Georg Christian Oeder
A Life - with More Than One Endeavor.
By Ernst Willumsen
"He blesses the Danish farmer,
for whom his courageous demands
became the first message of freedom."
These lines are engraved on a grave monument in the cemetery in Oldenburg. Wiedewelt created the
monument; the
inscription in its entirety was composed by a local official and friend.
But who is the subject of this in a distant place, far from Denmark - and with such grand words?
In the grave rests Georg Christian Oeder - since January 1791.
Who was he, and why did he receive this commemoration?
There are people who, by posterity, will be remembered more for actions that lay outside their
actual
field of work than
for what they performed in their daily duties.
One of them was Oeder.
When we shortly celebrate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of serfdom in 1788, he will be one of
those whose name
will be mentioned with gratitude and honor.
Through winding paths to a goal
His life unfolded so interestingly that we can briefly outline the main aspects of his existence.
He was born on February 3, 1728 in Ansbach, approximately 150 km north of Munich, between Nuremberg and
Rothenburg. His
father was a rector at the Latin school, and he grew up in rural surroundings with his grandmother in
Feuchtwangen until
his father became a Protestant bishop and dean there, and the boy naturally returned to his parents'
home.
Even today, Feuchtwangen is a typical "green" area; just outside the town's borders, fields, meadows,
and small forests
begin to shape the landscape. Surely this rural idyll and upbringing had significance for the boy's
later interests.
His father educated his sons with the ambition that they could be accepted at the most "modern"
university of the time,
which was founded in Göttingen in 1737.
Georg Christian Oeder stayed there from 1746 to 1749. He initially studied medicine but expanded his
studies under the
European renowned Albrecht von Haller to also include botany, where pharmacology served as an
intermediary. In addition,
he absorbed knowledge of political science, statistics, and political finance.
In 1749, Oeder left Göttingen to practice as a physician in Schleswig.
What led him there?
Partly he had studied alongside other young people with connections to Schleswig, and there were also
family connections
between the Danish-Norwegian court and Hanover, where the university was then located. Thus, we find him
in Schleswig as
a practicing physician.
But there was another who "discovered" him there, namely the monarchy's new foreign minister
(oversecretary in the
German chancellery), Johan Hartvig Ernst Bernstorff.
Bernstorff wanted Denmark (like Sweden) to distinguish itself, for example, in botanical activities, and
having learned
enough about Oeder's studies, interests, and knowledge in this area, he called him to Copenhagen in 1751
after meeting
him in Schleswig.
Let's not overlook his trial dissertation at the University of Copenhagen, which did not go very well.
He (as a
foreigner) became a victim of student unrest and bread riots, which completely ruined the presentation.
However, the
king chose the path where Oeder was appointed royal professor, and a botanical institute came into being
with Oeder as
its leader - along with a botanical garden established outside Amalienborg, where now the outer end of
Amaliegade
approaches the Gefion Fountain - right by the old customs house.
Simultaneously with the establishment of this garden, Oeder first traveled around Europe to study how
others had tackled
the matter.
The Relationship Between Plant Growth and Agriculture
When traveling, as Oeder did, it is inevitable to gain a strong impression of how the population, especially the peasants, lived their lives. In his travel reports to his superiors, J.H.E. Bernstorff and A.G. Moltke, he gradually placed less emphasis on the botanical side, which the two statesmen presumably only had a superficial knowledge of; but Oeder knew that both were interested in the prosperity of the economy, in which agriculture naturally occupied a very important place. And since Oeder, as mentioned, had dabbled in political and actuarial science in Göttingen, he could relate his knowledge to what he saw with his own eyes in his reports and thus bring his superiors into more direct contact with reality.At that time, the problems of agriculture in the kingdoms were characterized by two predominant elements; there were the farming methods and the population's steadfastness (due to the military conscription for the land militia). Oeder was personally opposed to a conscripted army, and he found it happiest if a country could defend itself with its own forces. He realized the harmful effects of serfdom and corvée labor on the peasant's willingness to work. Therefore, it suited him well when Count A.G. Moltke in 1769 asked him to put his thoughts into writing. He immediately set to work; but when he was to submit the result of his work, Moltke had changed his mind. Perhaps he was afraid that Oeder had gone too far; perhaps he was strongly influenced by his peers within the landed nobility, who were reluctant to see too many reforms. In any case, he offered Oeder a "gratuity" of 100 thalers (equivalent to a month's salary) to let the matter rest. This attitude did not suit Oeder, and by the end of the year, the treatise had been published in German—originally in Frankfurt and Leipzig, with a Danish translation (by Barthold Joh. Lodde) in Copenhagen.
