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The History

The history of the GRÖNLAND is also the history of the first German Arctic expedition., instigated by August Petermann (1822-1878), a geographer from Gotha, and Captain Carl Koldewey (1837-1908). Arthur Breusing, the Director of the Bremen School of Navigation, supported Petermann's plans and engaged the experienced expedition leader Koldewey to assist him.

While searching for a suitable vessel, Koldewey came upon an almost new nordic yacht in Bergen in Norway on April 9th, 1868. It only required ice reinforcement and some additional equipment. He christened the vessel GRÖNLAND and set off for the Arctic Ocean from Bergen with a twelve-man crew on May 24th, 1868. His goal was the area beyond the 75th parallel.

On August 4th, 1868 he reached 75 degrees north near east Greenland, but was unable to reach the coast. He turned back and on August 18th he sailed around the northern tip of Spitzbergen. On September 15th, 1868 the GRÖNLAND finally reached 81° 4,5? N, the northernmost point ever to be reached by a vessel without a motor. After a short stay in Bergen, the GRÖNLAND and its crew arrived in Bremerhaven to a hero's welcome on the evening of October 9th. The knowledge and experience gained by Koldewey during the expedition were of pioneering importance for the future development of German polar research.

Despite the success of this expedition, the GRÖNLAND never took part in any future research. It remained berthed in Bremerhaven before being sold back to Norway in 1871. During the next hundred years, it changed hands there several times, operating as a coastal freighter and fisheries vessel.

In January 1973, the GRÖNLAND was brought back to Bremerhaven as a museum exhibit by Gerd Schlechtriem, the then Director of the German Maritime Museum.

Picture: Archive DSM