I will take part in an expedition to Antarctica. The third German Antarctic expedition is one of the mysteries of the sixth continent
The Belarusian Antarctic project in terms of ambitions is comparable to the space one. But we have not yet reached the launch of manned spacecraft, but every year our polar explorers conduct semi-annual autonomous expeditions on the coldest continent. Upon arrival, they are often called heroes, although not one of them, even veterans who have been working in the most difficult conditions of the Antarctic since the times of the USSR and continuing to bring glory to the country to this day, have not yet been awarded the title of Hero of Belarus.
They do not require awards and medals. Polar explorers receive relatively modest salaries, and if they ask for something, then just do not reduce or stop funding for the polar program, where Belarus can and knows how to work at the highest world level. Every year, real men make our place on the White Continent more and more noticeable. Write down the address: East Antarctica. Land of Enderby. Shore of the Sea of Cosmonauts. Mount Evening.
The ship "Akademik Fedorov" delivered the Belarusians and their Russian colleagues to the shores of the White Continent. Photo: from the BAS archive
“Of those who visited the winter camp for the first time, only about 25% return again”
Our 9th Antarctic expedition, organized by the National Academy of Sciences, has just returned to Minsk: Aleksey Gaidashov (head of the expedition), Yuri Giginyak (environmental engineer), Vadim Svidinsky (radiometrist engineer), Aleksey Zakhvatov (mechanical engineer), Petr Popolamov (electrician), Igor Zmievsky (master for the operation of machines and mechanisms).
The youngest, Vadim Svidinsky, is 24 years old, and the oldest, Yuri Giginyak, is 72.
The head of the Belarusian Antarctic Expedition has been unchanged for ten years now - Aleksey Alexandrovich Gaidashov. All these years, the regime of his life is as follows - half a year at home, half a year (from November to April, while summer is in the Southern Hemisphere) in the ice of Antarctica. Of all the dangers that lurk on the icy continent, Alexey Alexandrovich first of all singles out those related to psychology.
Not everyone can withstand a long stay away from home, in a small team, - he shares with us. - And muzzles (blizzard, strong wind, almost zero visibility) can last for weeks, sometimes even more than a month. During this time, no one has the right to leave the premises. The exception is mechanics. They need to monitor life support facilities, periodically they need to refuel a diesel power plant (DPP). In this case, an emergency link of 2-3 people is organized. They insure each other and go to DES. According to statistics, of those who first visited Antarctica for the winter, only 25-30% return again.
- And how do you stand it?
The main thing is the psychological core. My first expedition to Antarctica was back in 1988. Then I wintered at Leningradskaya station for almost a year and a half. Now our business trips last six months. We work on the continent for four months, and spend another month on the round trip on the Russian ship Akademik Fedorov, which departs from St. Petersburg.
- For the last ten yearsEvery year you go on a business trip for six months 14,000 km from home. Do you have a family?!
I have a wonderful family: three children, six grandchildren. But no one followed in my footsteps, - Gaidashov smiles. - Probably, they have seen enough that I have not been at home for half my life. But when my wife married me, she knew what kind of life awaited her. In Soviet times, on duty, I had to go on long business trips, including in hot spots in the literal and figurative sense of the word. In general, out of 36 years of marriage, I spent half on business trips. Most importantly, I have someone to save my life for. I have someone to return to. Normal and necessary country men's work.
- And how much does a polar explorer get for such a normal male job?
An engineer during the period of work in Antarctica - in the region of two thousand rubles per month, and on the mainland - four hundred to five hundred rubles.
- Yes ... he is not going for money.
Researchers go to say something new in science and advance in their field. As for technical experts. Alexey Zakhvatov was my right hand in this expedition. I knew that whatever I entrusted to him, everything would be done reliably. Alexey is a techie from God. And he combines his professionalism with the young passion of romance and knowledge of the unknown. In principle, he can earn the same salary in Minsk. But in Antarctica, in addition to money, he will receive a lot of impressions and inner self-respect as a man from working in the most difficult conditions.
“Quotas can be successfully sold to other states”
- What scientific research do you do?
We work in five scientific directions. We are studying the aerosol and gas composition of the atmosphere. We study the ozone layer.
A significant part of the time is devoted to biological and microbiological research. The unique properties of Antarctic microorganisms allow us to say that in the near future mankind will face new breakthrough biotechnologies in medicine, pharmacology, etc. Imagine a microorganism, a bacterium that forms colonies and, under adverse conditions, falls into suspended animation for thousands of years. When conditions favorable for it are created, it revives again and actively reproduces, forming colonies. These properties can be successfully used, first of all, in medicine.
We are actively working to assess the bioproductivity of marine biological resources in the area of our station. We do this to justify an application to the UN Maritime Commission for certain quotas for catching or extracting marine resources. To do this, you do not need to start your own fishing fleet. These quotas can be successfully sold to other states. You need to invest at the initial stage in order to expect a return in the future.
