Otto Christian Hammer
Encyclopedia
Otto Christian Hammer was a Danish
naval officer who participated in the First Schleswig War and the Second Schleswig War.
In 1837 Hammer joined the Danish Naval Academy as a cadet and was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 3 August 1843. On an expedition to qualm uprisings in the Danish colonies in Guinea
in 1854, he led the expeditionary forces to Fort Prinsensten
and negotiated with the locals.
During the First Schleswig War, Hammer served with a squadron that blocked traffic in the mouth of the river Elbe
. In 1850 he became deputy commander of the squadron and operated from Fanø
off the Danish west coast. His forces occupied the islands Nordstrand
and Pellworm
and Hammer took part in the defense of the then Danish towns of Tönning
and Friedrichstadt
. On 3 August 1851, he was promoted to Lieutenant. After the war he was made a customs and lighthouse inspector at the west coast of the Duchy of Schleswig. Although Hammer quit his naval service in 1854, he was granted the character of a Lieutenant Commander on 17 February 1858.
At the onset of the Second Schleswig War, Hammer enlisted again and commanded a flotilla
of Danish naval units in the North Frisian Islands
with his headquarters in Wyk auf Föhr
. Initially, he successfully fought off superior Austro
-Prussia
n forces. But when requested reinforcements did not arrive and his opponents were able to capture the island of Sylt
and then Föhr
, Hammer himself was taken prisoner by Prussian Lieutenant Ernst von Prittwitz und Gaffron
on 19 July 1864 in Wyk, and was held captive until August of that year. His enemies described him as a "Viking who terrorised the land and the people (Land und Leute tyrannisierenden Wikinger)". while Danish-oriented parts of the population of the islands presented an honorary sabre to him.
Hammer returned from Austrian captivity in 1856 and took a seat in the Diet of Denmark
. At the same time he also quit his public service and established a fishery business. In 1882 he acquired a sizeable sawmill in Sweden. On 6 April 1889, Hammer was promoted to the character of Commander. Otto C. Hammer died on 10 March 1892.
In 1872 he was awarded a gold medal by the Moscow Scientific Society for a treatise on fishery matters.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
naval officer who participated in the First Schleswig War and the Second Schleswig War.
Life
Hammer was the son of District Commissioner and Inspector Frederik Abel Hammer (d. 1877) and Elisabeth Kirstine Lemvigh (1794–1849). On 28 February 1851 he wedded Henriette Jacobine Hastrup (b. 3 September 1830 on Hjortholm Castle), daughter of Julianus Jensen Hastrup (1780–1863), squire on Hjortholm from 1823 to 1863, and of Anna Cecilie Høffding (1791–1861).In 1837 Hammer joined the Danish Naval Academy as a cadet and was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 3 August 1843. On an expedition to qualm uprisings in the Danish colonies in Guinea
Danish Gold Coast
The Danish Gold Coast was a part of the Gold Coast , which is on the West African Gulf of Guinea...
in 1854, he led the expeditionary forces to Fort Prinsensten
Fort Prinzenstein
Fort Prinzenstein is a fort located at Keta, Ghana which was used in the slave trade. Many such forts were built in Africa, but Prinzenstein is one of the few that lie east of the Volta River. It was initially built by Danish traders in 1784 for defensive purposes in a war against the Anlo Ewe and...
and negotiated with the locals.
During the First Schleswig War, Hammer served with a squadron that blocked traffic in the mouth of the river Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
. In 1850 he became deputy commander of the squadron and operated from Fanø
Fanø
Fanø is a Danish island in the North Sea off the coast of southwestern Denmark, and is the very northernmost of the Danish Wadden Sea Islands...
off the Danish west coast. His forces occupied the islands Nordstrand
Nordstrand, Germany
Nordstrand is a peninsula and former island in North Frisia on the North Sea coast of Germany. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Its area is 50 km², and its population is 2,300...
and Pellworm
Pellworm
Pellworm is one of the North Frisian Islands on the North Sea coast of Germany. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Its area is 37 km², and its population is roughly 1,200....
and Hammer took part in the defense of the then Danish towns of Tönning
Tönning
Tönning is a town in the district of Nordfriesland in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. During the Great Northern War, Tönning was besieged twice.-Geography:...
and Friedrichstadt
Friedrichstadt
Friedrichstadt is a town in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated on the river Eider approx. 12 km south of Husum. It was founded in 1621 by Dutch settlers...
. On 3 August 1851, he was promoted to Lieutenant. After the war he was made a customs and lighthouse inspector at the west coast of the Duchy of Schleswig. Although Hammer quit his naval service in 1854, he was granted the character of a Lieutenant Commander on 17 February 1858.
At the onset of the Second Schleswig War, Hammer enlisted again and commanded a flotilla
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
of Danish naval units in the North Frisian Islands
North Frisian Islands
The North Frisian Islands are a group of islands in the Wadden Sea, a part of the North Sea, off the western coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The German islands are in the traditional region of North Frisia and are part of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park and the Kreis of...
with his headquarters in Wyk auf Föhr
Wyk auf Föhr
Wyk auf Föhr is the only town on Föhr, the second largest of the North Frisian Islands on the German coast of the North Sea. Like the entire island it belongs to the district of Nordfriesland...
. Initially, he successfully fought off superior Austro
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
-Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n forces. But when requested reinforcements did not arrive and his opponents were able to capture the island of Sylt
Sylt
Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia...
and then Föhr
Föhr
Föhr is one of the North Frisian Islands on the German coast of the North Sea. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Föhr is the second-largest North Sea island of Germany....
, Hammer himself was taken prisoner by Prussian Lieutenant Ernst von Prittwitz und Gaffron
Ernst von Prittwitz und Gaffron
Ernst Karl Ferdinand von Prittwitz und Gaffron was a Royal Prussian Lieutenant General and Knight of Justice of the Order of Saint John.-Family:...
on 19 July 1864 in Wyk, and was held captive until August of that year. His enemies described him as a "Viking who terrorised the land and the people (Land und Leute tyrannisierenden Wikinger)". while Danish-oriented parts of the population of the islands presented an honorary sabre to him.
Hammer returned from Austrian captivity in 1856 and took a seat in the Diet of Denmark
Rigsraadet
Rigsraadet, or Riksrådet, , is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that ruled the countries together with the kings from late Middle Ages to the 17th century...
. At the same time he also quit his public service and established a fishery business. In 1882 he acquired a sizeable sawmill in Sweden. On 6 April 1889, Hammer was promoted to the character of Commander. Otto C. Hammer died on 10 March 1892.
Publications
Hammer published a book on his experiences in the war of 1864:- Vesterhavsøernes Forsvar i Aaret 1864 (The Defending of the North Sea Islands in the Year 1864), Copenhagen: 1865.
In 1872 he was awarded a gold medal by the Moscow Scientific Society for a treatise on fishery matters.
Decorations
- Knight of the Order of the DannebrogOrder of the DannebrogThe Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
(28 December 1850) - Silver Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (3 August 1860)
- Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog (30 September 1864)
Legacy
- Hammers Trafikskole, "Hammer's Traffic School", in RødbyRødbyRødby is a town and a former municipality on the island of Lolland in Denmark. The former Rødby municipality covered an area of 120 km², and had a total population of 6,590...
was named after him. - In 1975 a Danish patrol boat (P 542) was named Hammer after him.