# New Swabia

New Swabia (Norwegian and German: Neuschwabenland) was an area of Antarctica explored, with the intention to claim it, by Nazi Germany between 1938 and 1939, within the Norwegian territorial claim of Queen Maud Land . The region was named after the expedition's ship, Schwabenland, itself named after the German region of Swabia. Although the name "New Swabia" is occasionally mentioned in historical contexts, it is not an officially recognized cartographic name in modern use. The area is now part of Queen Maud Land, governed under the Antarctic Treaty System.

## Background

Like many other countries, Germany sent expeditions to the Antarctic region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most of which were scientific. The late 19th century expeditions to the Southern Ocean, South Georgia, the Kerguelen Islands, and the Crozet Islands were astronomical, meteorological, and hydrological, mostly in close collaboration with scientific teams from other countries. As the 19th century ended, Germany began to focus on Antarctica.
The first German expedition to Antarctica was the Gauss expedition from 1901 to 1903. Led by Arctic veteran and geology professor Erich von Drygalski, this was the second expedition to use a hot-air balloon in Antarctica. It also found and named Kaiser Wilhelm II Land. The second German Antarctic expedition (1911–1912) was led by Wilhelm Filchner with a goal of crossing Antarctica to learn if it was one piece of land. As happened with other such early attempts, the crossing failed before it even began. The expedition discovered and named the Luitpold Coast and the Filchner Ice Shelf. A German whaling fleet was put to sea in 1937 and, upon its successful return in early 1938, plans for a third German Antarctic expedition were drawn up.

## German Antarctic Expedition (1938–1939)

The third German Antarctic Expedition (1938–1939) was led by Alfred Ritscher (1879–1963), a captain in the German Navy. The main purpose was to find an area in Antarctica for a German whaling station, as a way to increase Germany's production of fat. Whale oil was then the most important raw material for the production of margarine and soap in Germany and the country was the second largest purchaser of Norwegian whale oil, importing some 200,000 metric tonnes annually. Besides the disadvantage of being dependent on imports, it was thought that Germany would soon be at war, which was considered to put too much strain on Germany's foreign currency reserves. Another goal was to scout possible locations for a German naval base.
On 17 December 1938, the New Swabia Expedition left Hamburg for Antarctica aboard MS Schwabenland (a freighter built in 1925 and renamed in 1934 after the Swabia region in southern Germany) which could also carry and catapult aircraft. The secret expedition had 33 members plus Schwabenland's crew of 24. On 19 January 1939, the ship arrived at the Princess Martha Coast, in an area which had lately been claimed by Norway as Queen Maud Land, and began charting the region. Nazi German flags were placed on the sea ice along the coast. Naming the area Neu-Schwabenland after the ship, the expedition established a temporary base and in the following weeks teams walked along the coast recording claim reservations on hills and other significant landmarks. Seven photographic survey flights were made by the ship's two Dornier Wal seaplanes named Passat and Boreas. About a dozen 1.2-meter (3.9 ft)-long aluminum arrows, with 30-centimeter (12 in) steel cones and three upper stabilizer wings embossed with swastikas, were airdropped onto the ice at turning points of the flight polygons (these arrows had been tested on the Pasterze glacier in Austria before the expedition). None of these have ever been recovered. Eight more flights were made to areas of keen interest and on these trips, some of the photos were taken with colour film. Altogether they flew over hundreds of thousands of square kilometers and took more than 16,000 aerial photographs, some of which were published after the war by Ritscher. The ice-free Schirmacher Oasis, which now hosts the Maitri and Novolazarevskaya research stations, was spotted from the air by Richard Heinrich Schirmacher (who named it after himself) shortly before the Schwabenland left the Antarctic coast on 6 February 1939.
On its return trip to Germany, the expedition made oceanographic studies near Bouvet Island and Fernando de Noronha, arriving back in Hamburg on 11 April 1939. Meanwhile, the Norwegian government had learned about the expedition through reports from whalers along the coast of Queen Maud Land.
Shortly after the expedition's return, World War II broke out in Europe, with Germany occupying Norway in April of 1940. This occupation technically extended to the Norwegian Antarctic Dependencies, nearby to New Swabia. Additionally, the fall of France to Germany later that year also technically brought the French Antarctic territory of Adélie Land under German influence. However, no attempt at controlling or incorporating these territories were made, and any German territory in Antarctica was relinquished following the defeat of Germany in May 1945.
Germany never advanced any territorial claims to the region, which were abandoned in 1945.

