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Denmark expedition
The Denmark expedition (Danish: Danmark-ekspeditionen), also known as the Denmark Expedition to Greenland's Northeast Coast and the Danmark Expedition after the ship's name, was an expedition to northeastern Greenland in 1906–1908.
Despite being overshadowed by the deaths under tragic circumstances of three of the expedition's leading members (Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen (1872–1907), Niels Peter Høeg Hagen (1877–1907), and Jørgen Brønlund (1877–1907)), the Denmark expedition was not a failure. It achieved its main cartographic objectives and succeeded in exploring the vast region, drawing accurate charts of formerly unexplored coastlines and fjords, naming numerous geographic features, and gathering a wealth of scientific data.
The two-year expedition was conceived and led by Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen, who had previously led the 'Literary Expedition' to Northwest Greenland together with Knud Rasmussen in 1902–1904. The main target of the Denmark expedition was to map the last blank sections of the coastline of northeastern Greenland, between Cape Bridgman, near Robert Peary's easternmost geographic exploration in the north, and Cape Bismarck, the northernmost point reached by Carl Koldewey in the east. Beginning in the 1700s Greenland had slowly been mapped section by section, but the harsh climate in the far northeast and the difficult ice conditions off the shore had prevented the cartography of the vast zone.
The expedition aimed to gather scientific information on the unexplored area during a period of two years, including information on any remaining Northeast-Greenland Inuit, last seen by Royal Navy Captain Douglas Clavering in 1823 further south down the coast in Clavering Island.
The strategy of the expedition was to cross the sea ice barrier on the east coast of Greenland, sail with a ship as far north as possible, find a safe anchorage, establish a base with a meteorological station, and then go further north on dogsleds along the coastal ice. After the last unmapped coast of Greenland had been explored, which Mylius-Erichsen deemed could be done in a year, the expedition would move south to further explore the Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord. Time permitting, the expedition would also attempt a westward crossing of the inland ice.
In addition, Robert Peary's claim that a channel running from east to west separated northernmost Greenland from the mainland further south – the (non-existent) so-called "Peary Channel" – was to be investigated.
A committee of authorities on Greenland, including Gustav Frederik Holm, Carl Ryder, Georg Carl Amdrup and Thomas Vilhelm Garde, advised Mylius-Erichsen on the preparation of the expedition.
The expedition travelled to Greenland aboard the Danmark, reaching a sheltered place in southern Germania Land in August 1906 and establishing its main base there, Danmarkshavn, which was named after the ship.
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Denmark expedition
The Denmark expedition (Danish: Danmark-ekspeditionen), also known as the Denmark Expedition to Greenland's Northeast Coast and the Danmark Expedition after the ship's name, was an expedition to northeastern Greenland in 1906–1908.
Despite being overshadowed by the deaths under tragic circumstances of three of the expedition's leading members (Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen (1872–1907), Niels Peter Høeg Hagen (1877–1907), and Jørgen Brønlund (1877–1907)), the Denmark expedition was not a failure. It achieved its main cartographic objectives and succeeded in exploring the vast region, drawing accurate charts of formerly unexplored coastlines and fjords, naming numerous geographic features, and gathering a wealth of scientific data.
The two-year expedition was conceived and led by Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen, who had previously led the 'Literary Expedition' to Northwest Greenland together with Knud Rasmussen in 1902–1904. The main target of the Denmark expedition was to map the last blank sections of the coastline of northeastern Greenland, between Cape Bridgman, near Robert Peary's easternmost geographic exploration in the north, and Cape Bismarck, the northernmost point reached by Carl Koldewey in the east. Beginning in the 1700s Greenland had slowly been mapped section by section, but the harsh climate in the far northeast and the difficult ice conditions off the shore had prevented the cartography of the vast zone.
The expedition aimed to gather scientific information on the unexplored area during a period of two years, including information on any remaining Northeast-Greenland Inuit, last seen by Royal Navy Captain Douglas Clavering in 1823 further south down the coast in Clavering Island.
The strategy of the expedition was to cross the sea ice barrier on the east coast of Greenland, sail with a ship as far north as possible, find a safe anchorage, establish a base with a meteorological station, and then go further north on dogsleds along the coastal ice. After the last unmapped coast of Greenland had been explored, which Mylius-Erichsen deemed could be done in a year, the expedition would move south to further explore the Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord. Time permitting, the expedition would also attempt a westward crossing of the inland ice.
In addition, Robert Peary's claim that a channel running from east to west separated northernmost Greenland from the mainland further south – the (non-existent) so-called "Peary Channel" – was to be investigated.
A committee of authorities on Greenland, including Gustav Frederik Holm, Carl Ryder, Georg Carl Amdrup and Thomas Vilhelm Garde, advised Mylius-Erichsen on the preparation of the expedition.
The expedition travelled to Greenland aboard the Danmark, reaching a sheltered place in southern Germania Land in August 1906 and establishing its main base there, Danmarkshavn, which was named after the ship.