Annine “Mikkeline” Michelsen was a great confectioner in Skive, where she was a popular business owner. Her home at Østergade 4 has been turned into a museum dedicated to her. In addition to being a successful businessman, she was well-traveled and had a collection of objects from Europe and the USA as well as the Far East.
Early life
Michelsen was born in Ydby in Thy in 1885. At the age of 18, she was taken on as an apprentice in the small home confectionery “Topps Conditori” at Torvegade 12 in Skive. Already the following year she became manager, the pastry shop moved to the neighboring property Torvegade 14 in 1906.
In 1909 Anna Topps moved, at the same time Michelsen bought the pastry shop. Business was excellent Michelsen began to travel abroad and experience the world
The new pastry shop
In 1923, Michelsen made a big investment and bought three properties on the corner of Torvestræde and Østergade. Here she built her large pastry shop, which still characterizes the cityscape in Skive. The architect behind it was Skive’s own architect H. Toft Hansen, who was also responsible for adding the characteristic tower to the building in 1937.
Although the business was doing well, it was not without setbacks for her, in 1934 there was a major fire. World War II in particular left its mark. On the one hand, the war created a shortage of virtually all the raw materials that a pastry shop needs, and on the other, Michelsen’s refusal to serve the Germans would result in major consequences. On April 14, 1945, the pastry shop was exposed to Schalburgtage, in the form of a bomb that destroyed large parts of the pastry shop. A few days later, there was a failed bomb attack on Michelsen’s person.
Topps patisserie withstood the resistance, however, and in 1953, another piece of advertising was put on the building in the form of a large rotating and neon-lit oyster on top of the tower. It was perhaps more reminiscent of something typically found in much larger cities than Skive.
Death and legacy
However, it couldn’t go on forever – in 1965 she leased the pastry shop to pastry chef Børge Jensen. Michelsen passed away in 1969, and in her will she had clear instructions for what her legacy should look like. She never married or had children, instead a foundation was set up to take care of a number of wishes.
First of all, Michelsen’s apartment was to be turned into a memorial room. Here, visitors, still in 2024, can enter and see the many objects that she collected throughout her life and travels. The profits were intended to be used for young women’s crafts training. However, this purpose was rejected and the proceeds were instead donated to the fight against cancer.
Secondly, a number of personal legacies to people who had meant something to Michelsen, such as her house manager Elly Pedersen,and aViennese child she took care of for a while and kept in touch with since.
Thirdly, it was her wish that the building should continue to house a “first-class pastry shop”, and if that was not possible, another type of business. A pastry shop was run there until 1982, when Børge Jensen could no longer run it, since when the building has been used for other purposes.
Sources
- Skiveegnens Christmas 2010
- ANNINE MICHELSENS LEGAT in Skive – CVR API