## Geographic features mapped by the expedition

Because the area was first explored by a German expedition, the name Neuschwabenland (New Swabia) is still used for the region on some maps, as are many of the German names given to its geographic features. Some geographic features mapped by the expedition were not named until the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition (NBSAE) (1949–1952), led by John Schjelderup Giæver. Others were not named until they were remapped from aerial photographs taken by the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition (1958–1959).
The exact location of objects in italics could not yet be determined because the position was given too imprecisely in the expedition report due to navigation problems with the aircraft, and most of the aerial photographs that would have allowed identification were lost during World War II. The names of objects that could be clearly located were used in the Norwegian translation of the topographical map Dronning Maud Land 1:250,000 published by the Norwegian Polar Institute in 1966.
| Name | Name on the Norwegian Map | Position (Informationen in the "Bundesanzeiger") | Named after / Note |
| Alexander-von-Humboldt-Mountains | Humboldtfjella | 71° 24′–72° S, 11°–12° O | Alexander von Humboldt |
| Humboldt Basin | Humboldtsøkket | Near the eastern border of the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Mountains | Alexander von Humboldt |
| Altar | Altaret | 71° 36′ S, 11° 18′ O | distinctive mountain shape |
| Amelang Plateau | Ladfjella | 74° S, 6° 12′–6° 30′ W | Herbert Amelang, 1. Officer of the "Schwabenland“ |
| Am Überlauf (At the Overflow) | Grautrenna | Easterly to the Eckhörner (Corner Horns) | glaciated pass |
| Barkley Mountains | Barkleyfjella | 72° 48′ S, 1° 30′–0° 48′ O | Erich Barkley (1912–1944), biologist |
| Bastion | Bastionen | 71° 18′ S, 13° 36′ O | |
| Bludau Mountains | Hallgrenskarvet und Heksegryta | Part Iof a 150 km mountain range 72° 42′ S, 3° 30′ W und 74° S, 5° W | Josef Bludau (1889–1967), ships surgeon |
| Mount Bolle | | 72° 18′ S, 6° 30′ O | Herbert Bolle, Deutsche Lufthansa, foreman of the aircraft assemblers |
| Boreas | Boreas | | Dornier Wal D-AGAT „Boreas“ |
| Brandt Mountain | | 72° 13′ S, 1° 0′ O | Emil Brandt (* 1900), Sailor, saved an expedition member from drowning |
| Mount Bruns | | 72° 05′ S, 1° 0′ O | Herbert Bruns (* 1908), electrical engineer of the expedition ship |
| Buddenbrock Range | | 71° 42′ S, 6° O | Friedrich Freiherr von Buddenbrock, Operations Manager of Atlantic Flights at Deutsche Lufthansa |
| Bundermann Range | Grytøyrfjellet | 71° 48′–72° S, 3° 24′ O | Max Bundermann (* 1904), aerial photographer |
| Conrad Mountains | Conradfjella | 71° 42′–72° 18′ S, 10° 30′ O | Fritz Conrad |
| Dallmann Mountains | Dallmannfjellet | 71° 42′–72° S, closely west 11° O | Eduard Dallmann |
| Drygalski Mountains | Drygalskifjella | 71° 6′–71° 48′ S, 7° 6′–9° 30′ O | Erich von Drygalski |
| Eckhörner (Corner Horns) | Hjørnehorna | North end of the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Gebirges | markante Bergform |
| Filchner Mountains | Filchnerfjella | 71° 6′–71° 48′ S, 7° 6′–9° 30′ O | Wilhelm Filchner |
| Gablenz-Ridge | | 72°–72° 18′ S, 5° O | Carl August von Gablenz |
| Gburek Peaks | Gburektoppane | 72° 42′ S, 0° 48′–1° 10′ W | Leo Gburek (1910–1941), geomagnetist |
| Geßner Peak | Gessnertind | 71° 54′ S, 6° 54′ O | Wilhelm Geßner (1890–1945), Director of Hansa Luftbild |
| Gneiskopf Peak | Gneisskolten | 71° 54′ S, 12° 12′ O | promintent peak |
| Gockel-Ridge | Vorrkulten | 73° 12′ S, 0° 12′ W | Wilhelm Gockel, meteorologist of the expedition |
| Graue Hörner (Grey Horns) | Gråhorna | Southern corner of the Petermann mountain range | |
| Gruber Mountains | Slokstallen und Petrellfjellet | 72° S, 4° O | Erich Gruber (1912–1940), radio operator on D-AGAT „Boreas“ |
