Die erste deutsche Südpolarexpedition und die Flottenpolitik unter Kaiser Wilhelm II.

• Main Author: Lüdecke, Cornelia
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: German
• Published: Deutsches Meeresmuseum 1992
• Subjects: Antarctic; Drygalski; Kaiser-Wilhelm-II.-Land; Neumayer; South Pole; The Antarctic; Wilhelm II Land; Antarc*; Kaiser Wilhelm II land; South pole
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/23765/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/23765/1/Luedecke_Erste-deutsche-Suedpolarexpedition.pdf

In 1898 during the speech at his habilitation, Erich von Drygalski talked on the task of research at the South Pole. He stressed the importance of a German South Polar expedition in the context of the initial stages of the German naval prestige. In 1895, a Commission of South Polar Research had already formed unter the leadership of Georg von Neumayer for planning an expedition, but Neumayer hindered the realization of the first German South Polar expedition, because he insisted on two ships for security. Only after Drygalski was nominated expedition leader did the concrete preparations start. After the First Naval Law was accepted at the Reichstag, the Reich Admirality with Tirpitz and the Interior Ministery joined the preparations. Tirpitz proposed a private expedition consisting of one ship, which should be supported by the German Empire, but which should sail at her own risk. The Reich Admirality controlled the building of the first German research vessel (GAUSS). When the finances of the German expedition were secured, England supported an expedition under the leadership of R.F. Scott, because England didn't want to endanger her leading position in South Polar research. Against the background of political rivalry, the fields of work of both expeditions were parceled out at the 7th International Geographical Congress in Berlin. Besides this, a scientific collaboration was settled within an „International Cooperation“ (1901-1903), during which the expeditions should carry further support for South Polar research through meteorological and magnetical measurements at the same time. In the course of the expedition, the GAUSS froze in the pack ice in front of the Antarctic coast, so the planned observation station could not be established on the continent. As compensation, a detailed observing programme was carried through from the ship and the discovered „Kaiser-Wilhelm-II Land“ was investigated by dog sledges. After the overwintering, the expedition was called back by the Interior Ministery because the funds ...