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Oersted's boyhood represented a minimal chance of either attaining greatness or serving his people so well and over so long a span of life.

He was born in the small Danish town of Rudkoebing on the island of Langeland in the south-central part of Denmark on August 14, 1777.

His father Soeren was the village apothecary whose slender income made it difficult to feed his family, let alone educate them in a town without even a school.

The two older boys, Hans and Anders, his junior by a year, therefore went daily to the home of a warm and friendly wigmaker nearby for instruction in German ; ;

his wife taught the two boys to read and write Danish.

Other brothers later joined them for instruction with Oldenburg, the wigmaker, and also arithmetic was added to Bible reading, German, and Danish in the informal curriculum.

Oldenburg's contributions were soon exhausted and the boys had to turn to a wider circle of the town's learned, such as the pastor, to supplement the simple teaching.

From the town surveyor, Hans learned drawing and mathematics and, from a university student, some academic subjects.

The mayor of the town taught them English and French.

Whatever Hans or Anders learned separately they passed on to each other ; ;

they read every book that they could borrow in the village.

At 12, Hans was sufficiently mature to help his father in the apothecary shop, which helped stimulate his interest in medicine and science.

His earlier love for literature and history remained with him for his entire life.