Admittedly, the treatise appeared anonymously at the time—later it was reprinted with the author's name. In any case, it attracted much attention.
Consideration of the Question: How Freedom and Property Could Be Secured for the Peasantry in the Lands Where They Lack Both.
The treatise comprises a total of 132 pages in octavo format, which was practical in many respects because it could be carried in a roomy pocket or bag. The title immediately indicates that the treatise is kept in general, neutral terms, as it speaks of "the lands"—and that could be anywhere. In the introduction, the author also mentions this and adds that he seeks to refrain from moral grounds and notions suggesting that the restriction of the peasant's freedom is the sole source of contemporary woes and that a noticeable elevation of virtues would immediately follow the expansion of freedom. As a basis for assessing the conditions, he introduces the possible states in eight degrees worth mentioning:
1. Slavery, where the peasant and his family are serfs without the protection of the law.
2. Slavery, but under the protection and supervision of the law.
3. Lifetime lease with corvée labor—enough with personal freedom, but without written and legal determination of the extent of corvée.
4. Lifetime lease—with legal determination of corvée service.
5. Hereditary lease with determined corvée service.
6. Hereditary lease without corvée service—instead of rent.
7. Ownership of farms subject to conditional corvée services.
8. Ownership of farms subject to rent to the holder—without corvée—with full civil freedom—yet with a continued connection between the farm and the estate, with the farm remaining part of it.
Although the author is absolutely a supporter of the eighth and last form, the conditions of the time compel him to discuss the other solutions as stages on the way to the desirable.
The significance of population increase
Georg Chr. Oeder's studies in political science and mathematics have led him to evaluate the
importance of population
growth, both in military and economic terms.
He explains that the segment of the population from which population growth can be expected is the
agricultural sector.
However, he points out that this can only happen if the conditions of this population group are
significantly improved.
The situation, however, is that estate owners do not wish to expand the farmers' fields at the
expense of the main
estate. On the contrary, they diminish the farmers' own cultivation opportunities to the best of
their ability, thereby
keeping natural population growth in check.
A thriving agriculture is a prerequisite for a flourishing urban economy, and with this
consideration, Oeder delves into
writing about the industrial development in society. He believes that an increase in the rural
population can not only
provide "hands" for more intensive agriculture but also supply increased labor for the growing
industry.
As mentioned earlier, the matter also has military aspects, and already in this dissertation, Oeder
demonstrates his
preference for a national army over mercenary troops.
He expresses it as follows:
"The government that wishes to secure a reliable condition, not relying on the friendship and events
of the world, but
on the state's own forces, so that even though subjected to external influence, it need not fear
upheaval and downfall -
such a government must ensure that the condition of the peasant class aligns with this intention."
He adds that he writes in this manner "not only to please princes who engage in wars only for
defense"...
To these thoughts, he adds a plan for how a suitable military education can take place, emphasizing
how much safer it
would be to rely on people's defense of their homeland rather than a defense obtained merely through
money, where
concepts like loyalty and fidelity mean nothing.
On the subdivision of manor farms
It is quite clear to Oeder that even a partial transfer of peasant land to those who cultivate
it will meet resistance
from the nobility and other estate owners, due to the deep-rooted tradition and property rights.
He seeks to argue his
standpoint based on a set of logical considerations aimed towards the welfare of the state and
society.
He also understands the estate owner who continually inhabits his farm - as his ancestors have
done - but points out
that it is becoming more common for the estate owner to reside on his manor for only a short
period each year, leaving
the management to stewards and tenants. The entire relationship loses its human content and
devolves into something
purely economic.
He sees the possibility for change in a reform of the taxation system, and he also believes that
a consideration of the
relationship over several generations will convince more owners of the practicality of dividing
the estate.
Regarding the legal position of the peasant himself, he has much to say. He seeks, among other
things, to separate the
estate owner's economic rights from his control over the peasant's person. He does not dispute
the estate owner's
economic rights but also highlights how a practical transfer to the peasants would require the
development of insurance
institutions so that the peasant, in the event of, for example, a fire, does not find himself
completely destitute
because he owns nothing else but the farm and its furnishings, chattels, and crops (unlike the
estate owner, who often
possesses several other estates).
