The Southsea House means a lot to us. Our grandmother and grandfather built it in 2006 and we have many fond memories from here. Our great-great-grandmother on our mother's side was born in Gedesby, this side of our family lived in Gedesby and the surrounding villages for more than 300 years. Among her direct ancestors is a parish executive officer and innkeeper of the Royal Privileged inn who had to give up his bed to the Russian Tsar Peter the Great when he sailed to Gedesby in 1716. The inn is no longer, but today you can experience the idyll of Gedesby with its half-timbered houses and thatched roofs. We hope that you and your family also have wonderful and meaningful memories in Gedesby Strand.

Date
10,000 BC	Shaped by the Ice Age Roughly 12,000 years ago, the Ice Age sculpted the landscape around Gedesby, leaving behind a ridge of clay, sand, and gravel—right where “Gammel Landevej” runs today. A reminder of deep time beneath your feet!
1135	Gedesby’s First Mention The village of Gedesby appears for the first time in written records. At that time, land from the area was granted to St. Peter’s Monastery in Næstved. A small village begins its written story.
14 July 1716	When the Tsar Came to Town Tsar Peter the Great of Russia arrives late at night at Gedesby Inn. He famously kicks the innkeeper, Jens Pedersen, and his wife out of their own bed so he can sleep there himself! The next day, he dines in Nykøbing Falster at what later becomes known as “The House of the Tsar” before continuing on to Copenhagen to meet the Danish king.
13 April 1729	Farewell to the Innkeeper Jens Pedersen—the very innkeeper who hosted Tsar Peter the Great—passes away and is buried inside the local church. The parish record notes: “Wednesday the 13 April, Jens Pedersen, Mayor and Innkeeper, buried and laid to rest in the church.” His story lives on in Gedesby’s lore.
2 February 1862	Ane Olsen is Born Our great-great-grandmother Ane Olsen is born in Gedesby. She will be the last of our direct ancestors born in the village—a quiet milestone in our family history.
13 November 1872	The Great Storm Surge A devastating storm surge from the east breaches the dikes, flooding parts of Lolland, Falster, and South Zealand. 80 people drown, 20 of them from Gedesby. A high water mark is visible on a stone at Gedesby Church and at the end of Sortevej. A small coffin, once thought to contain a missing child, still rests in the church loft—a mystery that was only recently resolved. The brother of Ane Olsen receives modest compensation for flood damage.
1 July 1886	A Railway to the World The railway from Nykøbing Falster to the newly built port town of Gedser is completed, connecting the area by ferry to Germany. In 1903, an international railway link is established between Copenhagen and Berlin—via Gedser. Gedesby is now just a stop away from the continent.
17 July 1891	A Village Wedding Ane Olsen marries Niels Peder Toxværd from the neighboring village of Skelby. Together, they leave Gedesby behind and move to Copenhagen.
1906	Artists and Summer Guests The first summer guesthouses open just 10 kilometers north of Gedesby, originally planned as an artists' colony like Skagen. But instead of painters, it is actors and writers who flock here. Among the visitors: none other than Franz Kafka, who spends the summer of 1914 in the area.
2006	The South Sea House Begins Our grandfather lays the foundation for what will become our family’s holiday home, known as the South Sea House. A new generation begins creating memories by the Baltic Sea.
2020	A New Chapter by the Sea During the Covid pandemic, we take over the South Sea House from our grandparents. Today it’s our peaceful retreat and a gathering place for family stories—both old and new.