Another promising area is geophysical and geological research. Antarctica is the last untouched resource reserve of mankind on Earth.
In addition to scientific research, this year you continued to actively engage in the construction of the Belarusian Antarctic Station. What are the successes?
Previously, we were housed in an old Soviet-era building, which was provided for temporary free use by the Russian side. Now part of our team still lives there. But in 2016, we built the first module of the Belarusian Antarctic Station (BAS) nearby. This year, the installation of the second facility began - an 8-section service and residential module. Mounting the platform on which the sections are installed ( 14 by 6 m) we conducted in record time - 32 hours. Installed the first section. The rest will be put on the next expeditions. The delivery of sections to Antarctica, like many other scientific and logistical projects, is carried out in close cooperation with the Russians. Their base "Molodezhnaya" is located 27 km from ours.
The most important thing is that there is an ambitious and necessary facility for the country and a program for its implementation. There is a team of professionals and reliable support from the National Academy of Sciences. Now you can't slow down, you can't stop. If at least one year falls out, then a significant national project will suffer a sad fate.
PLANNING TO COME FOR THE WHOLE YEAR
- What are the immediate goals?
By 2019 - 2020, we plan to complete the construction of the first stage of the station and move on to year-round wintering activities. From this there will be practical, scientific and economic benefits.
Two or three modules is the minimum infrastructure. In addition, a new diesel power plant (DPP) complex is required. Now, for seasonal work, 20 - 60 kW of power is enough for us. And during a year-round stay, when at the height of winter there will be frosts of minus 50 - 60, 2 - 3 power plants with a capacity of 115 kW are needed. And you need an oil depot. Now we deliver fuel in barrels, enough for the season. And the possibility of supply is open only 2 - 3 months in the summer Antarctic season. Then no one will help us. It is easier to carry out a rescue operation in low Earth orbit than in Antarctica in winter.
- Now you worked six of us. Why so many bayonets?
We could take seven people, but this year the Russians held their seasonal events at Molodezhnaya. They had a doctor. So we didn't take ours. The funding was redistributed and directed to other expeditionary needs. But next season the doctor will definitely be there.
- What kind of help is required from him most often?
The most common are injuries associated mainly with adverse natural conditions: fractures, sprains, bruises, concussions, frostbite ... There are no viral diseases there. Viruses do not survive in Antarctica.
- And you didn't have a cook?
We take turns on duty in the galley. It’s a sin to complain about food, we have a complete diet. There is almost everything. We deliver canned food and groceries to the ship to St. Petersburg from Belarus. And we buy deep-frozen meat products, vegetables, fruits, juices, etc. in the direction of travel: in Germany, South Africa.
"We have a dry law"
- And what is missing and really want?
Greenery. It can be grown in the laboratory, but only a little. In the future, when we have enough sown areas for this, it will be possible to harvest crops in biological installations all year round.
- And what about alcohol?
We have a dry law.
- Not a drop?
We make an exception for the New Year, Christmas, and if birthdays fall, then once a month, on the eve of the day off, we collect all the birthday people and congratulate them. But a little dry wine or champagne is allowed. Purely conditional. Not only because I am an athlete and a teetotaler. This is justified by our small staff, extreme conditions and the fact that the life and safety of people must be preserved in the first place. No great discoveries are worth a man's life.
- How do you relax?
In Soviet times, every evening we watched films on the film projector "Ukraine", played billiards, table tennis. They even organized championships. Now everyone has their own laptop with information recorded on a USB flash drive. But such a short stay obliges me to give my best in my work, therefore, I also squeeze the maximum out of people. Therefore, they fall asleep when the head has not yet had time to touch the pillow.
- Does everyone have their own room?
So it will be when we finish building the second module. Now we live in pairs. The new living quarters will have the necessary minimum - a bedside table, a wardrobe, a desk, an easy chair so that a person can feel comfortable, a wide bed with an orthopedic mattress. This is not for glamor, but to maintain a normal life. Microwave, kettle, etc. An exercise bike has already been brought. The next step is a tennis table, a year later - a set of muscle simulators. And of course there will be billiards.
"Unspoken taboo - do not climb into the soul"
- And how are things with winter fishing?
Are the penguins visiting?
Penguins walk through the station. They're at home. They have this path laid down at the gene level. The penguins have their own business, we have ours. And we already go to the ocean to visit the seals.
- What are the forbidden topics in communication, so as not to quarrel. Politics, for example?
There is an unspoken taboo not to climb into the soul if a person does not open it himself. And then when they climb unceremoniously, conflict situations arise. In general, we have a dictatorship. Not mine personally, but the head of the expedition, whoever he was.
How do you punish if something happens?
morally and economically. I'm giving up bonuses and bonuses. Or, on the contrary, I increase for excellent work.
- I heard one of the humanities academics ask you why you don't take women on the expedition?
