Hans Valdemar Ludvigsen (20 September 1861 – 11 February 1939) was a Danish businessman and landowner. He owned the Hellesens battery manufacturer in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

Early life and education

Ludvigsen was born on 20 September 1861 in Copenhagen, the son of Christian Adam L. (1826-1900) and Henriette Frederikke Geisler (1834-1927). His father owned a chemical factory. He attended Odense Cathedral School before studying Applied Chemistry. He also traveled to England and North and Central America, where he studied electrical chemistry and telephone engineering.

Career

After returning to Denmark in 1887, he partnered with

Wilhelm Hellesen Frederik Louis Wilhelm Hellesen (2 February 1836 – 22 December 1892) was a Danish inventor and industrialist. In 1887 he designed what is thought to be the first dry cell battery based on the Leclanché cell design.Blågårdsgade Blågårdsgade is a mostly pedestrianized street in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It runs from Nørrebrogade in the northeast to Åboulevard in the southwest and passes the square Blågårds Plads. The street is known for its ma ...

, Hellesen and Ludvigsen continued to work on the invention. After Hellesen's death, it was commercialized by Ludvigsen and Hellesen's widow as Hellesens Enke / V. Ludvigsen. In 1896 Lidvigsen succeeded in finding the composition of the electrolyte paste that conditioned its durability. In 1906, Ludvigsen became the sole owner of the company. In 1918, it was converted into a limited company as Hellesens Enke & V. Ludvigsen A/S. Ludvigsen remained chairman of the board until his death in 1939. A new factory was constructed at Aldersrodgade in the same year.

Personal life

Æudvigsen married on 2 May 1891 in Copenhagen to Amalie Eggertine Prætorius (1869-1933). She was a daughter of navigation teacher Hans Vilhelm Prætorius (1828–1902) and Eggertine Sophie Frederikke Amalie Wellejus (1843–97). Ludvigsen owned a large villa at Svanemållevej 41 in Copenhagen's fashionable

Ryvangen Ryvangen or Ryvangskvarteret ( English: The Ryvang neighbourhood) is a neighbourhood of single-family detached homes in the northern part of Østerbro, on the border with Hellerup, in Copenhagen, Denmark. History The name Ryvangen translates to " ...

neighbourhood. The house was constructed for him to designs by the architect

Carl Brummer Carl Harald Brummer (12 July 1864 – 14 February 1953) was a Danish architect who was influential in the design of homes at the beginning of the 20th century. Early life and education Brummer was born in Bogense as the son of Hans Frederik Brum ...

. In 1913, he purchased Holtumgårde with Holtumbjerg Plantage at Arnborg. In 1927, he also purchased Østrupgård at

Fåborg Faaborg or Fåborg () is an old port town located on Faaborg Fjord in Faaborg-Midtfyn municipality on the island of Funen in Denmark. By road, Faaborg is located southwest of Odense, west-northwest of Svendborg, and roughly southeast of Midd ...

Ludvigsen was an honorary member of the Danish Scouts Corps and the Royal Danish Automobile Club. In 1900, he was appointed as Guatamalen consul in Copenhagen. 1926 saw him appointed as consul-general. He was a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Science and Technology. He was created a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog in 1913 and was awarded the Cross of Honour in 1937.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ludvigsen, Valdemar 19th-century Danish businesspeople 20th-century Danish businesspeople Danish chemical industry businesspeople Businesspeople from Copenhagen Knights of the Order of the Dannebrog 1861 births 1939 deaths