| Habermehl Peak | Habermehltoppen | Westernly to the Geßnerpeak | Richard Habermehl, head of the Reich Weather Service |
| Mount Hädrich | | 71° 57′ S, 6° 12′ O | Willy Hädrich, Authorized officer at Deutsche Lufthansa, responsible for the accounting of the expedition |
| Mount Hedden | | 72° 8′ S, 1° 10′ O | Karl Hedden, Sailor, saved an expedition member from drowning |
| Herrmann Mountains | | 73° S, 0°–1° O | Ernst Herrmann, geologist of the expedition |
| In der Schüssel (In the Bowl) | Grautfatet | in the North of the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Gebirges | glaciated valley |
| Johannes Müller Ridge | Müllerkammen | | Johannes Müller († 1941), Participant in the 2nd German South Polar Expedition in 1911/12, Head of the Nautical Department of the North German Lloyd |
| Kaye Peak | Langfloget | 72° 30′ S, 4° 48′ O | Georg Kaye, Naval architect, looked after the ships of Lufthansa |
| Kleinschmidt Peak | Enden | Part of a 150 km long ridge between 72°42′ S, 3°30′ W and 74° S, 5° W | Ernst Kleinschmidt, German Maritime Observatory |
| Kottas Mountains | Milorgfjella | 74° 6′–74° 18′ S, 8° 12′–9° W | Alfred Kottas, Captain of the "Schwabenland" |
| Kraul Mountains | Vestfjella | | Otto Kraul, ice pilot |
| Krüger Mountains | Kvitskarvet | 73° 6′ S, 1° 18′ O | Walter Krüger, meteorologist of the expedition |
| Kubus | Kubus | 72° 24′ S, 7° 30′ O | distinctive mountain shape |
| Kurze Mountain Range | Kurzefjella | 72° 6′–72° 30′ S, 9° 30′–10° O | Friedrich Kurze,Vice Admiral, Head of the Nautical Department of the Naval High Command |
| Lange-Plateau | | 71° 58′ S, 0° 25′ O | Heinz Lange (1908–1943), meteorlogical assistant |
| Loesener Plateau | Skorvetangen, Hamarskorvene und Kvithamaren | 72° S, 4° 18′ O | Kurt Loesener, airplane mechanic of D-AGAT „Boreas“ |
| Lose Plateau | Lausflæet | | distinctive mountain shape |
| Luz Ridge | | 72°–72° 18′ S, 5° 30′ O | Martin Luz, commercial director at the German Lufthansa |
| Mayr Mountain Range | Jutulsessen | 72°–72° 18′ S, 3° 24′ O | Rudolf Mayr, Pilot of D-ALOX „Passat“ |
| Matterhorn | Ulvetanna | highest peak in den Drygalski-Mountains | distinctive mountain shape |
| Mentzel Mountains | Mentzelfjellet | 71° 18′ S, 13° 42′ O | Rudolf Mentzel |
| Mühlig-Hofmann Mountains | Mühlig-Hofmannfjella | 71° 48′–72° 36′ S, 3° O | Albert Mühlig-Hofmann |
| Neumayer steep face | Neumayerskarvet | | Georg von Neumayer |
| New Swabia | | | Expeditionship „Schwabenland“ |
| Northwestern Island | Nordvestøya | Northend of the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Gebirges | island-like nunatak group |
| Eastern Hochfeld | Austre Høgskeidet | between the southern and central sections of the Petermann range | Ice tounge |
| Obersee (Upper Lake) | Øvresjøen | 71° 12′ S, 13° 42′ O | frozen lake |
| Passat | Passat | | Donier Wal D-ALOX |
| Paulsen Mountains | Brattskarvet, Vendeholten und Vendehø | 72° 24′ S, 1° 30′ O | Karl-Heinz Paulsen, oceanographer of the expedition |
| Payer Mountain group | Payerfjella | 72° 0′ S, 14° 42′ O | Julius von Payer |
| Penck Trough | Pencksøkket | | Albrecht Penck |
| Petermann Range | Petermannkjeda | Between the Alexander-Humboldt-Mountains and the „zentralen Wohlthatmassiv“ [=Otto-von-Gruber-Mountains] on 71°18′–72°9′ S | August Petermann |
| Preuschoff Ridge | Hochlinfjellet | 72° 18′–72° 30′ S, 4° 30′ O | Franz Preuschoff, airplane Mechanic of D-ALOX „Passat“ |
| Regula Mountain Range | Regulakjeda | | Herbert Regula (1910–1980), I. Meteorologist of the expedition |
| Ritscherpeak | Ritschertind | 71° 24′ S, 13° 24′ O | Alfred Ritscher |
| Ritscher Upland | Ritscherflya | | Alfred Ritscher |
| Mount Röbke | Isbrynet | | Karl-Heinz Röbke (* 1909), II. Officer on the „Schwabenland“ |
| Mount Ruhnke | Festninga | 72° 30′ S, 4° O | Herbert Ruhnke (1904–1944), Radio operator on D-ALOX „Passat“ |
| Sauter Mountain bar | Terningskarvet | 72° 36′ S, 3° 18′ O | Siegfried Sauter, aerial photographer |