Women work in expeditions of many countries. But signing a contract to work in Antarctica, they lose their gender for the duration of the contract. It's just an employee. And they come for seasonal work, they don’t stay for the whole year. Our doors are not closed to women. But there is also a negative experience of wintering with a mixed composition. One of the countries had experience when the winter quarter had to be evacuated ahead of schedule. Something was not shared.
- Do young people who come to Antarctica become different?
Refusing gadgets, they communicate more with each other. At home - in the style of "hi-bye", and on the expedition - live communication. And to talk, if the interlocutor has, you can be extremely frank. Plus the novelty of impressions. They are doing serious work. These guys are not extreme people who climbed the highest mountain, put up a flag, they say, we were here. Every day and for many months or years they do the necessary work for the country and for society. And they understand that their country appreciates it and are proud of it.
BY THE WAY
89.2 degrees below zero
From 1956 to 1991, more than 100 Belarusian specialists took part in the exploration and development of the Antarctic as part of the Soviet Antarctic expeditions. In 1983, at the Vostok inland station, Belarusian Vladimir Karpyuk recorded the lowest air temperature on the planet (89.2 degrees below zero). In 1988, at the Leningradskaya station, Alexei Gaidashov recorded the strongest gust of wind in Antarctica at that time (78 meters per second).
Belarusians in Antarctica.
Svyatoslav Knyazev
60 years ago, the Antarctic Treaty, the first international arms control instrument of the Cold War era, was signed in Washington. Shortly after the end of World War II, the Geographical Society of the USSR adopted a resolution stating that the Soviet Union had the right to participate in the development of the political status of the mainland, since it was discovered by Russian sailors. The 1959 treaty determined the strategy for the development of the mainland - complete demilitarization and freedom of scientific research. According to experts, today Russia is a leader in the work carried out in Antarctica, which is of great importance for the whole world.
- Soviet polar explorers in Antarctica
- RIA News
- To the park
On December 1, 1959, 12 states signed the Antarctic Treaty in Washington, DC, which put an end to political battles over the status of the continent and determined the strategy for its development for decades to come.
Discovery of Antarctica
Assumptions about the presence of an unknown continent in the area of the South Pole were expressed by scientists in ancient times. However, they could not be tested for a long time. Dutch, French and British navigators, including the famous Pacific explorer James Cook, attempted to penetrate south and discover the mythical land, but their ventures were unsuccessful due to the harsh climate of the southern seas.
Everything changed after Russia joined the research. In 1819, the head of the first Russian round-the-world expedition, Ivan Kruzenshtern, proposed to the Marine Ministry a plan for a trip to the southern polar waters. The authorities supported this initiative. However, honored captains who had experience of independent scientific expeditions were either involved in other research activities at that time, or could not set sail for health reasons.
- The sloops "Vostok" and "Mirny" off the coast of Antarctica discovered by them in January 1820
- Wikimedia commons / M. M. Semenov
The leadership of the new scientific project was entrusted to a young capable officer who participated in the first round-the-world trip under the leadership of Kruzenshtern -. He was instructed to command the sloop "Vostok". The expedition also included the Mirny sloop under the command of Mikhail Lazarev.
On July 15, 1819, the Bellingshausen expedition left Kronstadt. Having specified along the way the location of the lands discovered by other navigators, and having discovered a number of new islands, on January 28, 1820, Russian sailors at the point 69 ° 21 "28" south latitude and 2 ° 14 "50" west longitude reached the coast of Antarctica.
Russian navigators were not completely sure whether they discovered the archipelago or the mainland. In February, they approached the land they discovered several times, and then retired to rest in Polynesia. After spending almost a year in various parts of the Pacific Ocean, the Russian Columbuses again headed south. In January, they discovered the island of Peter I and the Land of Alexander I. It became clear that the land area they discovered was very extensive. In August 1821 the expedition returned to Russia.
Race for Antarctica
Soon after the Russians, the British expedition of Edward Bransfield and the American whaling ship led by Nathaniel Palmer approached the shores of Antarctica. In the middle of the 19th century, English, French, American and Norwegian navigators were exploring and mapping the coast of the new mainland.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a number of expeditions were undertaken deep into the continent. In 1911, a race began between the British and Norwegians to be the first to raise their flag at the South Pole. This was succeeded by a polar explorer from Norway, Roald Amundsen.
- Territorial claims made on the territory of Antarctica
- Wikimedia commons/Lokal_Profil
In the first half of the 20th century, Australia, Argentina, Great Britain, New Zealand, Norway, France and Chile declared separate territories in Antarctica to be their possessions. Serious plans for the development of the southern continent were nurtured by the leadership of Nazi Germany.
Russia (and then the Soviet Union) dropped out of the Antarctic race for a while for reasons of a military-political and economic nature. However, in the 1930s, against the background of the general rise of Soviet science and success in the Arctic, proposals were made in Moscow to return to the southern polar latitudes. For technical reasons, this was not possible before the start of World War II, but in 1938 the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the USSR issued an official note of protest against Norway's attempts to declare part of Antarctica its territory. At the same time, the Soviet leadership proclaimed the idea that the southern continent belongs to all mankind, which was put into practice more than two decades later.