Any transition from one state to another is difficult; fortunately, the author can point to
areas where, for example, a
prince has shown the way by introducing significant changes to his crown estate.
One of the prerequisites for a fair division and just determination of taxes lies in a cadastre
and assessment of the
entire area - the estate, the region, the state. This way, taxes can also be levied in kind
rather than in money. It's
not enough to know the size of each individual land area; one must also understand its
fertility, its productivity
potential. To avoid the fluctuating nature of monetary systems, natural goods are suggested.
At the same time, Oeder warns against making frequent changes to the country's cadastre and
assessment. One must know
where one stands, and stability in these areas is of great importance to society.
Supplement to the Report
As objections to the "Report" began to surface, Oeder commenced a manuscript in response. However,
he never progressed
beyond elaborating on the first 39 pages. Then, a change in his circumstances intervened, halting
his progress.
He expressed this in the preface to the "Supplement" (published in 1771, in German, 67 pages,
octavo). This work, too,
was anonymous, yet he assumed that several readers of the "Report" were aware of his identity and
circumstances.
Certainly, he noted that many had read his work as thoroughly as the Devil reads the Bible. He felt
compelled once more
to clarify his fundamental viewpoints and his motivation for addressing the subject in the first
place.
He also found it necessary (as an introduction for intellectual dwarfs) to discuss the differences
that existed at that
time between the kingdom and the duchies in various aspects of agriculture. He provided a historical
account of the
conscription of the rural militia in Denmark/Norway to illuminate his advocacy for something akin to
"universal
conscription."
Of particular interest in his second opus on this subject was the comparison between Danish and
foreign conditions. He
demonstrated how in 1660 in Britain, by parliamentary decision and law, compulsory labor services
and any form of
personal submission were abolished. A landowner typically divides his estate into larger and smaller
farms, usually
retaining one near his main residence for personal use, often more for grazing than for crop
cultivation. The rest are
leased out for a fixed term at an agreed price.
At the time Oeder wrote his "Supplement," English agriculture appeared to be flourishing, and the
nobility themselves
were esteemed and lived in splendor and joy on their estates. Furthermore, there was considerable
agricultural export.
And thus arises the question of what will become of the nobility at home if the estates are
subdivided.
In the "Supplement," Oeder also had another opportunity to emphasize the advantages of the
management system described
earlier in point 8, and he specified population figures for different regions of the realms.
"The quantity of food determines the size of the population," he quoted from contemporary economic
theories. He also
highlighted the possibilities for a productive division of existing compulsory labor farms and
proposed guidelines for
the scale in various provinces.
Oeder believed that the state itself did not necessarily need to invest heavily in economic
development; legislation
merely needed to steer development in the right direction.
To describe the relationship between rural and urban areas, he drew a vivid example from Røros in
Norway.
Overall, Oeder's travels brought him close to the Norwegian population, allowing him to obtain many
candid insights,
which he depicted with great pleasure (and admiration) regarding the Norwegian peasant's
contribution to his land.
The Effects of Oeder's Writings
It is certain that Oeder's writings caused great sensation. The progressives found many of their own
thoughts expressed
in his account; but many large estate owners found them presumptuous.
Oeder's biographer, Gerhard Anton von Halem, writes:
"The large estate owners were dissatisfied. They believed they had a crucial interest in maintaining
serfdom. Their
peasants, so to speak, were their servitude and belonged to the state only through them. They
thought the abolition of
serfdom would sever this bond; all sovereignty over the peasants would immediately transfer to the
government,
consequently, the structure of agriculture and thereby their significant influence in governmental
affairs would lose
its strong support. Now serfdom was praised as the noble class's greatest treasure, and it was
reiterated that its
abolition aimed only to oppress the nobility and thus the current rural state.
Officially, a different tone was taken. They preferred the abolition of the relationship between
landowner and peasants
to be seen as an act of defiance against sovereignty.
'The author of the Report,' it was said, 'would grant the peasants a freedom that cannot even be
conceived in the freest
states. Only the titles of counties, baronies, and manors (according to the author's proposal) are
missing, and then we
will be completely republican.'"
These last lines were found in a work titled "Considerations on the Improvement of Agriculture in
Denmark, Written by a
Patriot," published in Copenhagen in 1769.
