Green Track - Balthasar’s Dad and other Wise Men

The Vajsenhuset In the 1700s the hymn writer Hans Adolf Brorson urged the richest citizens of Tønder to create grants to help the poor, the widows and the fatherless. Accordingly, the Vajsenhuset was (after the big fire in Tønder in 1725) erected in 1730-33. It had a hospital building, a punishment- and labor house and an orphanage where orphan boys lived.

The Garden In 1882 Fritz Locht, Tønder’s first station manager at Tønder East, established a “beautification association” and through unremitting efforts together with some of the city’s many student teachers he cleaned the area and transformed the swamp into the first garden of the city. All the dirt was carried to and from the islet in small boats. Tønder Sparekasse paid for the two small bridges in the area. Gradually the garden became the citizens’ favorite destination for Sunday walks/outings, and garden maintenance was taken over by the city. Tønder Teacher-training College The famous merchants; Dean Balthasar Petersen’s father and Peter Struck, have made their mark on the city with large donations – both the construction of these significant buildings and to secure contributions to the operation of the college and the orphanage “Vajsenhuset”, respectively. The buildings have a long tradition as a teaching institution. Theologians were educated here before 1750 on the initiative of Dean Balthasar Petersen. From 1753 also teachers.