Egmont Harald Petersen
The story about Egmont starts with a dynamic and visionary young man: Egmont Harald Petersen.
The dream became reality when in 1878 the 17-year-old Egmont Harald Petersen, with a loan from his mother, and bought a hand press, fondly referred to as a ”fly swatter” (by the Danes), which is a simple, hand-operated printing press.
As a newly-qualified typographer the young Egmont did not have good prospects of getting a job. In those days every tenth typographer was jobless, but the prospect of unemployment did not appeal to Egmont. He took matters into his own hands and, with the support of his mother, Petrine, began to print business cards, invoices, letterheads and similar on the hand press in their kitchen at home.
Royal printer
As early as 1880 there was not enough space in his mother’s kitchen, and in the next years the printing house moved to bigger and bigger premises. Egmont bought more machinery, employed more people and became known throughout Denmark as the competent young printer that delivered quality products.
To keep abreast of technological developments in the printing industry Egmont often travelled abroad and he pioneered new printing techniques all his life. In 1892 Egmont was the first in Denmark to print a color-toned picture.
This was also the period that Egmont was given the nick-name ”KunstPetersen” (Petersen the artist), won recognition in the industry for his fine work and was awarded the prestigious title Royal printer, a title which the organization bears to this day.
”Hjemmet”
In 1902 Egmont bought ”Damernes Blad”, which 2 years later changed its profile and layout and became a family weekly under the new title ”Hjemmet”. Egmont raised the circulation from 2.000 to 100.000 copies from when he took over in 1902, up to 1912.
Gutenberghus
All these activities and the continued growth of the printing house demanded bigger premises. In 1911 Egmont Harald Petersen decided to build a large printing house near Kongens Have in the middle of Copenhagen.
Egmont Harald Petersen died on August 5th in 1914 and never saw the new building, which was finished in September that year. The printing house was given the name Gutenberghus, after the printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg.
Gutenberghus also became the organization’s new name.
At the time of his death, in 1914, Egmont Harald Petersen left behind him a solid company which was growing constantly. And despite its enormous size it soon became apparent that the size of Gutenberghus could not keep up with the growth of the printing house and the publishing organization.
More space was needed, and in 1928 the second Gutenberghus was unveiled in Vognmagergade, in the centre of Copenhagen.
This is where Egmont has its head office today.
A wonderful tale
In an obituary in Hjemmet Valborg Andersen, the editor of ”Hjemmet”, summarized the life of Egmont Harald Petersen as follows:
”Egmont H. Petersen’s life was a wonderful tale – the tale of the poor young man who, through hard work, skill and unwavering honesty, lived to take his place among the ranks of the country’s finest men.”
As a newly-qualified typographer the young Egmont did not have good prospects of getting a job. In those days every tenth typographer was jobless, but the prospect of unemployment did not appeal to Egmont. He took matters into his own hands and, with the support of his mother, Petrine, began to print business cards, invoices, letterheads and similar on the hand press in their kitchen at home.
Royal printer
As early as 1880 there was not enough space in his mother’s kitchen, and in the next years the printing house moved to bigger and bigger premises. Egmont bought more machinery, employed more people and became known throughout Denmark as the competent young printer that delivered quality products.
To keep abreast of technological developments in the printing industry Egmont often travelled abroad and he pioneered new printing techniques all his life. In 1892 Egmont was the first in Denmark to print a color-toned picture.
This was also the period that Egmont was given the nick-name ”KunstPetersen” (Petersen the artist), won recognition in the industry for his fine work and was awarded the prestigious title Royal printer, a title which the organization bears to this day.
”Hjemmet”
In 1902 Egmont bought ”Damernes Blad”, which 2 years later changed its profile and layout and became a family weekly under the new title ”Hjemmet”. Egmont raised the circulation from 2.000 to 100.000 copies from when he took over in 1902, up to 1912.
Gutenberghus
All these activities and the continued growth of the printing house demanded bigger premises. In 1911 Egmont Harald Petersen decided to build a large printing house near Kongens Have in the middle of Copenhagen.
Egmont Harald Petersen died on August 5th in 1914 and never saw the new building, which was finished in September that year. The printing house was given the name Gutenberghus, after the printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg.
Gutenberghus also became the organization’s new name.
At the time of his death, in 1914, Egmont Harald Petersen left behind him a solid company which was growing constantly. And despite its enormous size it soon became apparent that the size of Gutenberghus could not keep up with the growth of the printing house and the publishing organization.
More space was needed, and in 1928 the second Gutenberghus was unveiled in Vognmagergade, in the centre of Copenhagen.
This is where Egmont has its head office today.
A wonderful tale
In an obituary in Hjemmet Valborg Andersen, the editor of ”Hjemmet”, summarized the life of Egmont Harald Petersen as follows:
”Egmont H. Petersen’s life was a wonderful tale – the tale of the poor young man who, through hard work, skill and unwavering honesty, lived to take his place among the ranks of the country’s finest men.”
