The Story of Per and Lilly (née Christensen) Falkenberg-Andersen
When Queen Margrethe II of Denmark officially opened the Dickson Store Museum, Per presented her with a very special gift. He had crafted the gift from a unique piece of submerged wood he recovered off the Reersø peninsula on the island of Sjaelland (Zealand) Denmark.
Here's how Per found it:
"In 1942, my mother was bathing in the ocean in the Great Belt near the Reersø peninsula. She slipped on a peculiar piece of wood. Curious, she took it to the Danish National Museum and discovered it was oak from an ancient forest now covered by the ocean. Later, carbon dating determined those trees were 6,000 years old.
My brother and I always admired that piece of wood. Being carpenters, we knew it was valuable and unique––and wanted more. Our friend had a boat, so we went searching. We loaded a timber saw, weighted belts and bellows and air hoses into the boat, and set sail. Soon we located some submerged logs about 2.5 metres underwater.
Our friend stayed in the boat, working the bellows that supplied our air hoses. My brother and I sat on the ocean floor, sawing...and sawing...and sawing. Whenever a piece came off, we'd take it up and rest for a moment. We came home with several fine pieces.
After Lilly and I moved back to Denmark, I returned to the Great Belt with a snorkel and small saw. I got a particularly lovely piece, which I saved to make something special. When we returned to Spruce View, I brought it with me. By the time I went to use it, that wood had been curing for 25 years. It was so hard, I had to use carbon steel tools."
Oak from an ancient forest, fished from the sea. Priceless, and fit for a queen.
Adapted from the 2007 Heritage Book,with permission from the Federation of Danish Associations in Canada
More Immigrant Stories:
• Find out how Per's gift links two Sovereign Queens. See Gift for a Queen
