Finn Malmgren

Finn Adolf Erik Johan Malmgren (9 January 1895 – c. June 1928) was a Swedish meteorologist and Arctic explorer.

Finn Malmgren
Born
Finn Adolf Erik Johan Malmgren

(1895-09-01)1 September 1895
Göteborg, Sweden
DiedJune 1928(1928-06-00) (aged 32)
Northeast of Nordaustlandet
Alma materUppsala University
OccupationMeteorologist, Arctic explorer
Known forItalia expedition

Biography

Malmgren studied in Göteborg, Sundsvall, and Stockholm. In 1912, he began his studies at Uppsala University where he received a bachelor's degree in 1916. In 1917, Malmgren became assistant to professor Axel Hamberg in his observatory at Pårtetjåkko; in 1920, he returned to the meteorological institute in Uppsala and a year later was appointed assistant professor at Otto Pettersson's hydrographic institute for oceanic studies on an island in the Gullmarsfjord.

From 1922 to 1925, Malmgren participated in the expedition of Roald Amundsen and Harald Ulrik Sverdrup in the Arctic, on board the Maud. In 1926, he was on board the Italian airship Norge which overflew the North Pole, where he used scientific instruments from František Běhounek.

In early 1927, he was decorated as a Commander of the Order of St. Olav.[1]

In 1928, the scientist joined the expedition of Umberto Nobile with the airship Italia. During the third flight, on 25 May, the airship crashed and several members of the expedition were stranded on floating ice, Malmgren with an injured shoulder among them. On 30 May, Malmgren together with Italian officers Filippo Zappi and Adalberto Mariano, decided to walk back to Kings Bay for help. On 15–16 June, Malmgren collapsed and asked to be left behind. On 11 July, Soviet pilot Boris Chukhnovsky from the icebreaker Krasin sighted Mariano and Zappi and also Malmgren's body. Mariano and Zappi were rescued the next day; Malmgren's body was never found.[2]

The circumstances of Malmgren's death remain unclear. In the press Zappi and Mariano were suspected of abandoning Malmgren and even of cannibalising him.[3]

References
  1. "Norge"-mannen Malmgren kommandør av St. Olav, Arbeideren, 28 January 1927, p. 1.
  2. AERONAUTICS: Dead, Missing. Tme. 23 July 1928.
  3. For example Time in August 1928 reports the suspicions around Zappi. INTERNATIONAL: Ring Around Nobile. Tme. 6 August 1928.
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