Helmer Julius Hanssen
Born: 1870, Bjørnskinn, Norway
Died: 1956, Tromsø, Norway
Helmer Hanssen (originally Hansen) met Amundsen for the first time in Sandefjord when Amundsen was preparing for the Belgica expedition. When Amundsen later equipped the Gjøa for the expedition through the Northwest Passage in 1903, he hired Hanssen as mate on the recommendation of their mutual friend in Tromsø, Fritz Gottlieb Zapffe. Hanssen was experienced in Arctic conditions and had been going to sea since the age of 12.

During the expedition through the Northwest Passage, Hanssen proved to be a skilled musher, or dog driver, which came in handy when Amundsen planned his next expedition in 1910. This expedition was supposed to go to the Arctic and the Arctic Ocean, but Amundsen famously switched its goal to the South Pole. On 14 December 1911, Hanssen, Bjaaland, Wisting, Hassel and Amundsen became the first people to reach that most southerly point.

In 1918, Hanssen joined Amundsen again, this time as captain of the polar ship Maud. During the Maud expedition, Hanssen made a 6-month round-trip sledge journey from Ajonøya to Anadyr via the Bering Strait. Totalling approximately 4000 kilometres, this was at the time one of the longest sledge trips completed by any polar expedition.
Along with Rønne and Sundbeck, Hansson left the Maud at Nome in 1920, by which time, according to the crew’s diaries and letters, his relationship with Amundsen had become difficult.
His biography Voyages of a Modern Viking was published in English in 1936 and in Norwegian in 1941.
NRK Radio presented several interviews with Helmer Hanssen about his expeditions and his time with Roald Amundsen. These are available online at the National Library of Norway’s website.
The Whaling Museum in Sandefjord and the Polar Museum in Tromsø both hold large collections of artefacts left behind by Hanssen when he died.
Sources:
Norsk biografisk leksikon: Helmer Hanssen
Polarhistorie.no: Helmer Hanssen

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.

Gustav was nicknamed “Busken” at a young age. He was the second oldest of the four Amundsen brothers.

“Goggen” was the nephew of Roald Amundsen and played a key role in the opening of Amundsen’s home as a museum

Gustava was the mother of Roald Amundsen and his three brothers.

Roald Amundsen’s father spent many years at sea. He died on a journey home from England in 1886, when Roald Amundsen was 14 years old.

Eldest brother, nicknamed “Tonni”, was born in China and was one of the brothers least involved in Roald Amundsen’s expeditions.

Leon was two years older than Roald, and played a key role in several of Roald’s expeditions until the brothers split in 1924.

Malfred was the sister-in-law of Roald Amundsen, and in his will he made her his sole heir.

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”.

Ole Amundsen was the father of Jens Engebreth Amundsen (Roald Amundsen’s father) and his eleven siblings.

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”.

Geologist, oceanographer and meteorologist, Belgica expedition 1897-99

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.


Elder son of Kristine Elisabeth “Kiss” Bennett and Charles Peto Bennett. Visited Amundsen at Uranienborg for a few days in the spring of 1925.

Younger son of Kristine Elisabeth “Kiss” Bennett and Charles Peto Bennett. Visited Amundsen at Uranienborg for a few days in the spring of 1925.

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.

Photographer with Amundsen’s expeditions of 1925 and 1926.

Intended to be meteorologist on the Fram expedition, but withdrew before departure.

Took part in the Fram expedition and the sledge journey to the South Pole.

French mechanic. Disappeared with Amundsen during the flight with Latham 47.02 in 1928.

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…

French military pilot. Disappeared with Amundsen during the flight with Latham 47.02 in 1928.

Silas Christofferson was an American aviation pioneer. He took Amundsen into the air with an aeroplane for the first time.

Peter “Don Pedro” Christophersen was a friend and financial supporter of Roald Amundsen. He was part owner of Amundsen’s home from 1924.

Cook was a friend and mentor to Amundsen. Best known for claiming to be the first man to the North Pole.



Participated in the aircraft expedition to 88 degrees north in 1925. Disappeared with Amundsen during the flight with Latham 47 in 1928.

Assistant meteorologist, Belgica expedition 1897-99

Captain of Fram from Buenos Aires to Colon 1912–13 and first mate on the voyage home to Norway.


