Fridtjof Nansen
Norwegian polar explorer (1861–1930)
From polar science to refugee relief
Scientific beginnings
Fridtjof Nansen studied zoology and worked at the Bergen Museum before his polar journeys made him internationally known. His 1888 crossing of Greenland combined demanding travel with scientific observation. The expedition was followed by research and writing, establishing him as more than an adventurer.
The Fram expedition
In 1893 Nansen took the specially built Fram into Arctic pack ice to test ideas about polar drift. He and Hjalmar Johansen later left the ship with sledges and travelled farther north before turning back. Observations from the voyage supported his later work in oceanography.
Work for displaced people
After the First World War, Nansen worked through the League of Nations on prisoner repatriation, famine relief and refugees. The identification document associated with his name helped stateless people cross borders. He received the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work.