The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-05-13
Death Cuts Short
Plans to Explore
Pole by Zeppelin
\ Continued from page one)
expeditions into the Arctic regio
Enriched Science

\ Continued from page one)
expeditions into the Arctic regions.
Enriched Science
Science wa enriched by his explor-
atoms and his work as a zoologist; his
country profited by his experience
during his service as a diplomat; the
lives of hundreds we're saved or at
least their conditions ameliorated by
his relief work after the World War
and the world generally was enlight-
ened by his writings. The far-reach-
ing effect Of all his works was indi-
Gated by numerous honors and decor
ations bestowed upon him by coun-
tries in all parts Of the world.
Born October 10. 1861, at Frozen,
near Christiania (now Oslo) Dr.. Nam
sen came of a family Of national
fighters who in the seventeenth Ger
fury deprived the nobility Of their
privilege. He lived in his native town
until he was IS. when his family
moved to the national capital. Thereo
the boy prepared himself in the lower
schools for the Royal University Of
Christiania, which he entered in
1880 and made a special study of
zoology. It was while a university
student that he got his first taste Of
Arctic exploration, making q trip on
the sealing vessel Viking to the va
tiers Of Greenland. After completing
his university course he made several
other trips to the Arctic, the most
important being the "Fram" expedi-
ton in 1893.
DR.. hansen turned his attention to
relief work after the World War. in
teresting himself particularly in the
welfare and repatriation of prisoners
of war and schemes for the relief Of
the millions of starving innocent VIC
Tins of the war in the various coun-
tries of Europe.
Married Noted Singer
In 1889 DR.. hansen married Eva
Sars, a noted singer and daughter Of
Professor Michael Sars of Christiania
University. They had five children.
Mrs. Nansen died in 1907 and IL
years later the explorer married
Nine. Sigrum Munthe.
The voyage which DR.. Nansen made
to Greenland when he was a student
indicated to him the vast field for
exploration and scientific study in
that land and in 1887 he began prep
arations for an expedition to cross
the great ice fields that covered the
interior Of that country. The posi-
bility Of his success was d%iscounte-
nanced by many Arctic authorities of
that time. resulting in the Norwegian
government refusing him a small
grant which he had requested. This,
however, was provided by Augustin
Camel, q merchant of Copenhagen,
while Nansen paid the greater part
Of the expenses from his own pocket.
The expedition started in May 1888,
joining a sealing ship bound for the
east coast Of Greenland. Nansen and
his five companions left the ship on
July II to force a way through the
ice belt to land about 10 miles dis
tant. 1t took the party II days to
reach their objective, in the mean
time having been carried some dis
lance south with the ice drift. They
struck the west coast of Ameralik
Fjord in September and upon reach
ing the settlement of Godthaab were
obliged to spend the winter there
The party returned home in May
1889.
In 1890 DR.. Nansen conceived the
idea of q polar expedition to cross the
polar regions by getting his vessel
fixed in the ice north of Eastern ST.
IBERIA and drift with it. His theory
was that q d~rift-current set across
the regions from Boring Strait and
the neighborhood of the New Siberia
Islands toward the coast Of Green
land. His plan, although adversely
criticized, succeeded. The expedition
sailed on the Fran" June "a. 1898
In September the FRAN" was made
fast to a floe in IS degrees, SO min
utes. north latitude. Shortly after
wards she was frozen In and the long
drift again. BY March, 1895, the
ship had reached 81 degrees. north,
and DR.. Nansen decided to make an
expedition northward on foot. Ac-
companied by Frederick = Hjalmar
Johansen, a lieutenant of the Norwe-
gian army who had shipped as fire
man on the Fran" DR.. Nansen on
April 8 reached Sc degrees. ID min
utes. north, the highest latitude
reached by man to that time.
From that point they turned back
and eventually reached Frederick
Jackson Island In Franz Joseph Land.
rs,hnro {hav u,oro r~ouoaj1oA A. epc,,S
the winter, remaining from August.
1895. to May. 1896. They lived in a
little stone hut and their only food
was raw bear meat. After resuming
their journey in May the explorers
fell in with the JackSon-Harmsworth
expedition in June, 1896, and returned
to Norway with it, reaching home Au-
gust 13. The "Fram" followed into
port safely a week later.
For his achievement DR.. Nansen re-
ceived q special medal from the Ma
tional Geographical Society ana hon.
orary degrees from oxford and Cam
bridge Universities.
Entered Politics in 1905
DR.. hansen entered politics in 1905
in connection with the crisis between
Norway and Sweden, which vas fol-
lowed by separation Of the two king
doms. During the crisis he issued a
manifesto and many articles in which
he adopted the attitude as indicated
by the last words in a brief work pub
lished later: ANY union in which one
people is restrained in exercising its
freedom is and will remain a danger"
With the establishment Of Norway as
q monarchy Nansen was appointed
minister to England in 1906. He was
created a knight grand cross Of the
Royal Victorian Order. After repre-
serting his country two years In the
British capital he resigned ana be-