Fridtjof Nansen is one of the heroes of recent European history. He lived in the second half of the 19th and first half of the 20th century, during a time of political turmoil and wars, and in a period of recovery from their consequences. He was a scientist, explorer, diplomat, and peacemaker. He considered himself primarily a scientist and made significant contributions to zoology, geography, ethnology, and geology. His most famous work today is his humanitarian work, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.
Childhood and Youth
Fridtjof Nansen was born on October 10, 1861, in Frøen near Oslo. From an early age, his parents taught their children a simple and moderate way of life, diligence and perseverance, and above all, selflessness and honesty. Nansen remembered the lessons from his childhood throughout his life.
In 1880, he enrolled in the study of zoology at the University of Oslo, and two years later, still as a student, he participated in an expedition that explored the eastern coasts of Greenland. This journey was his first experience of the Arctic and in a way determined his future career. Over the next six years, he dedicated himself to studying and in 1888, he obtained his doctorate, also from the University of Oslo.
Scientist and explorer
In the same year, after extensive planning, he went to Greenland with a team of five, whose interior had not been explored until then. In the two months that the journey lasted, they skied from the eastern to the western coast of Greenland and collected data about the previously unknown land.
The expedition that followed in 1893 lasted for 35 months, with the aim of getting as close as possible to the North Pole. The journey was carefully planned, taking into account the construction of the ship, the possible characteristics of the Arctic Ocean, as well as any potential problems and difficulties along the way. The ship, named Fram, was equipped as a research laboratory.
Nansen planned to sail eastward and expected that the ship would reach the eastern ice edge They continued to sail along the icy coast, heading northwest. The theory proved valid, but the ship did not get as close to the Pole as Nansen had hoped for. As a result, he and his colleague left the ship and headed north. However, the ice cap was moving south, making their journey difficult. Despite running out of food for themselves and the dogs pulling their sledges, they managed to get closer to the Pole than anyone before them. They had to turn back. After being away from the ship for 132 days, they reached the islands of Franz Josef Land, where they spent the winter, surviving in various ways. In the summer of 1896, they returned to Norway, along with the crew of the ship that continued to sail trapped in the ice cap. This expedition brought Nansen international recognition and provided science with a wealth of new data on Earth’s magnetism, the aurora borealis, meteorology, oceanography, and zoology.
Nansen published the results of his scientific research in six volumes. At that time, he was considered the greatest explorer. His bravery and dedication, as well as his ability to organize and lead, served as an example to future explorers.
From 1897, he taught zoology, and from 1908, oceanography at the University of Oslo. Over the next five years, he participated in several scientific expeditions, visited all the major universities around the world, and published numerous research papers… He planned a major expedition to the South Pole, but this project was never realized. Other, more urgent and, in his estimation, more important tasks consumed all his attention in the years to come. Scientific work was put aside, and Nansen never returned to it in his lifetime.
Nansen’s fame in the world was based on his polar expeditions, which also laid the groundwork for his later diplomatic and humanitarian work.
Diplomat
The Norwegian government entrusted Nansen with important tasks, even though he was never formally involved in Norwegian politics. In 1905, when Norway gained independence, After the separation from the union with Sweden, there was a danger of armed conflict, and Nansen was assigned the role of negotiator. In 1917, he mediated an agreement with the United States to prevent famine in neutral Norway during the First World War. From 1920 to 1929, he represented Norway in the League of Nations.
In the spring of 1920, the League of Nations entrusted Nansen with his first major task – he was appointed the High Commissioner for Prisoners of War. A year and a half after the end of the war, hundreds of thousands of prisoners remained in Siberia and other parts of the Asian region of Russia. Although legally free, they could not return home due to lack of funds and organization in war-ravaged countries. They were hungry, without proper clothing and medicine, without shelter. In order to survive, it was necessary to organize their repatriation before the upcoming winter.
Nansen was an excellent organizer, very practical and determined. He negotiated with governments, built an effective administration, He raised funds, took out a loan, provided food, clothing, and medicine, borrowed boats, and coordinated the efforts of humanitarian organizations. Around 450,000 former prisoners of war were returned home to twenty-six different countries.
While still occupied with the repatriation of prisoners of war, he was entrusted with the next task – he became the High Commissioner for Refugees. Millions of refugees from the First World War were scattered across Europe and Asia and did not want or could not return home. Many were without basic means of livelihood, without jobs, moved from one country to another. It was necessary to provide them with accommodation and employment so that they could feel secure and valuable again. Many were without passports and identification papers, which made their relations with authorities difficult. Nansen solved this problem by introducing a new form of passport that served as an international document recognized in fifty countries. A major problem was finding permanent homes and employment for the refugees, as well as their and integration into society. He encountered apathy and opposition in many countries, but he did not give up, instead he went from country to country, begging and advocating. A constant problem was the lack of funds, people were starving, so Nansen used his own resources and property to help.
