Fridtjof Nansen

Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen (Norwegian: Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen, October 10, 1861 - May 13, 1930) was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, humanitarian and diplomat. In 1922, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work as High Commissioner of the League of Nations. As a young man he was a skating and skiing champion, and in 1888 he led a ski team across Greenland for the first time, cross-country skiing across the island. Nansen was born on October 10, 1861 in Christiania (now called Oslo, then part of the Kingdom of Sweden). Father Baldur Fridtjof Nansen is a lawyer. In 1880, Nansen was admitted to the University of Christiania (then known as Royal Frederick University) and enrolled in 1881, majoring in zoology. Nansen participated in the exploration of Greenland waters from March to August 1882. From 1888 to 1889, he successfully skied across the Greenland ice sheet, and in 1893 he expedition to the North Pole. Nansen planned to beach his ship on an ice floe off the coast of Siberia and then drift away with the ocean currents. Nansen carefully designed the Fulham, loaded it with enough fuel for eight years and enough food for six years, and set out from Christiania on June 24 with a crew of 12. Arrived at 86°13.6′N on April 7, 1895 and returned south. Returning to Christiania Port on September 9, 1896, he was warmly welcomed by many citizens. In 1921 he was appointed High Commissioner for Refugees of the League of Nations. In 1922, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his representative work on international refugee resettlement and related conflicts during World War I. He later advocated the issuance of a passport to stateless citizens, the "Nansen Passport", which is recognized by more than 50 countries. Nansen died at home of a heart attack on May 13, 1930. In the same year, the League of Nations established the "Nansen International Refugee Office" to continue his work. The organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1938.