Oeder's own response to this diatribe is as follows:
"I regret that such a polite man as the author of these 'Considerations' cannot refrain from an
'argumentum ad
invidiam.' The author of the 'Report'—that is, myself, O.A.—who has dared to dedicate his work to a
sovereign monarch,
according to your interpretation, gentlemen, harbors republican principles, and thus: 'Hic niger
est!' - isn't that
right? And you would gladly make investigations into the relationship between landowners and
peasants a crime against
sovereignty! Therefore, I had good reason to express a few words about hateful ideologies and
despotism from the estate
owners who fight for the pleasure of ruling over their fellow citizens and for their 'majesty's
rights.' I cannot
believe that this twist you have given to the matter will sit well with the crowned philanthropist,
to whom we have both
dedicated our writings.
Regarding your concern for the nobility, I refer to the example from England. And as for your
understanding of freedom
(§1), which you want to shape according to the nature of the government, I refer to my preceding
remarks."
Oeder's staunchest opponent in 1769 was his contemporary Joachim Otto Schack-Rathlou (1728-1800),
who four years later,
when Oeder was forced away from Copenhagen to Oldenburg, remarked of him: "- he has been a harmful
man for Denmark!"
At the time of this statement, Schack-Rathlou was at the height of his power. He vehemently opposed
the emancipation of
peasants, and the only commendation that can be made in this regard is that he fully adhered to his
position when he
resigned as prime minister after the abolition of serfdom in 1788, leaving Copenhagen to reside on
his estates and never
again participating in the country's public life.
It is reasonably certain that Schack-Rathlou was the author of the aforementioned "Considerations."
The Years 1769 - 1773
With the versatility that characterized Georg Christian Oeder, he engaged during these years, among
other things, in the
vaccination of cattle, initiating and leading a series of experiments at Aunø near Næstved. He put
forward specific
proposals for the reorganization of the military widow's fund, whose calculation basis was hopeless and
would place
completely unreasonable demands on the future. With his mathematical and actuarial knowledge, Oeder came
up with a plan
whose interest rate basis actually "held" in Danish life insurance companies right up until the 1970s.
Given the evidence of solid knowledge and understanding of socio-economic problems he had provided, it
was hardly
surprising that on January 5, 1771, he was appointed finance councilor, after having joined the General
Land Commission
in 1770 upon invitation. There, he also contributed to the issuance of the decree of February 20, 1771,
on the
"Establishment of Labor Services in Denmark," thereby having the opportunity to apply some of his
theories in practice.
When Struensee was arrested and charged in January 1772, Oeder's opponents took the opportunity to push
him into the
background. However, he had done nothing to be blamed for, and his relationship with Struensee was
purely official —
correct, friendly, but impersonal. Therefore, he was placed in a political "backwater."
Already in June 1772, Oeder was appointed as the diocesan governor in Trondheim, after having declined
the same office
in Bergen. While Oeder was on a curative journey with his sick wife in Germany, the government changed
its mind and
relieved him of the office, which was given to an officer "for military reasons," it was said. When
Oeder learned of
this upon his return, he made representations to the dowager queen Juliane Marie and Crown Prince
Frederick through his
brother, who at that time was a court counselor to Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, who in turn was Juliane
Marie's brother.
Despite an order from the government to stay in Holstein, Oeder went to Copenhagen to present his case
personally to the
royal persons.
A governorship in Holstein had been promised to him; however, his appeal now turned the matter in
another direction.
Probably through the mediation of, among others, A. P. Bernstorff, Oeder was now offered the position of
diocesan
governor and bailiff in Oldenburg. The offer, however, had the convoluted background that they were
immediately facing
the separation of Oldenburg from the Danish-Norwegian monarchy. In negotiations with Russia, Oldenburg
had been
exchanged several years earlier for certain rights in Gottorp.
A. P. Bernstorff let Oeder understand that they could not go further at that time. Thus, Oeder's public
service for
Denmark-Norway ended, but certainly not his interest in the monarchies. His frail wife remained in the
Schleswig-Holstein area, where she died three years later. He himself moved to Oldenburg to begin a new
phase of his
life at the age of 45.
Oldenburg - A Sanctuary
It was quite laughable that Oeder had been appointed as landvogt, considering he had never dealt
with law. But for once,
luck smiled upon him. The government of Oldenburg assigned a young jurist, Gerhard Anton von Halem,
to his office, later
promoting him to assessor. This proved beneficial and joyful for both.
