The Robbers from Rold

The story of the robbers of Rold goes all the way back to the 19th century. Back then, a large network of robbers terrorised the whole of Himmerland. They were notorious, dangerous and certainly not afraid to hurt people to get what they wanted.

You can book the famous robbers for your next event in and around Rebild, Rebild Bakker and Rold Forest – read more here.

Three robbers stood out in particular

Bettefanden (1801–1870)

Johannes Jensen, as he was christened, was a small man of just 145 cm with a hunched back. His unusual build made him easy to recognise, which was not exactly ideal for a robber who preferred not to get caught. He earned the nickname “Bettefanden” during a robbery of an old woman. He had got hold of a cowhide with the horns still attached, and with it draped over his back, he broke into the poor woman’s house one dark evening. Naturally, she was frightened out of her wits by the hunched figure with horns on his forehead, and in the darkness she mistook him for the Devil himself. For that reason, she let Bettefanden rob her house while she escaped unharmed. Not all of Bettefanden’s victims were so lucky. When the network of robbers was broken up, Bettefanden was convicted of 47 crimes and spent the rest of his days as a prison labourer at Holmen in Copenhagen.

Lorentz Meyer (1800–1878)

He gave his name to the gang of robbers, as he was the first to be caught when the network was unravelled. In reality, however, Bettefanden was the leader of the gang. Lorentz Meyer was a trained shoemaker, but he led a wild nightlife that cost a great deal of money. He obtained the money through robberies and burglaries, and he did not care who his victims were – he even committed his first offence against his own master. It is said of Lorentz Meyer that he was extremely difficult to keep locked up. Legend has it that he always carried a piece of metal in his mouth, which he used to saw open the lock whenever he was imprisoned. He was convicted of 82 crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour at Holmen.

Petronillen

Lorentz Meyer’s mistress was certainly no friendly acquaintance either. She too was a robber – one of the few female ones – and she did not hesitate to draw a knife to threaten her victims. It is also known that she deliberately burned several children on a tiled stove. She was convicted of 14 crimes, and her punishment consisted of public whipping, or “kagstrygning”, as it was called at the time.

Robber attacks today

Over time, the robbers have become highly romanticised, and if you meet them today, you do not need to fear for life or limb. In the 19th century, the people of Himmerland would do anything to avoid the dangerous robbers, but today meeting them at different events and guided walks is a great experience. With an ambush by the wicked and unpredictable robbers, your outing or walk can become an experience you will not soon forget.

The robbers always roam in groups. They are not always particularly pleasant; they can be both nasty and noisy, and they are not exactly clean and freshly pressed either. They love to lie in wait in the forest and ambush unsuspecting, respectable people who are walking around enjoying nature.