal of Merit for her extensive social and philanthropical contributions.[1] Explaining why she undertook so much social work, Neergaard simply commented: "I wanted so much to help."[4]

The Bodil Neergaard apple ciltivar is named after her. The variety was found circa 1850 in a field fence at Flintinge on Lolland.[8] The street Bodil Neergård Vænget in Odense is also named after her.[9]

Publications

Bodil Neergaard wrote memoirs describing her life at Fuglsang, published in 1944 in Danish as Minder fra Fuglsang : Mennesker jeg mødte gennem et langt Liv (Memories of Fuglsang: People I Met During a Long Life).[10]

See also

• Fuglsang Art Museum

References

1. Fonnesbech-Wulff, Benedicte. "Bodil Neergaard (1867 - 1959)" (in Danish). Kvinfo. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
2. Bech, Claus (1984). "Bodil Neergaard". Gyldendal: Dansk Biografisk Leksikon. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
3. "The Hartmann art collection". Bruun Rasmussen. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
4. "Bodil de Neergaard" (PDF). Toreby Arkiv: Orientering, No. 37. 2013. ISSN 2245-3539.
5. "Nielsen og Fuglsang". wintherkom.dk. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
6. "Velkommen" (in Danish). Møltrup Optegelseshjem. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
7. "Ellen Bodil Neergaard f. Hartmann" (in Danish). Kendtes gravsted. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
8. "Bodil Neergaard Apple". sonneruplund. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
9. "Bodil Neergård Vænget - Odense N" (in Danish). DinGeo Boliga. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
10. "Minder fra Fuglsang : Mennesker jeg mødte gennem et langt Liv" (in Danish). Bibliotek DK. Retrieved 26 June 2020.

External links

• Illustrated biography of Bodil Neergarrd from Toreby Sogn's Orientering (in Danish)