The Swedish relief expedition to Antarctica 1903–04

Abstract

Swedish attempts in 1903–04 to rescue Otto Nordenskjöld's expedition to Antarctica are examined in the context of an international competition involving Sweden, Argentina, and France. The Swedish relief expedition, led by Captain Olof Gyldén, is viewed partly as a little-known expedition and partly for its potential as a major national event. The developments and progress of the Swedish and French expeditions are shown alongside those of the Argentine expedition, which ultimately was successful in its attempts to rescue Nordenskjöld. The Swedish relief expedition never produced a significant national collective memory, unlike several other unsuccessful rescue operations. Potential reasons for this are examined, including the role of internal conflicts among individuals both on the expedition and in Sweden, and the failure to make the expedition a national event. The different attempts to make the relief expedition a major nationalist effort included issues concerning choice of vessel, staff, and equipment; media accounts of competing relief expeditions in which Sweden's positive national features were contrasted with those of ‘others;’ and the views on the competition expressed by various participants.