Craftsman shortage on Christiansø reaches critical level as residents handle repairs themselves

Residents on the small Danish island of Christiansø are struggling to find craftsmen for both urgent repairs and major renovation projects, with the island’s administrator saying the situation has never been worse. The island, located 18 kilometers northeast of Bornholm, has seen a gradual decline in available tradespeople over the past five years, according to administrator Søren Thiim Andersen in an interview with DR.

The only ferry connection runs once a day, meaning most jobs require craftsmen to stay overnight. “It has gradually become more difficult over the past five years to get craftsmen over here, but it has never been as hard as it is right now, and we have several buildings that need restoration,” Thiim Andersen said. He noted that even emergency tasks such as burst pipes are now handled by residents themselves instead of calling in professionals.

Claus Stamer, a builder at HJB Byggeforretning in Rønne, said the main obstacle is not a shortage of work on Bornholm but the conditions for sending workers to the island. “If I’m going to send craftsmen there, I have to find someone who is single, lives alone and has no children. There are not many with children and family who are willing to spend several days away from home,” he said.

Stamer suggested that an earlier ferry departure in the morning and a return in the afternoon would allow a full workday without an overnight stay. Thiim Andersen was open to the idea for larger projects but said it would be too expensive for routine daily tasks. The island administration plans to begin a process to explore ways to make the work more attractive for craftsmen, he added.