In 1949, the Geographical Society of the USSR adopted a resolution stating that Russia was the discoverer of Antarctica and therefore has the right to participate in the development of its political status. International negotiations began on the future of the southern mainland.
In the 1950s, the USSR, using the capacities of the whaling flotilla received from Germany for reparations, began the practical development of the southern polar waters.
At the beginning of 1956, the first landing of Soviet polar explorers in Antarctica took place and the Mirny station was founded. On May 27 of the same year, after a 370-kilometer crossing, the first ever polar station located far from the coast, Pionerskaya, was laid. On December 14, 1958, Soviet polar explorers were the first in the world to reach the South Pole of Inaccessibility, the most distant point in Antarctica from the ocean coast.
“Leaving behind other countries in the exploration of Antarctica in the first half of the 20th century, the USSR made up for lost time in the 1950s and became a leader,” said Konstantin Strelbitsky, chairman of the Moscow Fleet History Club, in an interview with RT.
Antarctic Treaty
On October 15, 1959, a conference on Antarctica began in Washington, which was attended by 12 states that had scientific representations on the southern continent: Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Great Britain, New Zealand, Norway, the USSR, the USA, France, Chile, the Union of South Africa and Japan.
On December 1, 1959, the participants of the conference signed an agreement that had an indefinite character and consisted of a preamble and 14 articles. Its key norm was the complete demilitarization of Antarctica: a ban on the deployment of military bases and any types of weapons, as well as on the disposal of radioactive materials on the mainland.
Thus, the treaty became the first international normative act on arms limitation during the Cold War.
The treaty also provided for freedom of scientific research in Antarctica and emphasized the importance of cooperation between scientists from different countries. In addition, the document fixed specific procedures related to the organization of international cooperation, in particular, the procedure for informing one state of other signatories of the treaty about its activities in Antarctica.
- Antarctic pole of relative inaccessibility. Members of the expedition led by Evgeny Tolstikov. 1958
- RIA News
- Y. Bagryansky
Subsequently, the document was signed by a number of new countries. To date, more than 50 states are its participants. Representatives of 29 of them have the right to vote at summits held under the treaty.
Significance of Antarctic research
“Antarctic research is extremely important for mankind. In particular, due to the fact that scientific work in Antarctica gives us an understanding of the processes associated with climate change, ”said Alexander Klepikov, head of the Russian Antarctic expedition, in an interview with RT.
According to the scientist, the acute international discussion on climate issues is quite politicized today, and Antarctic research makes it possible to make it more balanced and constructive.
“Now there are a lot of nervous alarmist statements on the issue of climate. The work carried out in Antarctica signals climate changes over millions of years, allowing us to draw objective conclusions on this issue,” he noted.
At the same time, Alexander Klepikov emphasizes that the data obtained from Antarctica are important not only in the context of paleoclimatic studies.
“For the objectivity of current observations, it is important that there are no large spatial gaps between observation sites. If there are many weather stations in Europe, then in Antarctica their number is limited. The data obtained from them is unique,” said the head of the Russian Antarctic Expedition.
Alexander Klepikov explained that the information that scientists collect on the southern continent is extremely relevant, as it allows developing scenarios for the future, including the nearest one. In particular, it allows you to determine how the ocean level will rise due to the melting of Antarctic ice.
However, according to Klepikov, Antarctic research is not limited to climate alone.
“There are many unexplored ecosystems in Antarctica, it is convenient to find meteorites there, to work out the methodology for searching for traces of life forms, which will be applied on Mars and on the moons. There are many areas of scientific Antarctic research, and Russian scientists today take part in almost all of them. We confidently remain among the leaders of the world Antarctic science,” the scientist emphasized.
- Russian polar explorers in Antarctica
- RIA News
- Alexey Nikolsky
The Russian year-round bases Mirny, Vostok, Novolazarevskaya, Bellingshausen and Progress operate in Antarctica, as well as several seasonal bases. The annual Antarctic expeditions include 120 participants in seasonal work and 110 participants in year-round work at permanent stations.
“Antarctica is the continent of Russian leadership. It was discovered by Russian sailors and has been actively studied by Russian scientists since the middle of the 20th century. The processes taking place on this continent play an important role at the global level, and over time this role will only increase. Therefore, Russian research work in the Antarctic region is extremely relevant,” summed up Konstantin Strelbitsky.
Premiere of the serial documentary film “Antarctica. Walking beyond the three poles "begins on January 14 on Channel One.
Residents of the Sverdlovsk region have at least two additional reasons to watch this exciting series about the most mysterious and inaccessible continent on the planet.
