Provenance

Thorvaldsen. Dansk Kulturfilm (Carl Theodor Dreyer, DK, 1949). ©DFI
The materials in the Carl Theodor Dreyer Collection originate from various donations and sources. In the coming database, by each item of material, it will be noted from which of the applicable five donations (below) an item originated.

Dreyer estate

In autumn 1975, the Danish Film Museum received a large collection of Dreyer's papers from his estate (mainly correspondence and research materials), chiefly covering his last three films, 'Day of Wrath', 'The Word' and 'Gertrud', and two of his big film projects, 'Medea' and 'Mary Stuart'. The donation moreover included original manuscripts for practically all of Dreyer's films and projects, as well as a large collection of 'Livet i Byretten' /'Life in the City Court', a column Dreyer wrote five or six times weekly for the B.T. newspaper from 1936-1939. 

DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation)

A few years earlier, the Film Museum had received a collection of materials from the Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR (TV-Kulturafdelingen, Film-Sektionen) relating to Dreyer's expansive 'Jesus af Nazaret' / 'Jesus of Nazareth' film project. Dreyer’s research for the project filled seven boxes that were stored in his widow Ebba Dreyer's basement, plus three boxes that were discovered in a warehouse in Jerusalem – apparently, materials that Dreyer shipped to Israel in 1955, when he was convinced that he would be realising his film. DR producer Lars Graff Nielsen based his documentary, 'Et livsværk – Carl Th. Dreyers Jesusfilm' / 'A Life's Work – Carl Th. Dreyer's Jesus Film' on this material. The documentary was broadcast on 27 March 1970, and the Film Museum subsequently received the ten boxes by agreement with Mrs Dreyer. 

Gunni Dreyer

On 1 September 1990, the Film Museum received a small collection, mainly of personal letters, photographs, etc., from the estate of Dreyer's daughter Gunni Dreyer. The materials arrived in an orange steamer trunk painted with the initials: C T D. 

Nansensgade Antikvariat 

In 1991, the DFI's collection was augmented by 158 books from Dreyer's private library related to the 'Jesus af Nazaret' and 'Medea' projects thanks to a grant from the Augustinus Foundation. 'Carl Th. Dreyers Bibliotek', the catalogue from Nansensgade Antikvariat, a rare-book dealer, listed 397 lots, all originating from Dreyer’s apartment on Dalgas Boulevard 81, 1.th., in Frederiksberg. After the death of Mrs Dreyer, the apartment was occupied by their daughter, Gunni Dreyer, who passed in August 1990. 

Danish Film Institute (DFI) 

Finally, the Dreyer Collection includes the DFI's own collection of books, magazine articles, clippings, stills and posters, etc., relating to Dreyer and his work.