The Lost Photographs of Andrée’s Arctic Balloon Expeditionof 1897

In 1897, three Swedish explorers—Salomon August Andrée, Nils Strindberg, and Knut Frænkel—embarked on a daring mission to become the first people to reach the North Pole by hydrogen balloon. Their ambitious journey, fueled by the spirit of discovery and the optimism of the age, ended in tragedy when their balloon, the Örnen (Eagle), crashed on the Arctic ice just 65 hours after takeoff.

Stranded in one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth, the trio faced unimaginable challenges as they struggled to survive. For weeks, the men fought against the brutal Arctic conditions, relying on their ingenuity and resilience. 

They hunted and ate polar bears to sustain themselves, a testament to their determination to survive against all odds. Despite their efforts, the harsh environment ultimately claimed their lives.

“Paradise! Large even ice floes with pools of sweet drinking water and here and there a tender-fleshed young polar bear!” — Andrée, as noted in his diary

Their camp, along with their bodies, journals, and a camera containing undeveloped photographs, remained frozen in time, preserved by the icy landscape for over three decades.

In 1930, a Norwegian expedition stumbled upon the remains of the ill-fated journey. The discovery of their camp provided a haunting glimpse into their final days. The journals and photographs, once developed, revealed the explorers’ struggles, hopes, and the camaraderie they shared even in the face of certain death.

These artifacts offered a poignant narrative of human ambition and the relentless pursuit of the unknown. The story of Andrée, Strindberg, and Frænkel is a powerful reminder of the courage it takes to push the boundaries of human exploration. Their journey, though tragic, embodies the indomitable spirit of adventure and the willingness to risk everything for the sake of discovery.

As the explorer Ernest Shackleton once said, “It is in our nature to explore, to reach out into the unknown. The only true failure would be not to explore at all.”