Andersen, Hans Christian

Hans Christian Andersen (1805 - 1875), a Danish writer and poet, was born in an impoverished family at in Odense, Denmark. He is best - known for his fairy tales, some of which include The Ugly Duckling (1844), The Little Mermaid (1836), and The Snow Queen (1844). Andersen remained popular among the royals and was highly approved across Europe for his childern's literature, which was later translated into many languages. His first novel, The Improvisatore appeared in 1835.

One of the most prominent figures in world literature, Andersen wrote more then 150 tales for children which have been translated in more then 80 languages all over the world. A versatile writer, he also wrote plays, novels, poems and travelogues.