D’Angleterre

How the Stage was Set HISTORY IN BRIEF 1755: The hotel in its first form, as a restaurant, opened its doors for business. It was called The Strong Man's Garden. 1787: It assumed the name Hotel d'Angleterre. 1993: Current owner H Remmen took over the reins of the hotel. HISTORY IN DETAIL c.1750: A love affair between two young people laid the founding stone of Hotel D'Angleterre. In the middle of the 18th century, a young hairdresser and make-up artist, Jean Marchal, came to Copenhagen with a visiting theatre troupe. Enchanted by the city he decided to stay on after his performances and found a job as a valet to one of the famous libertines of the time, Count Conrad Danneskiold Laurvig. Now part of the servants' circle at the Danish royal court, he fell in love with Maria Coppy, the daughter of the royal chef and quite a genius in the kitchen herself. They got married. 1755: Mr and Mrs Marchal opened a restaurant, 'The Strong Man's Garden'. During autumn the same year, they moved to Kongens Nytorv by the corner of Vingårdsstræde (the current rear entrance to Magasin du Nord). This point in time marks the founding of Hotel D'Angleterre, although the name didn't come until 30 years later. Jean Marchal's staff only comprised two maids and a stableman, apart from himself and his wife. They didn't need any more, since all distinguished travellers brought their own staff. Marchal, however, offered fine rooms and ample space for the guests' horses and carriages. Soon afterwards, however, Maria died at the age of just 32. Marchal remarried a couple of years later but died himself at the early age of 44. His widow ran the hotel for another 11 years. 1787: The restaurant was sold to Gottfried Rau. He hosted 'The English Club' in Copenhagen. According to the fashion of the era, he changed the name of the hotel to the Francophone Hotel D'Angleterre. 1795: The hotel burnt down, but Gottfried Rau considered rebuilding too costly. Instead, he took over Grams Gård, which was just a few metres from the ruins of the hotel - right where the hotel is today. 1840, 11 February: Danish composer, H.C. Lumbye, held his debut concert, 'ˆ la Strauss', at Hotel D'Angleterre, which became the new concert hall of the city, and for many years the hotel was synonymous with the city's musical entertainment. 1872: Headed by the merchant tycoon, C. F. Tietgen, "Det kjøbenhavnske Byggeselskab" took over the property with the aim of bringing up to the standard of the very best European hotels. The new owners carried out a refurbishment and large expansion of Hotel D'Angleterre. The main building was prolonged by 10 metres, and a new wing was added all the way along Hovedvagtsgade. In addition, they constructed a new two-storey wing, enclosing the courtyard (the current Palm Court). It was called, 'The White Hall', later known as the Louis XVI Hall. Copenhagen's most successful restaurateur, Alexander Vincent, hosted the 'new' hotel. The owners also invested in an oven that could keep up to 1,000 plates warm at the same time, and they added a wine cellar in the grand French tradition. Late 19th century: The most significant development of that era was the opening of a new café on the corner where Restaurant D'Angleterre lies today. Contrary to tradition, the café was designed with light colours and an abundance of gold, and was named, 'The Golden Cure', after an American method of alcohol abuse treatment. 1915: The hotel partially burned down, ending the success of The Golden Cure. 1915-18: War dampened spirits at the Hotel D'Angleterre. Not only did Copenhagen society life have to observe the Shop's Act, restricting the opening hours, but the whole hotel was also taken over by Russian refugees. 1929: The hotel was vulnerable to the misery of the Great Depression. 1949, 9 April: The day Germany occupied Denmark, also marks the beginning of a new dismal period for the hotel. The German army enlisted Hotel D'Angleterre as their headquarters in Copenhagen, and German officers took over the hotel, just as uniformed guard posts took position at the entrance. 1943: The German army moved its headquarters from Hotel D'Angleterre to Østerbro, but remained guests at the hotel. 1945: The Hotel D'Angleterre stood at a crossroads. Five years of occupation had left its visible marks on Hotel D'Angleterre, and the building needed a revamp, but this had to measured against the uncertainty that reined in the wake of World War II. However, the board gave the go ahead for a major refurbishment. 1955: The hotel celebrated its bicentenary. However, the refurbishment took longer than expected and the banqueting facilities had yet to be renovated. 1980s: Economic recession affected the hotel’s business. It was a tough time for hotels and restaurants in Denmark. Representational expenses were no longer deductible for private industry, and this change in policy meant that a large part of the hotel and restaurant business went bust. Hotel D'Angleterre survived by the skin of its teeth. 1993, Christmas: Current owner H Remmen took over with a vision to renovate the hotel and restore it to its erstwhile glory. First of all, the Kongens Nytorv facade was fully renovated. 1995,Christmas: The festive season that year marked the beginning of an entirely new tradition in the history of Hotel D'Angleterre. Thousands of small lamps, ornamental fir and beautiful ribbons created the settings for one of Copenhagen's most beautiful seasonal decorations. The tradition has been maintained ever since. 1996, February: Opening of the D'Angleterre Spa and Fitness which apart from being equipped with Scandinavia's largest hotel swimming pool, has a Jacuzzi, a Turkish bath and a sauna, and offers massage and the latest in fitness equipment. 1990s: The hotel was equipped with Europe's largest glass mosaic. 2001, Autumn: H. Remmen celebrated his 25th anniversary in the hotel business by re-inaugurating the Palm Court. A gigantic glass mosaic, the largest in Europe, courtesy of Italian designer Poli was fitted above the banquet hall. The mosaic measures an impressing 225 m² and weighs more than 30 tons.

