Hans Christopher Hersleb

Hans Christopher Hersleb (11 June 1722 – 22 February 1788) was a Danish juris who served as burgermaster in Copenhagen from 1754 to 1788, with a short interruption in 17711772 when Johann Friedrich Struensee had Copenhagen's Magistracy removed.

Early life and education Hersleb was born on 11 June 1722 in Copenhagen, the son of Peder Hersleb (1689–1757) and Bodild Hiort (1690–1767). His father served as priest at Frederiksborg Castle and vicar in Hillerod and Roskilde and from 1725 as priest at the royal court in Copenhagen. Hersleb matriculated from the Pædagogiet in Halle in 1730. In 1740, he enrolled at the University of Copenhagen. He studied theology and later law. The sister Petronelle Helene Hersleb (1724–1778) was married to Supreme Court justice Andreas Jacobsen Graah (1701–1780). The sister Bolette Sophie Hersleb (1728–1765) was married to the civil servant and director of Vejsenhuset Peter Jensen Aagaard (1718–1789).

Career In 1743, Hersleb was employed as secretary in Danske Kancelli. In 1745–1763, he served as district judge (landsdommer) on Zealand. In 1754, he was appointed deputy burgermaster in Copenhagen. In 1771, he was removed from this post by Johann Friedrich Struensee alongside the other members of Copenhagen's Magistracy. After Struense's fall in 1772, he was reinstalled as burgermaster. During his years as manager, its building on Stormgade saw two expansions. In 1760–66. he served as one of the directors of the Royal Danish Theatre. From 1747, he was a member of the Royal Danish Society for National Gistory. Together with councilman Morten Munck, he was charged with oiverseeing the reorganization of Copenhagen City Archives (completed November 1787).