Roald Amundsen

Norwegian explorer; first person to reach the South Pole (1872-1928) · Norway · Historical Figures · Died at 55

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He beat Scott to the South Pole, navigated the Northwest Passage, flew over the North Pole, and vanished in the Arctic trying to save someone else's crew. Amundsen turned polar exploration into a string of firsts - then disappeared into the ice himself.

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A life in dates

1928Died18 June 1928Medalla Plus UltraAward1925Medal for Outstanding Civic ServiceAward1913Grande Médaille d'Or des ExplorationsAwardVega MedalAward1912“Is this really a Polar ship?" people asked; ... our paper-supply which was in all respects as fine and elegant as it could be: ...”In their wordsSydpolen (The South Pole) (1912)Read the whole statement

“Everything is on a reduced scale here in the Polar regions; we can't afford to be extravagant.”In their wordsConcerning the Polar accommodationsRead the whole statement

“Personally, I regard alcohol, used in moderation, as a medicine in the Polar regions. ... It is another matter on sledge journeys: there ... alcohol must be banished ...”In their wordsSydpolen (The South Pole) (1912)Read the whole statement

“... the brilliant aurora australis. ... flush of daylight has moved to the north, ...”In their wordsExplaining why the Antarctic winter is not all darkRead the whole statement

“Oh, as usual," they shouted back; "no bottom." I mention this little incident just to show how one can grow accustomed to anything in this world.”In their wordsUpon finding yet another obscured and deadly abyssRead the whole statement

Alexander von Humboldt MedalAwardCharles P. Daly MedalAwardCommanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar StarAwardSouth Pole MedalAward1911“We see many fine sunsets here, unique in the splendour of their colour. No doubt the surroundings in this fairyland of blue and white do much to increase their beauty.”In their wordsMarch 1911Impressions around March 1911Read the whole statement

1907Fridtjof Nansen Award of Excellence, Mathematics-Natural sciences classAwardGrand Cross of the Order of Franz JosephAwardHubbard MedalAwardPatron’s MedalAward1906Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. OlavAward1872Born16 July 1872

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

Amundsen in fur skins

(De g. à d.) Amundsen, Wilkins, Otto Sverdrup, Eielson, Maj. Tryggve Gran (CNews) - btv1b53200190v

(Roald) Amundsen - btv1b531601339

Амундсен Ураниенборг

Captain Raoul Amundsen, discoverer of North West Passage No 1 (HS85-10-17022)

60 Roald Amundsens profil Skarsaasen, Brønnøysund - no-nb digifoto 20160525 00072 blds 06976

7-503 - no-nb digifoto 20150209 00004 bldsa SURA0047

A notable gathering on the steps of Hubbard Hall, 1909

In their own words 10

Roald Amundsen

10 statements, newest first

Is this really a Polar ship?" people asked; ... our paper-supply which was in all respects as fine and elegant as it could be: ...
1912, Sydpolen (The South Pole) (1912), Own words
Everything is on a reduced scale here in the Polar regions; we can't afford to be extravagant.
1912, Concerning the Polar accommodations, Own words
Personally, I regard alcohol, used in moderation, as a medicine in the Polar regions. ... It is another matter on sledge journeys: there ... alcohol must be banished ...
1912, Sydpolen (The South Pole) (1912), Own words

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Awards

Medalla Plus Ultra1928

Medal for Outstanding Civic Service1925

Vega Medal1913

Grande Médaille d'Or des Explorations1913

Alexander von Humboldt Medal1912

Charles P. Daly Medal1912

South Pole Medal1912

Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star1912

Fridtjof Nansen Award of Excellence, Mathematics-Natural sciences class1907

Hubbard Medal1907

Patron’s Medal1907

Grand Cross of the Order of Franz Joseph1907

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav1906

Constantin Medal

Knight of the Order of Leopold

Congressional Gold Medal

Medal of Merit in Gold with Crown

Polar Medal

Medal for Aeronautical Valour

Livingstone Medal

Knight of the Legion of Honour

Medal of Merit

Family

Father Jens Amundsen

Roald Amundsen

Sibling Leon Amundsen

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About this person

Born in Borge, Østfold in 1872, Amundsen cut his teeth as first mate on a Belgian Antarctic expedition in 1897-1899. Between 1903 and 1906 he led the first successful traverse of the Northwest Passage aboard the sloop Gjøa. He began planning a South Pole run in 1909, sailed from Norway in June 1910 on the Fram, and reached Antarctica by January 1911. His five-man party planted the flag at the South Pole on 14 December 1911. A 1918 attempt to reach the North Pole by ship failed, so he went airborne: on 12 May 1926, he and fifteen others flew the airship Norge over the top, the first verified reach. Two years later, in June 1928, he took off on a rescue mission for the downed airship Italia and never came back. The search ended that September; the ice kept him.

Country

Norway

In common with Roald

Kristian PrestrudAlso in Roald Amundsen's South Pole Expedition (1912)

Hjalmar Fredrik GjertsenAlso in Roald Amundsen's South Pole Expedition (1912)

Oscar WistingBoth received South Pole Medal

Helmer HanssenBoth received South Pole Medal

Henrik LindstrømBoth received South Pole Medal

Historical Figures from Norway 1

Olav V of Norway79.1

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