Nordpolexpedition, österreichisch-ungarische#

North Pole Expedition, Austro-Hungarian, exploration expedition to the Arctic Ocean from 1872 - 1874 headed by K. Weyprecht and J. Payer on the initiative and with the financial aid of H. Count Wilczek. The "Tegetthoff", a 220 ton sailing ship with auxiliary engine, left the Norwegian port Tromsoe with 24 men on board in July 1872; it was trapped in ice north of Novaja Zeml'a at the end of August and slowly drifted northwestwards into formerly unknown arctic territory. During this drift the group of explorers discovered an archipelago which was named after the Austro-Hungarian monarch Franz Josef Land.

Led by Payer, the explorers crossed Franz Josef Land (the largest land area discovered in the European sector of the arctic region in 277 years) on sleds under most difficult conditions and crossed the 82nd degree northern latitude. In May 1874 they had to leave behind the icebound ship and risk a dangerous return on sleds and boats. They reached the open sea on August 14, Novaja Zeml'a on August 19 and the mainland on September 3.

The discovery of land and the experiences of the group contributed much to the exploration of the polar regions and paved the way for the discovery of the Northeast Passage by O. Nordenskjoeld. They also initiated the International Polar Years, which were held in 1882/83, 1932/33 and 1957ff. (then as the International Geophysical Year). As a result, worldwide scientific cooperation in the exploration of the polar regions replaced international sports competition among different expeditions.

The scientific results of the arctic expedition (meteorological, astronomical, geodetical, magnetical findings, observations of the polar lights and zoological findings) were published in a memorandum of the Academy of Sciences. The general public learned about the results from Payer´s book "Die oesterreichisch-ungarische Nordpolexpedition in den Jahren 1872-74" (1876)" and from his paintings; Payer was the only arctic explorer who painted his impressions of the trip himself.