Christian Fredrik Rossow was born 1871 in Kristania. Before he was a doctor in Andenes, he had the same position in Evenskjer (1898-1902), and then in Drøbak until he took office here. The time on Andenes was to be characterized by war and pandemic, but also community building and progress in medicine.
When Dr. Rossow became commander of the 6th medical company in 1911, he had become a major. Already in 1890 he was a second-lieutenant and his military career ran parallel with his medical career. In 1897, compulsory military service was introduced in Northern Norway, and the 6th Division’s medical unit was moved to Harstad in 1911 and Rossow became the first commander. He was previously a garrison doctor at Oscarsborg for a period before traveling north. This took place in uncertain times, the country went through full mobilization in 1905 and neutrality mobilization from 1914.
“Today marks the 60th birthday of Christian Fredrik Rossow, medical major and divisional doctor of the 2nd division. He became a medical candidate in 1897. The following year he became a municipal doctor in Trondnes.1902-11 he was a garrison doctor at Oscarborg and a doctor at Engene dynamite factory. In 1912 he was appointed medical captain and was the municipal doctor in Andenes. From 1919-23 he was the district doctor in Dvergberg and in the following year he became the medical major and divisional doctor for the 6th division, from where he was transferred to the 2nd Division in 1928.”
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The painter Dagny Rossow
Dagny Rossow was a skilled artist and painted landscapes, portraits and even altarpieces.
In her youth she was a student of both Harriet Backer and Eilif Pettersen. During the period she and Christian were at Andenes, her paintings of the Bleik mountains were particularly sought after. She also sold a number of paintings, thus contributing to the family’s finances.
Dagny preferred to paint landscapes, and you can see one of them at the Andøy museum. But she also made church art. From what is known, she has done work on the altarpieces in churches at Skånland and Sandøy – both now in Harstad municipality.
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Doctor in a boat
As a municipal doctor in Andenes, Rossow sometimes experienced demanding conditions carrying out his medical duty, and where the use of a boat was required in both storms and darkness. At one incident a glow-lamp had exploded in the engine room and a fire occurred. There were three men in the boat and with the use of coats and other clothing they managed to put out the fire, but they were unable to get the engine started again. They drifted helplessly out at sea until they were rescued 2 nautical miles from shore the following day.
At the museum you can read and see more about the history of the Rossow family. They were also a driving force in the construction of the infirmary, which is the neighboring building to the museum. Svein Spjelkavik has made an anniversary booklet for the Red Cross with many histories and pictures from the family.
