Verlauf und Ergebnisse der Spitzbergen-Expedition von Kurt Wegener und Max Robitzsch, 1912/1913

Abstract

Journal entries and photographic documents from the estate of Max Robitzsch still convey insights into the 1912/13 Spitsbergen expedition today. Based on meteorological readings conscientiously taken and recorded, we now have at our disposal valuable data which we can use for climatological assessments. Robitzsch was the first to depict the geophysical circumstances affecting the temporal and vertical air temperature courses under arctic conditions. If the regional differences and the various average time intervals are neglected, the comparison of climatologically adjusted monthly averages for Ebeltoft Harbour in the period from 1912 to 1916 and Ny-Alesund between 1994 and 2005 reveal a rise in temperature of 3.4 °C. Robitzsch made several endeavours to arrive at a summary depiction of the meteorological conditions of northwestern Spitsbergen. Due in part to Hergesell’s reservations regarding the overall results, and in part to World War II as well as Max Robitzsch’s imprisonment and premature death, he never attained this goal.