The Thule Trading Station was established by Peter Freuchen and Knud Rasmussen at North Star Bay in 1910, serving as a base for seven major Arctic expeditions. Over a prolific career, Freuchen transitioned from a student of medicine at the University of Copenhagen into an explorer, ethnologist, and author who documented Inuit life and survived the harsh extremes of the Greenlandic ice sheet.
Arctic Exploration and the Thule Expeditions
Freuchen participated in his first expedition to Greenland in 1906. Between 1912 and 1933, he took part in the Thule Expeditions. During the First Thule Expedition, he and his team traversed 1,000 kilometers across the inland ice to disprove the existence of a channel separating Peary Land from Greenland. His experiences in the Arctic informed his writing, including his personal account Vagrant Viking, published in 1953.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Journalism, Film, and Literary Career
Beyond his explorations, Freuchen worked as a journalist, notably serving as editor-in-chief of the magazine Ude og Hjemme from 1926 to 1932. He expanded his reach into the film industry, acting as a consultant and writer for Arctic-themed cinema, including the MGM production Eskimo. His literary contributions spanned novels and accounts of his travels, leading to several awards, including the Herman Bangs Mindelegat.
Resistance and Personal Life
During World War II, Freuchen actively participated in the Danish resistance movement. Despite having lost his left foot to frostbite in 1926, he opposed Nazi occupation and frequently declared his support for Jewish people when encountering anti-semitism. Imprisoned and sentenced to death by the Germans, he escaped to Sweden. He was married three times: to Navarana Mequpaluk, Magdalene Vang Lauridsen, and eventually to fashion illustrator Dagmar Cohn.
Final Years
In 1956, Freuchen gained widespread attention in the United States by winning the top prize on the television quiz show The $64,000 Question for his expertise on the subject of the Seven Seas. He continued writing until his death in 1957. After passing away in Anchorage, his ashes were scattered on Mount Dundas near Thule, the site of his former trading station.
Fast facts
- Born: 1886, Nykøbing Falster, Denmark
- Died: 1957, Anchorage, Alaska
- Education: University of Copenhagen
- Notable Membership: The Adventurers' Club of Denmark
- Major Awards: Hans Egede Medal, Bangs literary award
- Spouses: Navarana Mequpaluk, Magdalene Vang Lauridsen, Dagmar Cohn
- Key Resistance Activity: Danish resistance movement during WWII
- Final Publication: Book of the Seven Seas (1957)
Questions readers ask
What were the Thule Expeditions?
They were a series of seven expeditions based out of the Thule Trading Station in Greenland between 1912 and 1933, aimed at mapping and scientific exploration.
Did Peter Freuchen serve in the military?
He was a member of the Danish resistance movement against Nazi Germany during World War II.
Achievements
- Held posts at Ude og Hjemme
- Educated at University of Copenhagen