Firstly, Yekaterinburg resident Alexei Makarov, a well-known design engineer, creator of the unique Burlak all-terrain vehicles, took part in the Antarctic expedition. Secondly, the equipment for the ice trip - two Emelya amphibious vehicles and trailers for them - underwent pre-launch training in Yekaterinburg.
The creator of the legendary SUV "Emelya", the Guinness Book of Records nominee Muscovite Vasily Elagin explained his choice this way:
- We decided to prepare all the equipment here. Alexey offered us a workshop where there is a team of people who understand what they are doing. In the garage, the cars were completely dismantled, every detail was checked, then they were reassembled, run in, and only after that they gave the go-ahead for delivery to St. Petersburg.
Elagin and Makarov have known each other for a long time, they are united by a common passion for vehicles and extreme travel. So, Vasily Elagin participated in testing the Arctic all-terrain vehicle "Burlak" in the conditions of the Subpolar and Polar Urals, drifting ice of the Kara Sea.
The brainchild of the Ural auto designer has proven itself from the best side, but for the Antarctic campaign, the Emelya all-terrain vehicle was still chosen as lighter in weight - the nature of the sixth continent is very fragile and requires the most careful attitude.
Aleksey Makarov and Vasily Elagin participated in the rally in Antarctica as mechanics - drivers. Passed technical training in Yekaterinburg all-terrain vehicles " Emelya”were loaded in St. Petersburg on a linear ship going to Cape Town, then they were delivered in a transport plane to Novolazarevskaya station.
From here began the first ever autonomous rally across the southernmost continent, the length of the route was more than 5.5 thousand kilometers. The expedition members visited the Pole of Inaccessibility, the South Pole and the Pole of Cold.
During the trip, the polar explorers did not have the opportunity to replenish their fuel and food supplies. It was the reliability of the equipment and the skill of the crew that ensured the success of the Valdis Pelsh expedition, which began on December 1, 2018 and ended on January 7, 2019. Valdis himself compared this journey with a flight into space, and called the opportunity to get to Antarctica as a participant in the first autonomous rally an event of a lifetime.
The film crew received a unique material from which an equally unique serial film was made. Its premiere is timed to coincide with a historic date — in 2020, the whole world, and especially Russia, celebrate 200 years of exploration of Antarctica.
The continent was discovered by a Russian expedition led by Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on January 16, 1820. On the boats "Vostok" and "Mirny", the discoverers approached the area of \u200b\u200bthe modern Bellingshausen ice shelf.
From the travel reports of the expedition
Antarctica can be called a real desert, despite the fact that 70% of the world's fresh water is located here. The air here is about the same as in the Sahara. The last precipitation here, if any, was in ancient times.
Because of such dryness, the expedition members were required to constantly drink water. Of course, no one took her with them. After all, there are tons of pure snow around the cars. He was recruited into special containers, which were placed next to the running engine. As a matter of fact, distilled water was obtained, therefore, vitamins and minerals, which were used by the expedition members, rely on it.
Due to the drying of the mucous membranes, the participants of the campaign periodically began to bleed from the nose.
reference
The area of Antarctica is more than 14.4 million square kilometers. In addition to the cold pole (at the Vostok station, the temperature dropped to almost -90), Antarctica has points of the lowest relative air humidity, the strongest and most prolonged wind, and the most intense solar radiation.
Antarctica is a neutral territory. On the mainland there are polar stations of Argentina, Russia, the USA and other countries, the continent can only be used for peaceful purposes. Conservation organizations around the world are taking many actions to make Antarctica a nature reserve.
Article author: SD Information Service, photo: pixabay.com
photo: MTS press service ST. PETERSBURG. MTS PJSC, the largest Russian telecommunications operator and digital services provider, has become the first Russian operator to install a cellular base station in Antarctica.API
21.01.2020 St. Petersburg, Russia – MTS PJSC (NYSE: MBT, MOEX: MTSS), Russia's largest telecommunications operator and digital services provider, has become the first Russian operator to install a cellular base station in Antarctica.
KU66.Ru
21.01.2020 The year 2020 is marked by an event that happened 200 years ago, when for the first time Russian navigators F. Bellingshausen and M. Lazarev approached an uncharted continent located in the south of the Earth, Antarctica.
Administration of the Chkalovsky district
09.01.2020
Nazis in Antarctica. There are so many legends and conjectures around this historical topic that in our time it is very difficult to separate truth and fiction. Expedition to Antarctica, New Swabia, base 211, Fuhrer's convoy, battle with Admiral Byrd's squadron and much more. What was real, and what was invented? Let's try to figure it out.
Expedition to Antarctica.
It is generally accepted that the era of great geographical discoveries has long passed. On the one hand, it is. But the twentieth century was not deprived of geographical discoveries. They concerned mainly the Arctic and Antarctic. By the beginning of the twentieth century, they were the only "white spots" on the planet. After the First World War, mankind created a whole range of technical means that made it possible to explore the vast expanses of ice in the extreme north and extreme south. The Arctic was actively explored and developed by the Soviet Union, Norway, Italy, Germany and other European countries. This is known quite widely. Everyone knows about the flights of the airships "Norge" and "Italia", the campaigns of Soviet icebreakers and icebreaking ships. Few people know about the exploration of Antarctica in the 1930s. After Hitler came to power in Germany, the Nazis needed world-class propaganda actions. For example, such as the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936, where for the first time in history the opening ceremony was televised live. The events of the same scale included the German expedition to Antarctica.
