German Walter on the Zarya ship board.
His grave in 2010.
Today Yakutia’s authority discussed possibility to rebury the remains of German Walter, doctor of the Russian Polar Expedition (info) led by Eduard Toll on the Zarya (Twilight) polar ship in 1900–1903, that was discovered by Shparos’ 2010 Arctic Expedition in a sad condition on Kotelny Island (location info and the map).
Ad notam. In summer 2010, Russian explorer Dmitry Shparo’s Adventure Club embarked the expedition to the New Siberian Islands and found the grave of German Walter on Kotelny Island near the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in Russia’s Arctic. It was considerably desolated as a consequence of soil shift and extreme cold weather conditions. Further, you can see pictures of its condition.
Lately, Dmitry Shparo shared his sad finding with the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and stressed on the advisability of reburying the tomb at a safe place.
In reply to his request, Yakutia’s government created the workgroup and concluded to arrange the expedition together with the Shparos to Kotelny Island in July – August 2011, rebury the remains, and install additionally the memorial dedicated to all perished members of Tolls’ Russian Polar Expedition, including native guides Gorokhov and Tungusov.
That’s how the grave looked in 1902.
In below pictures, you can see how Shparo’s expedition fellows reshaped the grave as a temporarily rescue measure and installed the cross.
Photographs by Shparo Adventure Club.
Related readings:
- Russian teens made it to the North Pole. They were skiing and pulling sledges. Young Arctic explorers!
- The 3rd Children of the Arctic International Festival in Russia. Arranged by Shparo’s Adventure Club
- Curious polar bears delve into Siberia’s Arctic. Boris Gorokhov’s photo report from Yakutia, Russia
- Yegor Makarov’s Exhibition in Sweden: “Native People of Sakha (Yakutia)”
- Adventure Race 80dg Yacht Regatta in Franz Josef Land Archipelago, Russian Arctic [photos]
