The record of Hjalmar Johansen, a Norwegian explorer born in Skien in 1867, includes his participation in the first and third Fram expeditions. He is noted for his role alongside Fridtjof Nansen during a push toward the North Pole and his controversial involvement in Roald Amundsen’s mission to the South Pole, ultimately ending his life in Christiania in 1913.
Early Athletic Career
Born to Jens Johansen and Maren Pedersdatter, Hjalmar Johansen was one of five children. He enrolled at the Royal Frederick University in Christiania to study law, but he left the institution following the death of his father. Prior to his focus on exploration, he earned distinction as an athlete, winning a Norwegian championship in gymnastics in 1885 and a world championship in Paris in 1889.
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In 1893, Johansen joined the Fram expedition, serving as a stoker and an assistant for meteorologic studies under Sigurd Scott-Hansen. In 1895, he and Fridtjof Nansen reached 86 degrees 14 minutes north. During the journey, he survived a fall through the ice and an attack by a polar bear. Following the trek, they spent a winter on Franz Josef Land. Upon returning to Norway, he received a promotion to captain in the infantry, a position he held until his resignation in 1907. He later led four expeditions to Svalbard between 1907 and 1909.
Antarctic Conflict
Johansen joined Roald Amundsen’s 1910 expedition to the South Pole. During the voyage, he and Kristian Prestrud were sent on a separate trek toward King Edward VII Land after Johansen challenged Amundsen regarding an early start to the polar push. During a dangerous return journey to the base camp at the Bay of Whales, Johansen carried a freezing Prestrud to safety. Despite this act, Amundsen dismissed Johansen from the expedition upon reaching Tasmania, ultimately preventing him from receiving public credit for his contributions.
Legacy and Recognition
Following his return to Norway, Johansen faced clinical depression and, in 1913, committed suicide, leaving behind his wife, Hilda Øvrum, and their four children. He was awarded the South Pole Medal and the Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav. His historical standing was later revisited through the 1997 biography by Ragnar Kvam, Jr., and the 2005 naming of the Hjalmar Johansen Seamount in the Arctic Ocean.
Fast facts
- Born: 15 May 1867, Skien
- Died: 3 January 1913, Christiania
- Education: University of Oslo
- Awards: Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav
- Gymnastics World Champion: 1889
- South Pole Medal: Recipient
Questions readers ask
Why was Hjalmar Johansen dismissed by Roald Amundsen?
Amundsen dismissed him following a public argument regarding the expedition's early start toward the South Pole and Johansen's performance during a difficult retreat in extreme weather.
What is the Hjalmar Johansen Seamount?
It is a volcanic structure on the floor of the Arctic Ocean, named after the explorer in 2005 by the International Hydrographic Organization.
Achievements
- Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav
- Recorded as explorer
