Can Faith Move People?

The location on a cape allowed for the city to be fortified and protected with relatively few kilometers of ramparts. At the same time, it made it possible to supply the city and the fortress with both food and troops from the sea.

Unfortunately, there had not been much thought given to where the inhabitants would come from. Large parts of the area behind the ramparts were swampy. And there was not much surrounding land. Only a few small villages: Hybo, Hannerup, and Ullerup. Here, a total of 47 families lived, whom the king moved inside the ramparts with a stroke of the pen. This may sound like a violent imposition, and it was surely not popular among the peasants who now had to live within the ramparts and cultivate their fields outside. But they were tenant farmers and therefore did not own the land themselves. Moreover, the king’s word was law. So, he got his way.

The king had grand plans for Fredericia. The city was to showcase his wealth and power to the world. Among other things, the plan was for Fredericia to be a canal city like Venice, allowing boats to sail up to the city’s large squares.

Therefore, 47 families from the peasant class were far from enough to create the vibrant city the king envisioned. To attract newcomers, the king granted the city a number of special privileges, including tax exemptions, free building lots, immunity from prosecution for criminals, asylum rights, duty-free status, and tolerated residency for various religions.

By placing the fortress town on a cape, the ramparts only needed to cover 120° of a circle to protect the city, but the lack of surrounding land and the extensive swamp areas in the southern part of the 103 hectares within the ramparts created difficulties in attracting enough inhabitants to the city.

The Free Town of Fredericia

Religion was not taken lightly in the 17th century. The Danish state firmly upheld the Lutheran faith as the country’s religious foundation. However, in Fredericia, the king granted permission in 1672 and 1684 for other Christian denominations and Jews to live and work in the city. News of the religious free town spread among the many faith communities that were under pressure in Europe. Not least the Huguenots – the Reformed – who came from areas in France and Belgium where Protestants were harshly persecuted and oppressed. Jews and Catholics also came to Fredericia seeking peace to practice their faith.

This was not a matter of religious freedom. The Evangelical Lutheran faith was at the top of the hierarchy. And the other faith communities were not allowed to evangelize in the city. If one strayed from the rules governing the free town’s religious framework, there were severe consequences. This happened, for instance, in 1726 when the son of a Jewish rabbi, Moses Cohn, had a child with Catharina Hansdatter. Naturally, the child was born out of wedlock, and the punishment was severe. Moses was sentenced to a year of hard labor in irons and thereafter exiled. The Christian Catharina was subjected to public humiliation – that is, tied to a post in the square and whipped. She was then driven out of the city.

Tobacco Became a New Industry

Fredericia’s new inhabitants brought new crops to the region, including potatoes and tobacco plants. The tobacco plants were of particular royal interest since it was expensive to import tobacco from Prussia. King Frederik 4. made efforts to attract tobacco growers. By 1722, Fredericia was already able to produce a considerable amount, and for over 200 years, tobacco was the city’s most important industry. You can learn more about tobacco production at the City Museum in Fredericia.

Many Churches Without Towers

In the religious free town, you will find many churches. Trinitatis and St. Michael’s Church are among the Lutheran churches. The Reformed Church is where the Huguenots gathered. St. Knud’s Church is Catholic. Additionally, we have a Jewish cemetery.

The fortress town also influences this. The churches have no towers. There were to be no tall buildings that the enemy could aim at during a siege. However, the Catholic church does have a tower, which was built after the military significance of the fortress had faded.

Come, See, and Participate in the Treasure Hunt

Faith can move mountains. And people. This is demonstrated by the fascinating history of Fredericia’s inception. Experience the exhibition at the city museum and embark on a treasure hunt around Fredericia’s streets to see if you can uncover some of the city’s religious secrets. In the treasure hunt, you must help the spirit of the child that Moses and Catharina had by solving a series of tasks throughout the city.