Hans Peter Madsen (Klank)

1881-1942

My Grandfather on my Father’s side  (Farfar) Hans Peter Madsen (Klank)

Born 2 July 1881 Nordrup Øster, Ringsted, Sorø, Denmark

Christened 11 Sep 1881 Nordrup Øster, Ringsted, Sorø, Denmark

Died 13 October 1942 in Koldinghus Hospital

Buried 18 October 1942  Kolding, Vejle, Denmark

My great grandfather on my Dad’s side was  Lars Madsen who was born 3 Sep 1840 in Fodslette on Langeland His parents are Mads Larsen, born 31 October 1815 in Humble, Svendborg, Danmark and Johanne Hansdatter born 9 Jan 1821 in Fodslette, Langeland, Danmark. Lars Madsen was in the 1864 War.  Every time when Lars was telling about his experiences in the Ward, he would cry.

My great grandmother Ane Marie Pedersen were born 26 Apr 1851 in Lidemark, Bjœverskov, Prœstø, Danmark.  Her parents were Peder Pedersen – not sure if the right father?  He was born 21 October 1798 in Terslev and her mother – for sure was Johanne Birgitte Hersom (also recorded as Jensen, born 10 January 1820 in Lidemark, Bjœveskov, Prœstø, Denmark.

Lars and Ane Marie had six children

1. Hans Peter Madsen born 2 July 1881 in Nordrup Øster, Ringsted, Sorø, Danmark
2. Ane Lisbeth Madsen born abt 1882 in Snesere, Baarse, Prœsto, Danmark
3. Ane Marie Madsen born 6 Jun 1884 in Nordrup Øster, Ringsted, Sorø, Danmark
4. Mads Kristian Madsen born 28 Feb 1886 in Nordrup Øster, Ringsted, Sorø, Danmark
5. Thorvald Hersom Madsen  born 13  Feb 1889 in Nordrup Øster, Ringsted, Sorø, Danmark
6. Emil Madsen 2 Apr 1896 in  Nordrup Øster, Ringsted, Sorø, Danmark

In Aarløse, Terslev, Ringsted, Sorø, Danmark/

My grandmother Johanne Marie Christine Petersen.

(see separate story about her)

Johanne and Hans Peter were married 2 March 1902 (6 months after my Dad was born)  My Dad Lars Vilhelm Henry Madsen was born 5 September 1901 Nordrup Øster, Ringsted, Sorø, Danmark.  They got married when he was one year old 2 Mar 1902 in Gjørslev, Bjœverskov, Prœstø, Danmark.

Hans Peter Madsen and Johanne Marie Christine Petersen had three boys:

• My Dad Lars Vilhelm Henry Madsen - my dad  born 5 Sep 1901, Gjørslev, Prœstø amt, Denmark. He married my Mom Else Margrethe Gunhild Emmely Rasmussen and they had three children:

• Kaj Hersom Madsen born 19 Dec 1903 Farendløse, Ringsted, Sorø, Danmark. He married Anna Dagny Olsen and they had five children:

• Richard Rasmus Kristian Madsen born 5 Nov 1905 Kværkeby, Bjœverskov, Prœstø, Danmark. He married Anna Margrethe Hansen and they had two children:

My grandfather Hans Peter Madsen who changed his name to Klank

My grandfather Hans Peter Madsen (Klank) lived in Klippede Mark, Nordrupøster Parish and worked as Blacksmith in training in Solrød, when he met Johanne. 

Hans Peter was a bit of a gigolo and their marriage only lasted for 5 years. Apparently, he was running around with other women so in 1908 my grandmother Johanne filed for divorce.  HP and had to pay 10 kroner a month to my grandmother and 10 kroner to each of the three kid. A total of 40 kroner a month.

He never paid his alimony and was sent to jail on bread and water only and his parent Lars Madsen and Ane Marie Petersen, had to pay his jail debt - in according to a letter – (see attached copy of letter Ane Marie wrote 6 November 1908 to Johanne and copy of divorce decree). As a matter of fact when he went to court 29 March 1911 for the divorce that Johanne was asking for he told the judge that could not "remember" that he in 1908 was told by the court to pay alimony to Johanne and child support to the 3 boys.

HP was NOT supposed to remarry. Nevertheless, he did not care about that. He ran away from the area where him and my grandmother lived and left all responsibilities to her to take care of their children.

Hans Peter and Johanne were divorced 13 Juni 1911, in Odense, Danmark. (but it was not registered in Odense before June 1914.

Johanne was left behind with the three boys and was very poor. Nevertheless, she was very resourceful and her son Richard said Johanne sent him to the butcher for free meat bones. Johanne would cook soup on them and after that her and the kids would then remove all the meat and sell the bones to the bone meal factory.

Hans Peter Madsen and Johanne’s divorce decree.  (Royal permission to divorce).

It says that Hans Peter Madsen could NOT remarry.

Hans Peter’s parents helped as much as they could. They were sending potatoes and carrots etc. to Johanne for her to survive – besides paying the 40 kroners a month to Johanne that their son was supposed to pay. They were not very happy with their son Hans Peter Madsen.

HANS PETER KLANK

After Hans Peter escaped he changed his name to Hans Peter Klank

Hans Peter Klank married Herta Christmas Eve 24 December 1914. In Sct.Hans church in Odense.  They gave birth to twins four months later in April 2015.

Herta Iris Mussie Christiansen, had changed her last name to Herta Iris Mussie Jensen or Resø.

HP and Herta had three children and then a divorced 1931.

He then moved to Vejle, Jylland where he married Lea Kristine Hansen Lyth 24 Sep 1932 in Kolding Raadhus. They had no children.

H.P. had many different businesses in Odense and Aarhus with office supplies and furniture.  All under the name H.P. Klank or H.P. Klank and Co. 

Hans Peter Klank died 13 October in Koldinghus Hospital of a heart attack and got buried 18 October 1942 in Kolding, Vejle Denmark

In our family, we never knew all this before 2007.  All we knew about our grandfather was “he disappeared”. We never saw our grandfather alive.

Vibeke Lindhardt

14 March 2017