Chapter 1 A Famous A Famous A Famous A Famous A Famous Toymaker Is Born Toymaker Is Born Ole Kirk Christiansen was born on April 7 1891 in the village of Filskov Denmark He was the tenth child of Jens and Kirstine Christiansen The Christiansens had little money Jens worked on a nearby farm while Kirstine took care of the family But these humble beginnings led to great success Ole would grow up to create the LEGO empire Like most children in rural Denmark Ole and his siblings worked very hard They helped run the family farm However education was important to their parents Jens and Kirstine wanted all of their children to learn to read and write So at age six Ole started going to school twice a week When not in school Ole tended livestock To pass the time he carved small wooden figures These wooden carvings were some of his only toys Ole never expected he would become a famous toymaker 4
Farming was one of Denmark’s largest industries when Ole was growing up 5
Chapter 2 Ole Builds Ole Builds His Life His Life His Life His Life His Life Ole’s schooling ended when he was 14 years old It was time for him to learn a trade His older brother Kristian was a carpenter Jens and Kirstine decided that Ole would become Kristian’s apprentice Ole worked alongside his brother for four years In 1911 he was awarded a journeyman’s certificate In the early 1900s many young men in Denmark learned carpentry This led to too many workers and not enough jobs Ole had to leave Denmark to find work He worked as a carpenter in Germany for a year before moving to 6 Ole’s carpentry training shaped his future His woodworking skills made LEGO possible
fun fact Ole and Kirstine’s new home in Billund was only about nine miles 14 km from Ole’s birthplace Norway During the four years he lived in Norway he met and married Kirstine Sorensen In 1916 Ole and Kirstine settled in Billund Denmark Ole used his savings to buy the Billund Carpentry Shop and Lumberyard Ole’s shop built homes repaired items and made furniture Ole earned a reputation for quality work at an honest price Meanwhile he and Kirstine had started a family Between 1917 and 1920 they had three sons Their names were Johannes Karl Georg and Godtfred 7
