Mysteriet med smijernskorset
In a prominent spot near the church stands a large and beautiful iron cross. It is one of the oldest preserved grave monuments in Klæbu cemetery, erected in memory of a young woman who died in 1883 at the age of 38: Serine Andersdottir Thanem.
Listen to the story
She lived at Lower Thanem together with her parents, seven younger siblings, her paternal grandmother, and a farm laborer. They were probably not among the most affluent residents of Klæbu.
Dramatic events
When Serine was confirmed in 1860, the priest praised her abilities and conduct in the church records. However, in the same records it is also noted that she gave birth to a child out of wedlock in 1866. She was therefore not married when she had this child. The father was a farmhand from the nearby Nideng farm. Unfortunately, the child was stillborn. According to the midwife’s report, this was because Serine had fallen and injured herself on the ice during her pregnancy.
This is all we know about Serine Andersdottir Thanem. No sources can confirm that we are dealing here with a particularly remarkable woman.
Where does the cross come from?
Yet someone paid for a beautiful cast-iron cross and gave her a grave in one of the finer sections of the cemetery.
There is a story hidden here — one that is not only about Serine, but also about the person or people who erected the beautiful cross. The grave memorial of Serine Andersdottir Thanem reminds us how little we know about the people around us and their life stories.
By Kilde: Klæbu historielag