Many women have made a living working as prostitutes in Bergen. Prostitution has always been regarded as both shameful and illegal. Still, turning to this profession has provided many women with the best income possible in Bergen, where customers like sailors and merchants have always been available.
Johan Duckwitz took citizenship in Bergen as an innkeeper. The couple had managed their surpluses wisely, and Johan was eventually regarded as a shipbroker and an independent gentleman. Women in this line of work were made subject to public control from The prostitutes were regularly given medical examinations, primarily to prevent venereal diseases from reaching the customers and their families.
When Napoleon Bonaparte started public control of prostitutes in , the most important issue was the great extent of venereal diseases among the soldiers. In order to save the proud French Army, prostitutes had their health examined. The controls in Bergen and Norway seem to be based on European practises. After the introduction of medical controls, it became common to differenciate controlled prostitution from clandestine activities.
Being registered and subject to medical controls, the authorities turned a blind eye to the prostitution. Those who refused controls where subject to arrest and prosecution. Prostitution had become disputed around Europe. Prostitution was hardly a profession of choise for most. They were often countryside girls looking for ordinary employment before turning to prostitution. Reality could come down hard on girls in lack of family or connections.
Working as a hospital priest in Bergen, Wilhelm Holdt acknowledged a need for rehabilitating the young girls of the trade. In he and other citizens started Magdalenahjemmet the Magdalena Home , where twelve prostitutes were admitted every year. The idea was to train the girls and teach them a new way of life through work and moral conduct. The rules were strict, and the work day was long. Still, for most, this way of life was most likely preferable to the one offered by the Duckwitz family.