Strictly speaking, she was far from the first. The first expedition took place in 1901-1903, the second in 1911-1912. In 1937, the German whaling flotilla first entered the southern seas, and after its successful return in the spring of 1938, preparations began for the third German Antarctic expedition. Formally, it was a civilian expedition (in Nazi Germany!) in cooperation with the German airline Lufthansa. The main task of the expedition was to explore a certain sector of Antarctica with its subsequent consolidation as the territory of Germany. Since the expedition was planned to be numerous, it was decided to send a converted cargo-and-passenger ship to the shores of Antarctica.
The re-equipment concerned the installation of a catapult and a crane for working with a heavy seaplane. "Schwabia" (MV "Schwabenland") was a passenger and cargo ship. From 1934 she worked in the Atlantic as a packet boat. After modernization, two heavy seaplanes were based on board the Swabia. They could launch from a steam catapult at the stern of the ship, and after the flight, climb aboard with a crane. The conversion of "Schwabia" was carried out at one of the shipyards in Hamburg. There were about 200 people and 4 dogs on board the Swabia. The expedition was led by a polar captain Alfred Reacher, widely known in the 30s of the twentieth century for expeditions to the North Pole. Before the departure of the expedition, a strange incident occurred. An American polar explorer arrived in Hamburg Richard Bird who received an invitation to participate in the expedition. But for some reason, just before sailing, he refused to participate in it. Some sources claim that Byrd made this decision after learning that SS officers were on board. The Swabia set sail for Antarctica from Hamburg on December 17, 1938.
Arriving in Antarctica on January 19, 1939, the expedition began methodically detailed photographing of the continent. A vast region of the southern continent from 13° W. up to 22 ° in. (approximately 600,000 km²), pennants were dropped every 25-30 km, each of which weighed about 12 kilograms. This was done so that later they could be found using magnetometers and prove the fact that the territory was assigned to Germany. More than 11,000 photographs were taken, covering approximately 360,000 km², which is more than the territory of modern Germany. The expedition discovered the ice-free oasis of Schirmacher. The place where the landing on the coast of the continent was made was called "New Swabia". In mid-February 1939, the expedition left Antarctica. The ship's return to Hamburg took two months. April 12, 1939 "Schwabia" returned to Hamburg, where Captain Reacher reported to Hitler on the research. The polar explorer was so taken with the results of the "ice campaign" that he immediately began to plan a second, completely civilian, expedition using a large number of aircraft. However, World War II broke out and these plans had to be cancelled.
This part of our story is strictly documentary. Nazi Germany really organized an expedition to Antarctica and made an attempt to stake out part of its territory.
Base 211
Everything that will be described below is most likely a myth. But, as always, there are nuances that make you think that some of the things told, separate parts, may turn out to be true. Rumors and legends say that during the expedition on the Swabia, two ice-free oases were found with the help of aviation.
In fact, the Schirmacher oasis was discovered. This area in the central part of the Princess Astrid Coast and Queen Maud Land is an ice-free area of approximately 35 square kilometers. It is separated from the ocean by the 80 km wide Niklisen Glacier. In the oasis there are hills 220 m high, hollows, numerous lakes. Along the northern part of the oasis are reservoirs connected under the ice shelf to the sea, as evidenced by clearly pronounced tidal fluctuations in the water level. This oasis was named after the German pilot who took part in the expedition - pilot R. Schirmacher. Now on the territory of the Schirmacher oasis there is the Novolazarevskaya Antarctic station, as well as the second permanent Antarctic station of India, Maitri.
Rumors say that in the two oases found, the entrances to the caves were opened. The temperature in these caves was quite comfortable. Some of them had lakes with sea water - they were clearly connected to the ocean, some were "dry". In 1943, German submarines arrived in Antarctica, which, allegedly in the wake of tongues of warm water, found underwater entrances to these caves, and base 211 - "New Berlin" was created in them. Communication with "New Berlin" was carried out on an ongoing basis by submarines from the so-called "Führer's convoy".
It is read in one breath, and is perceived as a fantasy, isn't it? But there is evidence for the phrase Karl Dönitz, commander first of the German submarine fleet, and then of the entire Kriegsmarine. In 1943, a German admiral stated: "German submariners will inscribe themselves in history, if only by the fact that in another part of the globe they created the greatest and impregnable fortress for the Fuhrer".
How to treat these words? Did some kind of submarine really reach the sixth continent? If the Germans had the Nord base in the Russian North (see the article “Swastika over the Arctic”), there are captured documents on it. On base 211, except for the name, there is nothing.
