Contents
Fridtjof Nansen
Crossing Greenland’s ice cap and pioneering international support for refugees.
Greenland crossing · Fram expedition
- Born
- 10 October 1861
- Birthplace
- Oslo, Norway
- Died
- 13 May 1930
More people
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist and diplomat. He received the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize for humanitarian work after a career that also transformed polar travel.
Early life
Outdoor upbringing
Developed skiing and outdoor skills while growing up near Christiania, now Oslo.
Zoology
Studied at university and worked on marine biology in Bergen.
Career
- 1880s–1890s
Polar expeditions
Led the Greenland crossing and the Fram expedition into the Arctic.
- 1900s
Science and diplomacy
Worked in oceanography and represented independent Norway abroad.
- 1920s
Humanitarian leadership
Worked through the League of Nations on prisoners of war, famine and refugees.
Selected work
Greenland crossing
Led the first crossing of Greenland’s interior ice cap.
Fram expedition
Used Arctic ice drift to explore the polar ocean.
Nansen passport
Helped establish identity documents for stateless refugees.
Beyond work
Scientific research
Studied the nervous systems of marine animals before turning toward oceanography.
Family
Married singer Eva Sars in 1889.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Further biography and career ↗Photo: Henry Van der Weyde. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