An engineer on board Fram, but disembarked before departure from Kristiansand in August 1910.

Lincoln Ellsworth participated in and financed Amundsen’s expeditions in 1925 and 1926. He later led several of his own polar expeditions.

Selected as deputy leader of the Fram expedition, but died during the testing of man-lifting kites in 1909.

Participated as mechanic during the flight to 88 degrees north in 1925. Worked at the Dornier factory.

Amundsen considered Gade his best friend. He was also an important contributor to Amundsen’s home becoming a museum in 1935.


Second officer and scientific assistant on the Fram expedition

French military pilot. Disappeared with Amundsen during the flight with Latham 47.02 in 1928.


Animal trainer. Tried to turn polar bears into draft animals for Amundsen’s coming expedition in 1907.

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 as an all-rounder on the Maud expedition in the years 1922-1925.



Participated in the Gjøa, Fram and Maud expeditions. Was among the chosen ones who reached the South Pole on December 14, 1911.

Took part in the Fram expedition and the sledge journey to the South Pole. Died in Amundsen’s garden at Svartskog in 1928.

Participant in the Fram expedition and the sledge journey to King Edward VII Land. Was expelled from the polar party after a conflict with Amundsen.

Kakot was a Chukchi and the father of Nita Kakot Amundsen.



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.


Participant in the Fram expedition and part of the sea party.

Oceanographer on the Fram expedition. Disappeared with a Russian expedition in the Kara Sea.


Participated as expedition cook on the Gjøa expedition 1903-06 and the Fram expedition 1910-12.



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.




Amundsen’s legal advisor and involved in both Amundsen’s expeditions and his private life.

Polar explorer, international humanist, pioneering naturalist, Nobel Peace Prize winner and one of Amundsen’s first great role models.

German scientist who taught Amundsen about geomagnetism before the Gjøa expedition.

Captain and deputy leader of the Fram expedition

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.

Blacksmith and second engineer on the Fram expedition, signed off the expedition due to illness in September 1911.

Crown Prince of Norway from 1905-1957 and Norway’s King until his death in 1991.

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.

Cook on the Fram expedition and youngest man on board.

Participated as a pilot on the Maud expedition, on the N24 and on the airship Norge. Disappeared in a plane crash in 1927.

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.

Experienced trader who lived along the north coast of Alaska. Assisted Amundsen during the Maud expedition.

Norwegian merchant in Paris who arranged for Amundsen to use the French flying boat Latham 47.02 in 1928.

Participated in the Fram expedition. Led the sledge expedition to King Edward VII Land.

Lawyer for Amundsen and a key figure in the inheritance settlement following his disappearance in 1928. Photo: Oslo museum.

Biologist, Belgica expedition 1897-99

Participated in the aircraft expedition to 88 degrees north in 1925 and the airship expedition in 1926.


Sailmaker who participated in four of Amundsen’s expeditions. Among other things, he sewed the tent that was left at the South Pole in 1911.


Originally steward on the Fram expedition, but left the expedition in Funchal, Madeira in September 1910.

At Amundsen’s home, there is a pile of love letters from Kamilla Schiørn, written when they were both teenagers.

Oceanographer aboard the Fram during the North Atlantic cruise in the summer of 1910.

Robert Falcon Scott was a British naval officer and polar explorer. He died on his way home from the South Pole in 1912.


Søiland was one of the world’s leading specialists in cancer treatment in the 1920s. Roald Amundsen was one of his patients.

Took part in Fram expedition. Worked on modernization of Amundsen’s home and on construction of polar ship Maud.

Sundbeck was an engineer on both the Fram and Maud expeditions.

Scientific leader of the Maud expedition and later a leading oceanographer.

Engineer on Maud from 1922. Died on board of illness in 1923.

Participated in the Maud expedition, but left the expedition in 1919 with Paul Knutsen. Both perished. What really happened to them is still unknown.


Participated in the Maud expedition, left the expedition in 1920.

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.

French telegraph operator. Disappeared with Amundsen during the flight with Latham 47.02 in 1928.



Second engineer on Gjøa 1903-06. Died during the expedition.

Oscar Wisting was one of Amundsen’s most loyal friends and expedition staff.

One of Amundsen’s closest friends and supporters. Visited Svartskog several times.