Von Halem swiftly rose in his career due to his competence, while Oeder was able to engage in cases
of greater interest
where his knowledge could benefit his new homeland. The following years were among Oeder's best in
many respects. He
entered into a new marriage.
His ideas about widows' funds and savings led to the establishment of Germany's first savings bank,
still located in the
town square of Oldenburg. His interest in cadastral surveys and related matters led to the summoning
of the Danish
surveyor Casper Wessel, related to Joh. Herm. Wessel and also Tordenskjold. In the subsequent years,
he conducted
surveys and mapping of the Duchy of Oldenburg, introducing a cadastre system that served as a model
for other German
states.
In his later years, Oeder also worked on issues related to paper money, drafting a plan and
precautions against
counterfeiting. However, he was not an unconditional advocate for its introduction; he likely would
have been more
interested in a "cashless" society.
During this period, he republished both "Betænkning" and "Tillæg," this time openly under his own
name. The works were
published in Altona, on Danish soil. Meanwhile, the political winds had shifted in Denmark, and the
timing for reissuing
the works was likely well-chosen. The influential figures in Copenhagen found it appropriate to send
drafts of
legislation on the abolition of serfdom to be reviewed in Oldenburg by Oeder. Among the advocates of
peasant
emancipation, especially A. P. Bernstorff and Chr. D. Reventlow, Oeder was certainly considered one
of their own.
If he had wished to return to Denmark at that time, the path would likely have been open. But the
opportunity had
passed. His health was not the best, and he preferred to remain where he was. After a few weeks of
illness, he passed
away on January 28, 1791.
He was buried in the newly established cemetery outside the city, and his grave was adorned with the
mentioned monument
by the Danish sculptor Johannes Wiedewelt. A testament to the Danish government's gratitude is
evident in the fact that
after his death, his children were granted Danish citizenship alongside their inherited Oldenburg
and Ansbach
citizenship from their father's birthplace.
The Man Georg Christian Oeder
Oeder was simultaneously outgoing and introverted. Where he believed it could benefit the common good
and enlightenment,
he was an exceedingly diligent writer. However, concerning himself and his personal affairs, he was
reserved. Thus, he
did not engage in writing any form of autobiography, and the letters left behind only touch on specific,
factual matters
that reveal little about the person Georg Christian Oeder.
Most of the essential information about him therefore comes from his collaborator in his later years,
the jurist and
poet Gerhard Anton von Halem. Von Halem was assigned as Oeder's legal advisor and mentor when he arrived
in Oldenburg in
1773. Von Halem himself had roots in Oldenburg. After Oeder's death in 1791, von Halem wrote the small
book "Andenken an
Oeder" (In Memory of Oeder), which was published in Altona in 1793. He dedicated this memoir to Oeder's
widow.
Oeder was probably not an easy man to deal with, as tradition in his family suggests. Yet, he was a man
of conviction.
He possessed civil courage, as demonstrated when he refused to testify against Struensee, despite not
holding the
highest opinion of Struensee's moral character. Struensee had always treated Oeder with correctness and
honesty, which
Oeder believed should not be repaid with baseless gossip and slander.
Certainly, such an action would have damaged Oeder's standing among the lesser figures of the time. That
it ended as
well as it did was solely Oeder's own merit. Perhaps his temperament suited better with Duke Peter
Friedrich Ludwig in
Oldenburg, another young man who could appreciate Oeder's merits.
In 1788, a pamphlet titled "Authentic and Highly Remarkable Information on Counts Struensee and Brandt's
History" was
published in Kempten. For the first time, it was translated and printed from the French manuscript by a
prominent
anonymous author. The pamphlet is attributed to a small circle of individuals, including H.P. Sturz, who
arrived in
Oldenburg around the same time as Oeder, Landgrave Carl of Hesse, S.O. Falkenskjold, and Georg Christian
Oeder himself.
The anonymous author was believed to be the Landgrave, who was close to the Danish court. In its
sobriety, the style
remarkably resembles Oeder's own. The pamphlet seeks to provide a documentary account of the dramatic
events in
Copenhagen in January 1772. While not glorifying Struensee in any way, it does rehabilitate him
regarding most of the
charges he was convicted of. The portrayal of Queen Caroline Mathilde is delicate, almost chivalrous.