Many famous guests have graced the hotel over the years, as well as some infamous ones. The D'Angleterre was the headquarters of the occupying German forces in World War II and played host to Rommel during his visit to Copenhagen. Wall of Fame Royalty • HH Prince Aga Khan • HRH Princess Birgitta of Sweden • HM King Beaudouin • Prince Carl Bernadotte of Sweden • HM Queen Fabiola of Belgium • HRH Crown Prince Harald of Norway • HM Queen Noor of Jordan • HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirsindhorn • HRH Crown Princess Sonja of Norway • HSH Helga-Lee Princess zu Schaumburg-Lippe Politicians • Lord Carrington • President Glafcos Cleides • Dwight Eisenhower • Primeminister Edward Fenech-Adami • Foreign Minister Wiliam Graham • HE Helmut Kohl • Vice President Marco Maciel • Emelda Marcos • Felipe Gonzalez Marquez • Walther Mondale • President Romano Prodi • President Jorge Sampaio • President Javier Solana • President Suharto • Al Gore • Tony Blair Film • Bille August • Ingmar Bergman • Sidney Polack • Alan Alda • Anne Archer • Laureen Bacall • Danny Glover • Adrien Brody • Pierce Brosnan • Raymond Burr • Nicolas Cage • Sir John Cleese • Glenn Close • Joan Collins • Daniel Craig • Tony Curtis • Sinead Cusack • Geena Davis • Catherine Deneuve • Bo Derek • Cameron Diaz • Mia Farrow • Christopher Lee • Max von Sydow • Henry Fonda • Hugh Grant • Gene Hackman • Rex Harrison • Paul Hogan • Liz Hurley • Jeremy Irons • Danny Kaye • Gene Kelly • Christopher Lambert • Roger Moore • Viggo Mortensen • Connie Nielsen • Leslie Nielsen • Sean Penn • Anthony Perkins • Vanessa Redgrave • Isabella Rossellini • Winona Ryder • Telly Savalas • Ted Schackelford • Roy Schneider • Sylvester Stalone • John Travolta • Dennis Weaver • Uma Thurman • Johnny Knoxwille • Mads Mikkelsen • Patrick Dempsey Music • Bryan Adams • Mariah Carey • Robbie Williams • Damian Marley • Anastacia • Harry Belafonte • Michael Bolton • Pat Boone • Toni Braxton • Jose Carreras • Johnny Cash • Cher • Sean "Puffy" Combs • Celine Dion • Bob Dylan • Bryan Ferry • Barbara Hendricks • Julio Iglesias • Janet Jackson • Michael Jackson • Rickie Lee Jones • Tom Jones • Sir Elton John • Lenny Krawitz • Ricky Martin • Nana Mouskouri • Madonna • Liza Minnelli • Stevie Nicks • Lisa Nilsson • Sinead O'Connor • Prince • Diana Ross • Bruce Springsteen • Rod Stewart • Donna Summer • Bonnie Tyler • Tina Turner • Dionne Warwick • Kanye West • Roger Whittaker • Neil Young • Aerosmith • Mark Knopfler • KORN • Tori Amos • Rammstein • Deep Purple • Rick Ashley • Count Basie • Phil Collins • Bee Gees • Bon Jovi • Victor Borge • Joe Cocker • The Corrs • The Cure • Depeche Mode • Destiny's child • Dire Straits • Duran Duran • Eric Clapton • Elvis Costello • Erasure • Eurythmics • Guns'N Roses • Van Halen • INXS • Billy Joel • Diana Krall • Lars Ulrich • Level 42 • Live • Metallica • Anne-Sofie Mutter • Pet Shop Boys • Pink Floyd • Red Hot Chili Peppers • Michael Rutherford • Ringo Starr • Rolling Stones • Roxette • Scissor Sistors • Simply Red • Status Quo • Michael Fogarthy • Killers • Dave Mathews Band • Alicia Keys • Maroon 5 • Megadeath • Katie Melua • Joss Stone • Ryan Adams • Arcade Fire • Eels • Bono • REM • Avril Lavigne • Velvet Revolver Band • Green Day • Coldplay • U2 • Lou Reed • System of a Down • Justin Timberlake • Moby • Pharrell Williams • Mr. Lordi • Jet • George Michael • John Fogerty • Il Divo • Ozzy Osborne • Grace Jones • Pearl Jam • The Who • Amarican Steel Band • Smashing Punpkins • Back Street Boys • KISS • Whitesnake • Def Leppard • Kylie Minogue • Elaine Paige • Marianne Faithful • Cecilia Bartolli _____________________ Celebrities • Carl Lewis • Harlem Globetrotters • Mike Tyson • Jacques Villeneuve • Sir David Attenborough • Michail Baryzchnikow • Walter Cronkite • Walt Disney • Eileen Ford • Garri Kasparov • Yoko Ono • David Rockefeller • Claudia Schiffer • Kurt Trampedach • Ivana Trump • Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber • Barbara Cartland • Bjorn Wiinblad • Per Wimmer • Rajendra Pachauri

During World War II the occupying Germans weren't exactly popular in Denmark and the Hotel D'Angleterre was no exception. At the corner café they invented their own way of keeping a distance to the Germans. If a German officer strayed into the restaurant, all the guests would rise and knock on the tables and shout: 'Pay, Pay!'. It didn't take long before the Germans realized that they had to keep away from the corner café. ------ When Field Marshal Rommel came to Copenhagen, he stayed at the Hotel D'Angleterre, where German forces were headquarted. After his departure a small group gathered outside the hotel. This bewildered the German soldiers, and one of them tried to inform the on-lookers in broken Danish that Rommel had long since departed. The crowd answered: "But we're not waiting for Rommel; we're waiting for Montgomery! He's always following hot on his heels, isn't he?"

Tony Bak (since Nov 2005)
Morten B. Tjelum
Mr Michael Telling