Andreas Christensen rushes to deliver tragic news of soldier’s death in Nørrebro
During his last notification of a soldier’s death, Andreas Christensen found himself in a grocery store with a full cart. He abandoned his shopping, hurried out, and jumped into a taxi heading to the fallen soldier’s hometown. From the backseat, he canceled all appointments in his calendar. “One must clear one’s mind of everything else when standing at the threshold,” he explained.
Christensen serves as a parish priest in Nørrebro and is a chaplain at the Defense Academy. He has been involved in notifying families about the deaths of approximately ten soldiers. In military terms, he is known as “military support,” assisting both colleagues and families in their time of grief.
When a soldier dies, the military follows a specific protocol involving a colonel, a contact officer, and a priest who visit the family. Steffen Scharff, a former contact officer at the Gardehusarregimentet and now a lieutenant colonel, has been on several notification visits with Christensen. He mentioned that one never becomes accustomed to delivering such tragic news, as each incident and reaction is unique.
Scharff emphasized the importance of respect during this difficult task: “Knocking on that door is an incredibly important job that must be done with respect—for the fallen and for the family receiving the dreadful news.” Following the notification, Scharff tries to guide the family inside to sit down and share what he knows.
For Pastor Christensen, care is paramount in these situations. He noted that it takes time for families to process their grief and that the transition to discussions about repatriation and funeral arrangements must be sensitive and respectful, taking into account the emotional state of those affected. He also explains that he becomes a caregiver, regardless of the family’s religious beliefs.