Hans Carl Knudtzon

Born in the north of Germany to a mercantile family, he travelled to Trondheim, Norway, where he had success in the trading business.

Knudtzon was born in Bredstedt, North Frisia, Duchy of Schleswig, Denmark-Norway (now part of the Schleswig-Holstein state in Germany), the son of Nicolai Knudtzen (1698–1785), merchant, and his wife, Magdalena (1726–1803), née Clausen.

[2] On 1 January 1779, he married Karen Müller (1752–1818),[1] who bore him six children: sons Frederik Nicolay (1779–1823), Jørgen (1784–1854), Christian (1787–1870), Broder (1788–1864), and the daughters Magdalena Boletta (1779–1803) and Sarah Marie (1782–1854).

[1] In 1767, he travelled to Trondheim where he was apprenticed to Broder Brodersen Lysholm, who also had moved from Sleswick to further his career as a merchant.

He was furthermore involved in the political events surrounding the 1814 constitution, vehemently arguing in favour of a Norwegian central bank.