Scientific article Polarforschung, 89, 25–30, 2021 https://doi.org/10.5194/polf-89-25-2021 Polarforschung © Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Open Access Wilhelm Filchner – hierarchy and insufficient leadership on the Second German Antarctic Expedition Ursula Rack Gateway Antarctica, Te Kura Aronukurangi/School of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand Correspondence: Ursula Rack ([email protected]) Published: 20 May 2021 Abstract. The Second German Antarctic Expedition (1911– schuldigungen zu einem Ende zu bringen. Diese Abhand- 1912) did not have a good start, because Wilhelm Filch- lung zeigt einzelne Missstände auf, die diese Expedition zum ner (1877–1957) failed to secure his position as expedition Scheitern verurteilte. Dem vorliegenden Artikel liegen einige leader. His problems began long before the expedition set Kapitel meiner Dissertation zugrunde (Rack, 2010). sail: he had the support neither of the scientists and officers on board nor of the scientific community in Germany. The enforced choice of the captain, who suffered from syphilis, brought the expedition to the brink of collapsing. In addi- 1 Introduction tion, the rivalry between the groups on board the Deutsch- land, and the usual challenging circumstances any expedition Wilhelm Filchner wanted to establish Germany in the ranks confronts in these regions, led to mutiny at the end of their of the great foreign Antarctic explorations with a German time in Grytviken, South Georgia. Upon the expedition’s re- Antarctic expedition. When he announced his proposal at the turn to Germany, “courts of honour” took place to adjudicate Berlin Geographical Society in Berlin (Gesellschaft für Erd- on the mutual accusations. This article reviews some of the kunde Berlin), 5 March 1910, some in the scientific commu- reasons why this expedition was disaster-prone. The article nity in Germany were not confident about his chances of suc- is based on research from my PhD thesis (Rack, 2010). cess and did not fully support this event. Erich von Drygal- ski (1865–1949), expedition leader of the German National Kurzfassung. Die zweite Deutsche Antarktis-Expedition Antarctic Expedition (1901–1903), also known as the Gauss (1911–1912) stand unter keinem guten Stern. Wilhelm Filch- expedition, was one of his harshest critics. However, some ner (1877–1957) konnte seine Position als Expeditionsleiter influential members in the science community and military von Anfang an nicht behaupten. Manche Probleme began- ranks advocated his plans. Albrecht Penck (1858–1945) was nen schon lange bevor die Expedition auslaufen konnte. one of them. Filchner partially developed his expedition pro- Er hatte nicht den Rückhalt der Wissenschaftler die mit gramme based on Penck’s theories about glaciation during ihm am Schiff waren und auch nicht derer, die in der the ice ages. The Association of the German Antarctic Ex- Polarforschung der Zeit involviert waren. Die auferzwun- pedition (Verein Deutsche Antarktische Expedition) was in- gene Wahl seines Kapitäns, der sich im Endstatium von fluential in the recruitment of the expedition members and Syphilis befand, machte die Expedition zu einer Gradwan- controlled the expedition’s finances. Most of the scientists derung. Die rivalisierienden Gruppierungen innerhalb der and officers were under the impression that the expedition Expeditionsteilnehmer und die Probleme, die fast jedes Un- was a marine endeavour to display the greatness of the Ger- ternehmen in diesen Gegenden zu bestehen hatten, führte man Navy, but Filchner and a handful of scientists had only letztendlich zu einer meutereiähnlichen Auseindersetzung a science expedition in mind. This was a fundamental point in Grytviken, Südgeorgien. Zurück in der Heimat wur- of conflict from the start. The enforced choice of the captain den Ehrengerichte angestrengt, um die gegenseitigen An- was another critical issue because he was not only a driving force in the group opposed to Filchner that formed on the Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Polarforschung e.V. 26 U. Rack: Wilhelm Filchner – hierarchy and insufficient leadership journey south, but he was also critically ill and his decisions earlier. He also stated that some of the scientists, as well as were heavily influenced by his medical conditions. Filch- Vahsel, had asked him for advice because they trusted him ner, who had problems working with peers, hindering his at- more than Filchner. In this entire correspondence, Drygalski tempts at leadership, exacerbated the situation. This became expressed his contempt for and lack of confidence in Filch- evident before the expedition started and was aggravated dur- ner. This strengthened Vahsel’s position before the ship had ing the expedition, exposing the underlying flaws and per- even set sail. Nevertheless, who was Richard Vahsel? sonal sensitivities of those involved. This article, based on Richard Vahsel was a navy officer with Antarctic expe- the research in my PhD thesis (Rack, 2010), demonstrates