Born: 1886, Copenhagen, Denmark Died: 1942, San Francisco, USA
Håkon Hedemann Hammer met Roald Amundsen in Seattle, USA, in 1921. Although he quickly became a close collaborator and supporter, he would later be named by Amundsen as one of the reasons for his personal bankruptcy.
Hammer was well established in 1920s Seattle and was featured in newspapers as a consul, shipowner and businessman. Shortly after they met, Amundsen described Hammer as one of Seattle’s most respected citizens, his friend, secretary, adviser and assistant, and referred to him as “Uncle Haakon” in several letters.
Hammer (left) and Amundsen on a Seattle street corner. Photo: Norwegian Polar Institute / National Library of Norway.
Hammer rapidly acquired a great deal of influence in the planning of Amundsen’s further progress towards the North Pole, particularly in financial respects. Amundsen was at times so impressed with Hammer’s efforts for the expedition that he tried to have his new friend and trusted collaborator awarded the Order of St. Olav. Hammer and his then wife were also part of the network around Amundsen’s foster children, Nita and Camilla, and it was they who took the girls to Denmark for their stay at the boarding school in Hillerød.
Roald’s brother Leon, on the other hand, was more sceptical of Hammer. In summer 1922, Leon was able to inform Roald about Hammer’s previously failed businesses. This so troubled Amundsen that he tried to revoke the powers he had given Hammer in advance. By New Year 1923, the financial resources set aside for the Maud expedition were exhausted, and the debt was almost $20,000. Although several factors contributed to the financial woes, Amundsen put much of the blame on Hammer and his investments. In Amundsen’s last book, My Life as a Polar Explorer from 1927, Hammer is described as “a criminal optimist”.
In 1923, when Amundsen was preparing to fly from Wainwright, Alaska to the North Pole, Hammer arranged for a rescue expedition to establish depots north of Svalbard. Hammer was given access to a Junkers plane, which was transported to Tromsø. On the way north, however, they received information that Amundsen’s effort had failed during a test flight and that the Pole flight itself had been cancelled. Hammer’s rescue expedition continued nevertheless to Svalbard, where they made several flights over Spitsbergen and acquired the first aerial photography of its landscape.
Film from “Junkers-Spitzbergen-Expedition 1923”, Hugo Junkers archive.
Even though Roald Amundsen received several warnings regarding Hammer’s promises and plans, their collaboration continued beyond 1923. Hammer believed it possible to obtain financial resources for a new aircraft expedition north and Amundsen got carried away with the idea. After a great deal of planning, including hiring crews and holding press releases, the entire venture was called off in the summer of 1924 when it became clear that there were no funds to carry out the expedition. A few months later, Amundsen declared himself bankrupt.
Hammer (right) with the Swiss pilot Walter Mittelholzer during the expedition to Svalbard in 1923. Photo: Norwegian Polar Institute / National Library of Norway.
After the collaboration with Amundsen broke down, Hammer went with his wife to Japan. In 1925, the newspapers revealed Hammer’s new expedition plan – a flight from Tokyo to London via the North Pole. The goal was to prove the future viability of commercial flight over the Arctic Ocean. The newspapers presented Hammer’s expedition as a challenge to Roald Amundsen, who at the time was planning to fly to the North Pole from Spitsbergen. Unlike Amundsen’s 1925 expedition, however, Hammer’s never left.
Few sources describe Hammer’s life after the split with Amundsen, but we do know that in summer 1925 he sent a conciliatory letter to Roald. Amundsen did not reply. A few weeks later Amundsen also received a letter from Hammer’s father, wishing that he could give Hammer more work. Whether Amundsen ever wrote back is unknown.
Hammer did gradually find work after 1925. Some newspapers mention his work as a journalist, which included interviewing Adolf Hitler in 1936. It is also said that after settling in Belvedere, just outside San Francisco, in the 1930s, he worked for the International News Service as Pacific Division Manager.
At home in Belvedere, Hammer kept Amundsen’s letters and the pocket knife he had been given from the South Pole Expedition. In 1942, at the age of 56, he died of a heart attack. His wife, Obera von Rosen, later donated the pocket knife to the Canterbury Museum in New Zealand and the letters to the Norwegian Polar Institute.
The pocket knife Amundsen used on the South Pole journey and later gave to Håkon Hammer, now in the Canterbury Museum, New Zealand. Photo: Canterbury Museum. Click on the image to explore the pocket knife at the collection in Canterbury Museum.
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.