The discovery of Franz-Josef-Land by Julius Payer and Karl Weyprecht 1872-1874 became the nucleus of Austrian polar research. After the return, Weyprecht’s initiative for the “First International Polar Year” in 1882/83 triggered internationally coordinated polar research.

Martin earned his bachelor’s degree in physical geography from the University of Klagenfurt. He is now studying for a master’s degree in “Applied Physical Geography and Mountain Research” at the University of Graz, focusing on alpine and polar regions. This field also includes polar research, which is a research focus at the Institute of Geography and Regional Science. Thus, Martin is, in a way, following in the footsteps of his great-great-grandfather, who stood at Cape Fligely, the northernmost point of the Franz-Josef-Land archipelago, on April 12, 1874, together with Julius Payer.

The sled expedition reaches Cape Fligely on April 12, 1974; in the background, Cape Vienna. (© Julius Payer)

Martin knows the experiences of his famous ancestor through family stories. The retreat diary that Eduard Orel kept after leaving the “Tegetthoff” from May 20, 1874, until his arrival in Trondheim on September 10, 1874, was in the possession of the Ladenbauer-Orel family [Mazzoli, Berger 2010] before the 36 A4-sized manuscript pages were handed over to the Museum of Military History in Vienna. After returning from the three-year expedition, his great-great-grandfather Eduard was knighted by Emperor Franz Joseph for his achievements. The documents related to this are in the family’s possession.

Knighting certificate. (© Familie Orel)

Martin shows enthusiasm for the adventure of his great-great-grandfather Eduard. Despite his low income, Eduard had decided to endure three years of hardship without any communication with home, coupled with the risk of not returning. Martin’s travels are also driven by the allure of the unknown, such as “Where will I sleep tomorrow?”, and the desire to experience other cultures. Learning about the lives of other people broadens his horizons and is very important for his personal development. He states that nature can be unimaginably beautiful and is often difficult to put into words. He is particularly moved by untouched nature and hikes across islands. Setting off on his own and exploring nature is very important to him. He is not afraid of animals or insects. However, Martin does not see any influence of Eduard Orel’s deeds in his application for the expedition to the Sermilik station, but finds the parallels interesting.

Since the Austrian station was pre-opened in 2023 it is partially in operation. Thus, the students had to sleep in the Danish station.

Students at the Sermilik station 2024. (© K. Steinegger)

The focus of Martin’s studies aligns with the research topics at the Sermilik station: glacier monitoring to record glacier mass balances such as melt rates and runoff measurements, along with the necessary meteorological data. Martin is fascinated by the wild nature of Greenland, which is undergoing major changes due to the effects of climate change, especially in the polar regions. The glacier changes were visible even during the short stay at the station. The Mittivakkat glacier near the station has been observed since 1933 and thus, boasts the longest continuous measurement series in Greenland, documenting the massive changes of the last decades.

Mittivakkat glacier. (© K. Steinegger)

Using ablation stakes, Martin learned to record melt rates: the metal stakes are drilled into the ice and read regularly. The height changes during the stay at the station in the order of a few tens of centimeters provide a quantitative indication of how much of the glacier has melted. Measurements over long periods are particularly important for recording climate change in the long term, which is also made possible by such educational expeditions.

The student group also spends a few days acclimatizing in Tasiilaq, the regional center together with several other villages for around 2500 people. They got to know the local population and gained insight into their way of life.