Wegener Kurt

(03.04.1878 - 29.02.1964)

He is a polar explorer, meteorologist. Alfred Wegener's older brother.

Born in Berlin in the family of a famous scientist.

After studying natural sciences in Innsbruck, Kiel and Berlin, he became an employee of the Royal Prussian Aeronautical Observatory Lindenberg in Berlin. Kurt, as his younger brother later dreamed of polar exploration.

From 1904 to 1907, he explored the atmosphere in a balloon. From April 5 to April 7, 1906, he and Alfred made a 52-hour balloon flight, which was a world record for those times.

From 1908 to 1911, Kurt headed the Samoa Observatory, and in 1912/13. Geophysical Observatory Ebloffaffhen on Svalbard.

He then worked at the Central Meteorological Station of Alsace-Lorraine in Strasbourg. In 1919, he became head of the department at the German Marine Meteorological Station in Hamburg.

In 1922, Kurt was transferred to Berlin, where he was offered to carry out the first meteorological flights.

In 1923, he took part as the scientific leader of the expedition to rescue the participants of the expedition "Junkers-Svalbard" Rual Amundsen.

After that, Kurt spent several years in South America.

In 1930/31 he was appointed meteorological advisor to the Central Flight Directorate at the Reich Ministry of Transport.

In 1931, having learned about the death of his brother, Kurt Wegener left his observatory, immediately went to Greenland and took over the leadership of the expedition.The program outlined by Alfred was largely completed.

After retiring, Kurt took measurements of radiation in South America. He spent his last years with his daughter-in-law Els in Munich.

He died in Munich.

The mountain to the west of the top of the Lillihuk glacier in the west of the central part of the Albert I Land . The coordinates are 79° 25'N   11° 40'E.