!!!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.

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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 
82%%sup nd/%  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.

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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.

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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.


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