Fuhrer convoy
Truth and fiction are also bizarrely combined in this topic. Was there such a unit in the Kriegsmarine as the "fuhrer escort"? Yes, with a high degree of probability. It is possible that officially these boats were called something else. Was the Fuhrer's convoy transporting to Antarctica? No. In reality, the task of these submarines was the secret transportation of "special" passengers and cargo to other countries. About one of the sides of the activities of the Fuhrer's convoy is fascinatingly written in an adventure story. Leonid Platov"Secret fairway". Since 1943, the German leadership has been developing and implementing the "Sluice" plan - the secret transportation of people and goods to other countries. The boats included in the convoy were divided into three groups.
The first group consisted of ocean-class combat submarines - modernized boats of the Type VII and IX families. The modernization consisted in the fact that the number of torpedo tubes and torpedoes was reduced, and due to the vacated space, the boats could take on board several passengers and small consignments.
The commanders and crews of these submarines were assigned special and special tasks, the details of which are still not known. These boats had a limited number of torpedoes on board for self-defense only. All other torpedo weapons were removed from them.
The second group consisted of specially designed Type XIV transport submarines. One such tanker boat provided ten combat submarines with an increase in the patrol period by a month. There were also specialized boats - torpedo carriers. In the German navy, Type XIV boats were called "cash cows". According to some reports, such "cash cows" were also part of the Fuhrer's convoy.
The third group is semi-mythical. Allegedly there is a documentary film where they are filmed. There is evidence of an American intelligence colonel Windel Stevens that during the war the Germans built 8 large submarines. They are comparable in size to the world's largest diesel-electric submarines, the Japanese I-400 class submarines. According to the researchers, the development of the project began in 1938, by 1939 the project was ready. These boats were designated as type UF. They were based in concrete shelters for submarines on the island of Helgoland. This unit was called - squadron "A". None of the reference books on the Kriegsmarine gives any information about boats type UF. The actual number of submarines involved in the Fuhrer's convoy is about 30 units. This is not much compared to the total number of submarines in Germany.
In reality, there are two confirmations of the existence of the Fuhrer's convoy.
Firstly, two boats from the convoy, under unclear circumstances, were interned in the Argentine port of Mar del Plata after the end of the war. These are U-530 (type IX) and U-977 (type VII). The Americans interrogated the crew for a long time, but did not find out anything worthwhile and released him to Germany. The boats were transferred to the USA, where they were first shown as a model of enemy equipment, and then sunk as targets. Another thing is interesting. Subsequently, one of the commanders decided to publish his memoirs. A letter has been leaked to the press, which is worth quoting. The letter is dated June 1, 1983: “Dear Willy, I have been considering whether to publish your manuscript concerning U-530. All three boats (U-977, U-530 and U-465) that participated in that operation are now sleeping peacefully at the bottom of the Atlantic. Maybe it's better not to wake them up? Think about it, old comrade! Think also about the light in which my book will appear after what you have told? We all took an oath of secrecy, we did nothing wrong and just followed orders, fighting for our beloved Germany. For her survival. So think again, or maybe it's even better to present everything as a fiction? What will you achieve when you tell the truth about what our mission was? And who will suffer because of your revelations? Think about it! Of course, you don't intend to do it just for the money. I repeat again: let the truth sleep with our submarines at the bottom of the ocean. That is my opinion... With this I end the letter, old comrade Willy. May the Lord keep our Germany. Sincerely, Heinz.
Submarine U-534. The submarine left Kiel on May 5, 1945. On board were part of the gold reserves of the Third Reich, secret German archives and several passengers. The boat was on the surface when it was attacked by British aircraft near Anholt Island, where it sank at a depth of 60 meters. But 47 crew members managed to escape. It was they who subsequently spoke about the cargo of U-534.
Secondly, on June 11, 1945, SMERSH counterintelligence officers of the 79th rifle corps in the headquarters of the German Navy, located at Berlin-Tiergarten, Tirpitzufer 38-42, found "maps of the passage of the sea depths" with the stamp "only for submarine captains" in the office A-class Sonder-escort of the Fuhrer" in the amount of 38 pieces under the numbers with the series "44" No. from 0188 to 0199 and from No. 0446 to 0456".
Expedition of Admiral Byrd
Such an expedition really took place in 1947. Operation "Highjump" ("High jump"). The United States sent a powerful squadron of warships to Antarctica. It was a very strange scientific expedition. Formally, it was necessary to establish a scientific station and carry out hydrographic studies. It was based on task force 68, consisting of 13 warships with 33 aircraft on board and 4,700 crew members. If it was about the creation of an American scientific station, then the navy was clearly superfluous. Or did the Americans know something about base 211? Compound 68 included the Philippine Sea aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea (CV-47), 3 hydroaviation floating bases, 2 destroyers, 2 tankers, 2 supply vessels, a submarine and 2 armed icebreakers.
