NL 001-010_050
Source: Alfred Wegener, Tagebücher, June 1912 – July 1913. DMA NL 001/010.
[050] Frostwunde, die alte Haut hängt in Fetzen herab und die neue hat bereits wieder andere, etwas eiternde gelbe Flecken. Auch das Kinn ist vollständig verbrannt. Es ist nur gut, daß einige Zeit vergeht, bis man mich in der zivilisierten Welt wieder sieht. Man würde denken, ich hätte Aussatz oder ähnliches. Ich habe mir daraufhin den Bart, auch den Schnurbart, abgenommen, um von dem lästigen Eisansatz frei zu sein, der wohl zum Teil mit an den Verbrennungen Schuld trägt.
[050] frostbite; the old skin hangs off it in shreds, and the new skin already has new, somewhat ulcerous yellow spots. My chin is also entirely frostbitten. It’s good that it will be some time before the civilized world sees me. People would think I had leprosy or something like that. I have shaved my beard, and my mustache as well, to get rid of the irritating ice that was forming there, which was also probably one of the reasons my face burned like it did.
The Wegener Diaries: Scientific Expeditions into the Eternal Ice
This virtual exhibition sheds light on Alfred Wegener’s expeditions to Greenland between 1906 and 1931. Its main focus is on the diaries Wegener wrote during his explorations, which offer unique insights into the manifold challenges man and material faced in Greenland’s extreme environments. You may choose to read the diaries in their original state, or browse the expeditions individually and read transcribed and translated excerpts by clicking on the individual chapters.
This version, published in 2020, includes minor updates to the original 2013 virtual exhibition. PDFs of the virtual exhibition, as well as original scans and transcripts of the Wegener Diaries, can be found at the exhibition’s PDF Depot.
Christian KehrtAbout the author