| Schirmacher Ponds | Schirmacher Oasis | 70° 40′ S, 11° 40′ O | Richardheinrich Schirmacher, Pilot of D-AGAT „Boreas“ |
| Schneider-Riegel | | 73° 42′ S, 3° 18′ W | Hans Schneider, Head of the Sea-Flight Department of the German Maritime Observatory and Professor of Meteorology |
| Schubertpeak | Høgfonna und Ovbratten | Part of a 150 km long ridge between 72°42′ S, 3°30′ W und 74° S, 5° W | Otto von Schubert, Head of the Nautical Department of the German Maritime Observatory |
| Schulz Heights | Lagfjella | 73° 42′ S, 7° 36′ W | Robert Schulz, II. Engineer on the „Schwabenland“ |
| Schicht Mountains | Sjiktberga | 71° 24′ S, 13° 12′ O | |
| Schwarze Hörner (Black horns) | Svarthorna | southern corner of the northern part of the Petermann range | distinctive mountain range |
| See Kopf (Sea-Head) | Sjøhausen | 71° 12′ S, 13° 48′ O | distinctive mountain |
| Seilkopf Mountains | Nälegga | Part of a 150 km long ridge between 72°42′ S, 3°30′ W and° S, 5° W | Heinrich Seilkopf, Head of the Sea-Flight Department of the German Maritime Observatory and Professor of Meteorology |
| Sphinxkopf Peak | Sfinksskolten | On the north end of the Petermann range | distinctive mountain |
| Spieß Peak | Huldreslottet | Part of a 150 km long ridge between. 72°42′ S, 3°30′ W and 74° S, 5° W | Admiral Fritz Spieß, commander of the research vessel Meteor |
| Stein Peaks | Straumsnutane | | Willy Stein, Boatswain of the „Schwabenland“ |
| Todt Mountain bar | Todtskota | 71° 18′ S, 14° 18′ O | Herbert Todt, Assistent of the expeditionleader |
| Uhligpeak | Uhligberga | Part of a 150 km long ridge between72°42′ S, 3°30′ W and 74° S, 5° W | Karl Uhlig, Leading Engineer of the „Schwabenland“ |
| Lake Untersee | Nedresjøen | 71° 18′ S, 13° 30′ O | frozen lake |
| Vorposten Peak | Forposten | 71° 24′ S, 15° 48′ O | remote nunatak |
| Western Hochfeld | Vestre Høgskeidet | | glaciated plain |
| Weyprecht Mountains | Weyprechtfjella | 72° 0′ S, 13° 30′ O | Carl Weyprecht |
| Wegener Inland Ice | Wegenerisen | | Alfred Wegener |
| Wittepeaks | Marsteinen, Valken, Krylen und Knotten | | Dietrich Witte, engine attendant of the "Schwabenland“ |
| Wohlthat Mountain Range | Wohlthatmassivet | | Helmuth Wohlthat |
| Mount Zimmermann | Zimmermannfjellet | 71° 18′ S, 13° 24′ O | Carl Zimmermann, Vice President of the German Research Foundation |
| Zuckerhut (sugar loaf) | Sukkertoppen | 71° 24′ S, 13° 30′ O | distinctive mountain shape |
| Zwiesel Mountain | Zwieselhøgda | On the southern ends of the Petermann range | |

### Aftermath

Germany made no formal territorial claims to New Swabia. No whaling station or other lasting bases were built there by Germany, and no permanent presence was established until the Georg von Neumayer Station, a research facility, was opened in 1981. Germany's current Neumayer Station III is also located in the region.
Although New Swabia is occasionally mentioned in historical contexts, it is not an officially recognized cartographic designation today. The region is part of Queen Maud Land, administered by Norway as a dependent territory under the Antarctic Treaty System, and overseen by the Polar Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice and the Police.

## Conspiracy theories

Neuschwabenland has been the subject of conspiracy theories for decades, some of them related to Nazi UFO claims. Most assert that, in the wake of the German expedition of 1938–39, a huge military base was built there. After the war, high-ranking Nazis, scientists, and elite military units are claimed to have survived there. The US and UK have supposedly been trying to conquer the area for decades, and to have used nuclear weapons in this effort. Proponents claim the base is sustained by hot springs providing energy and warmth.
The WDR radio play Neuschwabenland-Symphonie from 2012 takes up the conspiracy theories.