The expedition leader was retired Rear Admiral Richard Byrd, the same one who refused at the last moment to participate in the Nazi expedition to Antarctica. The command of Operational Force 68 was carried out by Rear Admiral Richard Krusen.
Several people from the expedition - pilots and sailors died from accidents. Due to a sharp deterioration in weather conditions, the expedition returned to the United States. These are facts. But almost immediately after the return, and until now, another version of the return is circulating in the media space. Allegedly, the 68th task force took the fight with diskettes with German crosses. The squadron lost a destroyer and several aircraft. These are the versions, but they are clearly not true.
Conclusion
And today the Germans continue to explore the territory of the former New Swabia - the German Antarctic station Normayer III operates there. No formal renunciation of the lands of New Swabia by the German government was given. However, today this territory is called Queen Maud Land, and the rights to it are claimed by Norway. Nazi Antarctic military base 211 "New Berlin" - nothing more than a myth A few years ago, scientists began to notice strange phenomena near the station - unidentified flying objects. What it is, no one can explain yet. But definitely not greetings from a non-existent Nazi base.
The Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE) is engaged in research and scientific work within the southernmost continent. The participants are required to be able to clearly and responsibly approach the performance of their duties, since the safety of all polar explorers depends on this. Working in Antarctica is associated with activities in extremely harsh climatic conditions away from families and familiar household amenities.
Why Antarctica
Specialists applying for participation in the work of the station should clarify in advance all the requirements and features of employment, since it is quite difficult for an unprepared person to get to Antarctica.
It is worth noting that the majority of workers go on an expedition not for a high salary, but for new sensations, the desire to test themselves in harsh conditions. After the shift, many seek to return to the Pole again and consolidate the experience gained.
You can learn about how employees live in Antarctica in the relevant groups of the VK social network, where participants post photos and videos, stories about working days.
Demanded professions
For the operation of stations in Antarctica, different specialists are required:
- drivers of various equipment (snowmobiles);
- mechanics;
- doctors;
- welders;
- cooks;
- system administrators;
- satellite communication experts.
But most of the participants are various environmental scientists.
If you wish to participate in the work at the polar station, it is recommended to clarify the current vacancies by visiting the official website of the Antarctic Expedition (http://raexp.ru).
Features of work
Work in Antarctica is carried out on a rotational basis, all vacancies imply free delivery to the station and back.
Registration is carried out under an employment contract, accepted workers are provided with food and special clothing at the expense of the state.
Activities begin in November-February, the transportation of participants is carried out either by plane or by ship. It depends on the location of the station where the expedition should arrive.
The duration of the trip is 12-18 months.
Requirements for candidates
Applicants are selected quite rigorously according to the following criteria:
- Health;
- Professional skills and abilities;
- Psychological qualities (stress resistance);
- Age: from 30 to 45 years (for doctors - up to 60).
You will also need documents confirming qualifications by profession, experience, a foreign passport.
To pass the doctors will have to take extracts:
- From the medical unit at the place of residence about diseases over the past three years.
- From the tuberculosis dispensary (that the applicant is not registered).
- From the psychiatric hospital.
- From the narcological dispensary.
- orthopantogram (with attached description and conclusion).
- If the applicant is over 50 years old, an ultrasound of the abdominal organs, bladder and prostate gland should be done.
Important: work experience in the specialty must be at least 2 years. For doctors - from 5 years.
How to get to the winter quarters, step by step:
- Fill out a questionnaire at the OK AARI (some in-demand specialists are invited by the research leaders themselves).
- Obtain approval for a medical examination.
- Pass medical examinations, including psychological tests and checks.
To learn more about how you can get on an expedition to Antarctica, the easiest way is to visit the RAE website.
average salary
Often people are interested in how much money polar explorers receive for their work when registering for an expedition. It depends on the length of service, the accrual of a normal salary begins after crossing the 60th parallel.
The average salary in Antarctica in 2019 is 60,000 rubles, you need to consider that this is official income (before tax 13%). Every 6 months of stay at the station there is an increase - 10% of the salary, but in total - no more than 100%. This means that after three expeditions, the maximum wage will be reached.
But it is impossible to get a job for several winterings in a row: doctors forbid it, because the body is greatly weakened due to the peculiarities of the climate.
Benefits and allowances
In 2013, the government of the Russian Federation made changes to the legislation on the calculation of compensations and benefits for workers in the far south.
List of preferences:
- District coefficient 3 - added during the period of activity in the expedition;
- Percentage allowance and increasing coefficient to the salary (the amount depends on the starting salary);
- The total length of service includes the periods of previous expeditions, including length of service at the North Pole.
More detailed information can be found in the Decree of the Russian Federation of 2013 No. 832.
Conclusion
Getting a job on an Antarctic expedition is quite difficult. There are a lot of people who want to do this, the degree of motivation and perseverance is important here. Some citizens got to the pole from the third or fourth time.
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