This job required continuous commitment, and Nansen worked on it until the end of his life.
In 1921, the Red Cross assigned Nansen a new task – organizing aid for millions of Russians and Ukrainians affected by the great famine from 1921 to 1923. This may have been his most difficult task as the situation was very critical, the number of people in need of help was enormous, and a quick response was necessary. Millions of people were dying of hunger, and Nansen had problems raising funds because many saw it as support for Bolshevism. He pleaded for help from the public and governments, organized auctions, sold his own property… The entire humanitarian program was based on trust. The Soviet Union had Fridtjof Nansen as a person.
In 1922, he received the Nobel Peace Prize. On that occasion, a Danish publisher doubled the amount of the award. Nansen donated all the money to help the hungry in Russia. This famine is known as one of the greatest catastrophes in history, where around thirty million people died. The Red Cross and the League of Nations, led by Nansen, saved the lives of seven million people, mostly children.
During the Greco-Turkish war, he organized aid for refugees on both the Greek and Turkish sides through the League of Nations. The largest exchange of people in history was carried out.
He also helped the Armenian people in their efforts to create an independent state, Armenia, but despite years of searching for a solution, he did not succeed.
He died on May 13, 1930, and was honored by being buried four days later, on Norwegian Independence Day. In his honor, the League of Nations established the “Nansen International Office for Refugees,” which continued his work. In 1938, he received another Nobel Peace Prize. In 1954, the “Nansen” award for helping refugees was established within the UN, which is awarded annually to those who selflessly assist following Nansen’s example.
Fridtjof Nansen’s humanitarian work is a true marvel of organization. In all his projects, he managed to build an efficient administration in a very short period of time. He was never paid for his work. Many considered him naive and a victim of politicians, but Nansen believed that helping people should come before political decisions. He often encountered obstacles and disappointments, especially from those he expected understanding and assistance from. He felt that he could have done much more good and that he had often failed in his efforts. Humanitarian work was a great challenge for an idealist who had to come to terms with the fact that many do not think selflessly like him.
It is important to emphasize that Nansen was by no means a puppet of world powers. tudo o que “He worked, he worked of his own free will. It was not difficult for him to carry out tasks because he knew they were worth every sacrifice. He had a choice: he could withdraw into the peace and solitude of the Arctic that had captivated his attention in his youth; he could go to Antarctica and engage in important scientific research there. However, he replaced all of that with what he considered more important and right at that moment.
Nansen’s actions speak best of him as a person. Whatever he did, he did out of a sense of duty, thoroughly and devotedly. He considered his character to be the result of parental upbringing and self-education, and he was characterized by idealism, practicality, simplicity, honesty, selflessness, and a belief in the fundamental values and dignity of humanity.
From Nansen’s speech at the Nobel Prize ceremony
“…I see many people suffering from battles that were not their own. This is a consequence of the desire for power, imperialism, and militarism. People are desperate and turning to the fundamental values of life. The soul…” is the key to finding a solution. It is only through understanding the true nature of the illness that we can start to climb out of the abyss. The world cannot rely on slogans, papers, and words anymore. Action must replace them. Throughout history, we have seen the rise and fall of humanity, and we have faced dark times before. Those who have witnessed the spreading poverty in our Europe and experienced just a fraction of human suffering must realize that seeking help from politicians and diplomats is not enough. Their intentions may be good, but their policies and programs no longer serve the world. As Oxenstierna once said, “If only you knew, my son, how little wisdom governs the world.” Therefore, we must take the first step towards rising from the depths: understanding the nature of the illness. Blind fanaticism, both for and against something, only leads to conflict and destruction. It is through understanding that we can find the path to healing and progress. Tolerance and kindness can transform this energy into valuable processes. The old saying that you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but not the log in your own, holds true for all times…
They call us romantics, fools, sentimental idealists, perhaps because we have faith in the good that resides in everyone, even those on the other side, and because we believe that more can be achieved through kindness than cruelty.
Everyone must join forces in this endeavor. We must raise beacons to shine from every mountain. We must raise flags in every country and forge the chains of brotherhood worldwide. Governments too must stand shoulder to shoulder, not in battle, but in a sincere effort to begin a new era.
The holiday of Christmas approaches with the message: Peace in the world.
Never before have people eagerly awaited the Prince of Peace, the Prince of Mercy, who holds a white flag in his hand on which the golden letters spell out: Work.
All of us can work and participate in his mission on Earth to rise up a new spirit in a new generation. “You see, in order to be able to love our companions and strive for lasting peace – in order to regain the will to work and the joy of work – in order to restore faith in the dawn of a new day.”
“Fridtjof Nansen, December 19, 1922.”