Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink

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Carsten Borchgrevink
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Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink , according to other sources Carsten Eggeberg Borchgrevink (born December 1, 1864 in Christiania , Norway , † April 23, 1934 in Oslo ) was a Norwegian naturalist and polar traveler. At the end of the 19th century he devoted himself intensively to Antarctic research and in 1895 was one of the first people to set foot on the Antarctic mainland .

Youth, studies and first years of work

Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink was born into a noble family in the Norwegian capital Oslo, which was then still known as Christiania . In her early youth he was interested in geographical discoveries , especially from the Antarctic regions after the testimonials of James Cook , Faddej Faddejewitsch Bellinghausen and James Clark Ross had read. This made him want to be part of a research expedition himself . After attending Gjertsen-Gymnasium, Borchgrevink completed a three-year course in geology , forestry and geodesy at the Forestry Academy in Tharandt, Saxony . Despite the acquired ability to work as a university lecturer , he decided to emigrate to Australia . There he worked for a full decade on behalf of the University of Sydney's Cooerwoll Academy as a surveyor and geologist in the development of new areas on the fifth continent .

The Antarctic expedition

In 1894, the Norwegian shipowner Svend Foyn (1809-1894), one of the inventors of the whaling harpoon with warhead , equipped a ship whose crew should look for new fishing grounds for his whaling fleet in the southern Arctic waters , as the stocks in the northern seas by the intensive hunting were already severely decimated. This ship, the Antarctic under the command of the experienced captain Leonard Christensen , was already impatiently awaited by Borchgrevink in the port of Melbourne , where he stormed the captain with the request to be allowed to join the expedition . But it was only after an intoxicated member of the crew drowned in the harbor basin that Christensen finally gave in to Borchgrevink's insistence, but gave him the entire board duties of the lost sailor.

On January 23, 1895, a bay with a small, ice-free beach was sighted at Cape Adare . After some discussion, Borchgrevink convinced Christensen of his absolute desire to enter this country. Borchgrevink, Christensen and four other men crossed over to the mainland in a small dinghy . Borchgrevink, driven by the sudden fear that the captain might get ahead of him, swung himself overboard about ten meters from the beach and waded through the ice-cold water ashore. At 1:14 p.m., Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink was supposedly the first person to set foot on the Antarctic mainland. It cannot be ruled out that on February 7, 1821 John Davis preceded it with a landing on the Antarctic Peninsula . During the one-hour investigation of the beach section, Borchgrevink discovered two species of liverwort and a jellyfish in the shore water, which was the first time that the evidence of the existence of organic life under the ice cover of the Southern Arctic Ocean was provided. With this groundbreaking insight, Borchgrevink first returned to Australia .

The first winter in Antarctica

see also: Southern Cross Expedition

In September 1895, the 6th International Congress of Geographers, organized by the Royal Geographical Society, took place in London . 1500 experts, including luminaries such as Georg von Neumayer , Sir Clements Markham or Julius von Payer , discussed the latest findings in their science for a week. After a week-long crossing from Australia, Borchgrevink did not arrive in London until the last day of the conference and was turned away at the entrance to the assembly room for “improper clothing”. He was finally let in with a borrowed tailcoat . The professional world was enthusiastic about the finds that the Norwegian had brought with him. Further exploration of the southern polar region has been declared the most pressing task of modern geography . Borchgrevink met the publisher Sir George Newnes (1851-1910) at the congress, who promised him support in future expeditions. However, this promise was temporarily forgotten. Borchgrevink had initially attracted general attention and was able to advertise his further projects at lectures in Germany , the USA , or Australia, but interest soon waned again, and Borchgrevink began to work as a geologist in Australia again.

It was not until the spring of 1898 that Newnes got in touch and made Borchgrevink an attractive offer. If the Norwegian could deliver a gripping experience report, all costs for an expedition would be covered by the publishing house. Borchgrevink agreed and received an advance of 35,000 pounds sterling , from which he acquired an ice-capable ship in Norway , the Colin Archer- built whaler Pollux , which he renamed Southern Cross .

Borchgrevinks Hut on Cape Adare

In the summer of 1898, the Southern Cross left the port of Kristiania with a crew of 31 , provisions for three years and 90 sled dogs . After a stopover in Tasmania , the ship reached the wintering place in Robertson Bay near Cape Adare in February 1899 , where nine other men in addition to Borchgrevink were to remain until the next year. Unloading the equipment turned out to be very arduous and dragged on until March. The Camp Riley said bearing consisted of a 5 x 5 meters measured residential wooden hut, a storage shed of the same size and the weather - Observatory acting 200 meters from the tent .

During the polar night , which lasted from mid-May to the end of July, the biologist Hanson fell ill with a deficiency disease, presumably scurvy . Although he recovered temporarily, Hanson died on October 15, 1899 of an intestinal obstruction . Borchgrevink undertook several exploratory trips with the dog sled into the surrounding area. However, due to the adverse weather conditions and the one-sided diet with seal and penguin meat, the majority of the draft animals perished.

In January 1900 the Southern Cross returned to pick up the men after a successful winter. Borchgrevink decided not to return immediately, but rather brought by the ship to the Ross Ice Shelf further south, to make an advance towards the South Pole . George, Duke of York , had donated a Union Jack for this company . Accompanied by Savio and Colbeck, Borchgrevink advanced on February 16 to an unprecedented southern latitude of 78 ° 50 ', outperforming James Clark Ross ' expedition by 72.5 kilometers. In order not to be cut off from the ship, he ordered the return at this point.

Members of the winter team:

The seeds of Ole Must and Per Savio (around 1898). Photographer: Ellisif Wessel

The equipment left behind at Camp Riley has been preserved and is under the protection of New Zealand's Antarctic Research Program.

Biography from 1900 to 1934

After returning to Europe , Borchgrevink published the book Das Festland am Südpol in Newnes' Verlag in 1904 , but it was only a moderate success.

Although he several times announced another South Polar expedition on behalf of the National Geographic Society, he was never able to realize this project. In 1902 he studied volcanic activity in the West Indies . He wrote articles on literature and sports and the book The Game Of Norway (1920–1925). In 1902 the Royal Scottish Geographical Society awarded him the Silver Medal for his services , the Royal Geographical Society honored the discoverer in 1930 with their highest honor, the Patron's Medal .

He was a knight of the Norwegian Order of Saint Olav , Knight of the Danish Order of Danebrog , and Commander of the Austrian Order of Franz Joseph .

Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink died on April 23, 1934 in Oslo .

In his honor, in the Antarctic, the Borchgrevink Coast , the Borchgrevink Glacier and the Borchgrevink Glacier Tongue in Victoria Land , the abyss Borchgrevink Canyon in the Somov Sea , the Borchgrevink-Nunatak in Graham Land and the glacier Borchgrevinkisen and the mountains Carstensfjella in Named Queen Maud Land .

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personal data
SURNAME Borchgrevink, Carsten Egeberg
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Borchgrevink, Carsten Eggeberg
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Norwegian naturalist and polar traveler
DATE OF BIRTH December 1, 1864
PLACE OF BIRTH Christiania , Norway
DATE OF DEATH April 23, 1934
Place of death Oslo