rience. He was well educated, could move in German so- how weak leadership compromised a potentially successful ciety, and knew “the rules of the game”. Besides, Vahsel, expedition, and the subsequent series of conflicts resulted in being from the navy, had the advantage that the expedition an expedition marred by a collapse in structural and interper- was considered a marine endeavour. Most of the selected sonal relations. officers and scientists supported this view. Filchner was an army officer and, for some time, the rivalry between army and navy had been a striking aspect of the German Empire 2 Filchner’s authority is weakened long before the and its social fabric. Establishing the German Navy was a expedition leaves Bremerhaven crucial move in the colonial and imperial rivalry with Eng- land. Alfred von Tirpitz’s (1849–1930) long-lasting plans for Filchner presented his expedition plans to scientists and the building a strong navy (he was a driving force behind the wider public, showing that his ambition was to establish the rise of the German Navy) were widely circulated through the German Empire in the ranks of Antarctic exploration. The newspapers and other propaganda efforts undertaken to get expedition promised great scientific findings, and Filchner the wider public behind the project. Also important was that himself had a talent for getting many influential people on the navy, especially in the upper ranks, was seen as a “safe board when it came to funding, especially the support of haven” for the aristocracy and the wealthy upper class. The the Bavarian King Luitpold, who introduced a lottery that army, especially the lower ranks, was considered vulnerable encouraged other donations from different sources. The As- to socialism. Back in 1903, on the return of the German Na- sociation of the German Antarctic Expedition was founded tional Antarctic Expedition, led by Drygalski, who was a ge- to oversee the finances and other formal decisions. Filchner ographer, there was much discussion in newspapers on who welcomed this arrangement at first, but he allowed the asso- should be the leader of an expedition to the south polar re- ciation to take control of crucial decision-making such as the gions. Newspapers argued strongly against a non-navy leader recruitment of the expedition members. He, effectively, lost stating that an expedition to the south polar regions was too control in the preparation period and, in particular, the choice important to let a “geographer, zoologist or geologist” be the of the captain – a position that is crucial for the success of any leader. The argument was that it was disturbing to put a naval expedition. captain under the command of a scientific leader and, in fact, Filchner had planned to recruit a Norwegian captain when this might even be responsible for the unsuccessful attempt he purchased the ship Deutschland in Norway (Krause, to go further south. A scientist should only be a “passenger”. 2012). However, the ship sailed under the flag of the German But because discovery successes are today particu- Empire and the decision was made by the committee of the larly in the interest of the research in the South Po- Association of the German Antarctic Expedition to recruit lar Regions, therefore, first and foremost, the expe- a German captain; Richard Vahsel was their choice. He had rience, initiative and daring of the navy personnel Antarctic experience as fourth officer on the first German Na- is to be placed in its service, whereas the pundits tional Antarctic Expedition. Drygalski expressed his favour can form part of the staff within, where they have for Vahsel in a letter to Hofrat Hermann Wagner (1840– plenty of opportunity to achieve something useful. 1929): “I hope and expect that Vahsel holds on to the mat- (Argus-Nachrichten-Bureau, 1903) ter” and further in the conversation he stated the following: “Big sledging trips are not to expect but scientifically lots Vahsel understood that there are more facets in his favour. can happen if Vahsel keeps the upper hand.” (von Drygalski, Years before, Filchner had become popular with his expedi- 1911) Filchner had influential supporters such as Albrecht tions to Asia, but on his Tibet expedition (1903–1905) he had Penck, a leading scientist of palaeoglaciation, and his theo- an associate, Albert Tafel (1876–1935), who accused Filch- ries built a significant element of the expedition plans. How- ner of cowardice. Tafel based his assertion on the fact that ever, Penck and Drygalski were rivals in academic terms. The when a local tribe attacked the expedition, Filchner destroyed strong support Filchner had in Penck might have influenced parts of the equipment, so they did not fall into the enemies’ Drygalski’s mistrust in this endeavour as well. Drygalski also hands. Tafel disagreed with Filchner’s research methods and revealed in this correspondence that he did not trust Filchner claimed that he always had to work harder to get his part and that his plans were not original, and some of the pro- done.