One can easily
imagine Oeder as the "editor" of this book.
Oeder experienced a reasonably happy family life only after 1776, when he married for the second time.
Catharine Gertrud
Mattiesen was the daughter of Conrad Mattiesen, a judicial councilor and councilman in Altona. She was
21 years old when
they married and outlived her husband until 1807. It speaks volumes about Oeder that he maintained an
excellent
relationship with his first wife's family, the Ericius lineage in Schleswig, until his death. His
connections with his
childhood region around Ansbach and Feuchtwangen were also kept alive, as evidenced by the church
records in Oldenburg
where several "homeland" family members acted as godparents at his children's baptisms.
In consideration of his children, he was ennobled in 1784 so that they could add "von" to their names.
He himself
probably viewed such titles with a smile, and his position in the scientific and political world
certainly did not
necessitate it.
Although he may have been a serious man in daily life, like many family fathers of his time, he must
have had a
reasonable sense of humor. He joked several times with von Halem about his appointment as landvogt,
despite lacking any
legal background. "They might as well have made me a bishop," he reportedly said. It must have brought
him both joy and
satisfaction that outstanding men like A.P. Bernstorff and Chr. Ditlew Reventlow honored him for his
contribution to
agricultural reforms in Denmark.
In a note from his last days to be quoted:
"Ich kann dem Gedanken Platz lassen, der einem Mann welcher den Werth des Lebens und des Daseyns
fühlt, vor allen der
angenehmste und befriedigendste ist: nicht ohne Nutzen in der Welt gewesen zu seyn."
"I can allow the thought to occupy a place which, for a man who feels the value of life and
existence, is above all the
most pleasant and satisfying: to have not been without benefit in the world.""- ikke at have været
ganske uden nytte til
i verden..."
"-to have not been without benefit in the world-"
Georg Christian Oeder could in 1791 depart from this world with peace of mind, conscious that he -
despite the foolish
remarks - had been a good servant and wise advisor to Denmark.
His name will live on - not only through Flore Danica - but also for his efforts on behalf of the
peasantry, when it was
truly needed.
Ernst Willumsen
Frederiksberg 1985
Literature
This is page 18 of the original manuscript by Ernst Willumsen.
Considerations on the Question: How Freedom and Property can be Procured for the Peasantry in Countries where Both are Lacking.
Frankfurt and Leipzig 1769 (anonymous)
Consideration on the Question: How Freedom and Property could be Procured for the Peasantry in the Countries where Both are Lacking.
Translated from German by Barthold Joh. Lodde
Copenhagen 1769 (anonymous)
Additions to the Consideration on the Question: How Freedom and Property could be Procured for the Peasantry in the Countries where Both are Lacking?
Frankfurt and Leipzig 1771 (Anonymous)
(Translated into Danish by Ernst Willumsen, Frederiksberg 1985. Only available in manuscript.)
Both "Bedenken" (1769) and "Zusäze" (1771) were reissued with additional supplements.
Altona 1786 (With the author's name)
Gerhard Anton von Halem:
Remembrance of Oeder
Altona 1773
(Translated: "tilminde om Oeder" to Danish by Ernst Willumsen, Frederiksberg 1985. Available only in manuscript.)
Inger Gorny: Georg Christian Oeder
Excerpt from "Peter Friedrich Ludwig und das Herzogtum Oldenburg"
Oldenburg 1979
Afterword about an Epitaph
Johan Wiedewelt's gravestone monument over Georg Christian Oeder at the cemetery in Oldenburg bears on
its front side
the image of the cloudberry flower, the plant that initiates FLORE DANICA. Additionally, the names of
Oeder and his wife
can be read (though indistinctly). The entire backside of the monument was filled with a text, which
today is
practically illegible; fortunately, we know it from the author, Gerhard Anton Halem, who reproduced it
in his memoir
about Oeder. It reads in German:
Daniens Blumen und Kräuter
sammelt' und flocht' er
zum dauernden Kranz
Sichre Pflege danken die Wittwen
ihm
Ihn segnet der dänische Landmann,
welchen sein kühner Ruf erster
Bote der Freiheit ward.
Denmark's flowers and herbs
he gathered and wove
into an everlasting wreath
The widows thank him for
his secure care
May the Danish farmer bless him
for whom his brave demands
became the first message of freedom.
The cloudberry flower was also an important part of Oeder's coat of arms.