Racovitza (as he wrote his surname in French) studied law and natural science at the Sorbonne in Paris and defended his doctoral thesis on marine worms, Le lobe céphalique et l’encéphale des annélides polychètes (anatomie, morphologie, histologie), in 1896 📜.
It was the expedition’s scientific leader, Henryk Arctowski, who recommended Racovitza to Adrien de Gerlache for the role of Belgica’s biologist. On the way to Antarctica, Racovitza actually left Belgica to sail by steamship from Rio de Janeiro to Punta Arenas in Chile. The fourteen days he gained on the expedition were used to study wildlife in the Strait of Magellan before rejoining when Belgica arrived in Punta Arenas.
Racovitza’s expedition studies were focused mainly on the behaviours of the seal, whale, and bird (particularly penguin) populations. He discovered many new species, of which some were later named after him. After the expedition returned to Punta Arenas in late March 1899, Racovitza spent a few months in South America before returning to Belgium. In December, he presented his results from the expedition to the Belgian Royal Geographical Society, in lecture entitled “La vie des animaux et des plantes dans l`Àntarctique” 📜. He contributed a report on cetaceans to the official scientific reports of the expedition 📜, and also wrote three appendices for Frederick Cook’s book about the expedition, in which he summarised the general scientific results, Antarctic climate and bathymetry 📜.
Roald Amundsen paid tribute to Racovitza a few years later in his book about the Fram expedition:
“The immense material he brought home speaks better of his skill than I can. In addition to a burning interest in his work, he had qualities that made him the most pleasant comrade and most interesting companion.” 📜
Johan Koren, who made sketches and helped generally with the animal studies, called Racovitza his mentor. Racovitza himself was a keen illustrator, and later gave Amundsen several cartoons that are now archived at the National Library of Norway. Racovitza was described as both sarcastic and very funny by several of the crew.
After the Belgica expedition, Racovitza worked at the Arago laboratory in Banyuls-sur-mer in France, where he continued his zoological work and focused particularly on algae and insects. Racovitza studied more than 1,400 caves in Europe and is recognized as a founder of biospeleology, or cave biology.
This photograph of Racovitza with his two children Jean (on his lap) and René, was probably taken around 1912. It has recently been discovered in Roald Amundsen’s home. Photo: Follo museum, MiA.
Racovitza returned to his Romanian homeland in 1920 to become professor of biology at the University of Cluj, but stayed in touch with Roald Amundsen right up the latter’s disappearance in 1928. Racovitza’s letters to Amundsen are now kept at the National Library of Norway.
In 2006, when Australia’s Law Antarctic Station was given to Romania, it was renamed Law-Racoviță to honour both the Australian expedition leader Phillip Law and Romania’s pioneering polar biologist.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage, 1903-06. A tinted photograph of him hangs in Amundsen’s home.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog together with Amundsen in 1922 where they lived until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Betty was one of the key women in Amundsen’s life. She was the nanny when he grew up, and when Amundsen moved to Svartskog, she joined him and moved into the gatehouse, which became “Betty’s house”.
Eivind Astrup became one of the world’s most experienced polar explorers of his time and a great role model for Roald Amundsen. He chose to end his life when only 24 years old.
Roald Amundsen had strong feelings for Kristine Elisabeth “Kiss” Bennett. She visited Uranienborg several times, but even though Amundsen transferred ownership of it to her, she never moved in.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog with Amundsen in 1922 and lived there until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Sigrid Flood Castberg, often called “Sigg”, was one of the women Amundsen had a relationship with. But when Amundsen proposed, she was already married and wanted to wait, and when she was ready he wanted…
Håkon Hammer met Roald Amundsen in Seattle in 1921. He quickly became a collaborator and supporter, but was later named by Amundsen as one of the reasons for his personal bankruptcy.
Participated in the Maud expedition, but left the expedition in 1919, together with Peter Tessem. Both perished. What really happened to them is still unknown.
The Alaska Inupiaq called Elizabeth Magids “Queen of the Arctic”, Amundsen’s crew referred to her as “the mysterious lady”. Amundsen called her “Bess”. She went to live with Amundsen in Norway in 1928….
Participated as a research assistant on the Maud expedition, and as a meteorologist on the Norge expedition. Died on Umberto Nobile’s airship expedition in 1928.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a window in Amundsen’s home.
Nobile was the airship engineer whom Amundsen criticized after the expedition in 1926. During the search for his wrecked expedition in 1928, Roald Amundsen disappeared.
Joined the Maud expedition after visiting the ship in Khabarovsk. Also participated in the Norge expedition, but was left out from the actual voyage across the Arctic Ocean.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of her hangs in Amundsen’s home.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a door in Amundsen’s home.