50 Years of Georg Forster Station – A Milestone in Polar Research
On April 21, 1976, the future Georg Forster Station of the former GDR was officially inaugurated in the Schirmacher Oasis in Antarctica. It was the first German research station to operate year-round in Antarctica and marked a significant milestone in the history of East German, and later unified German polar research. To mark its 50th anniversary in 2026 former overwintering team members and guests will gather in Potsdam in June to commemorate the occasion.
Construction under extreme conditions
As early as October 1975, a six-member overwintering team set out for Antarctica. On board the ice-capable cargo ship Kapitan Markov, as part of the 21st Soviet Antarctic Expedition, they transported around 150 tons of materials. The goal was to build a research station for the Academy of Sciences of the GDR near the Soviet station Novolazarevskaya.
After arrival, the materials were unloaded and transported to the Schirmacher Oasis with the help of Soviet colleagues. In just 74 days, from February 6 to April 20, 1976, the team successfully constructed the station. Under the leadership of Dr. Hartwig Gernandt, a functional research facility was created from prefabricated container modules mounted on sleds. This innovative construction concept significantly reduced building time and proved to be a model for future stations.
Research and international cooperation
The initial modules included a generator station, laboratories, and living and sleeping quarters for the six overwintering team members. In the following years, the station was continuously expanded, including additional laboratories and its own radio station, which became operational in 1987. The station’s supply was ensured in close cooperation with the nearby Soviet station, which also provided technical and safety support.
The first scientific program involved participation in the “International Magnetospheric Study” (IMS). Until 1978, the focus was mainly on aurora observations and studies of the ionosphere. In subsequent years, a wide range of studies were conducted in geophysics, geology, glaciology, hydrology, and biology.
Discovery of the ozone hole
The station gained particular importance through its ozone measurement program. From 1985 onward, regular balloon soundings were carried out. This led to a major scientific breakthrough: the discovery of the so-called ozone hole over Antarctica. The measurement series from the Georg Forster Station contributed significantly to understanding the development and later recovery of the ozone layer and continue to be carried on at other stations to this day.
End of the station and sustainable dismantling
After German reunification, responsibility for the station was transferred to the Alfred Wegener Institute, which continued operations until 1992. As no long-term use was planned, scientific activities were discontinued during the 1992/93 season.
As part of the German-Russian project “Cleaning up Schirmacher Oasis,” the station was completely dismantled by 1996. This project set new standards in environmental protection and was internationally recognized as exemplary. Today, a bronze plaque at the former site commemorates the station, which was added in 2013 to the list of “Historical Sites and Monuments” under the Antarctic Treaty.
Anniversary and remembrance
On June 3, 2026, a commemorative event will take place in Potsdam, organized by the Alfred Wegener Institute and the German Society for Polar Research. The keynote lecture on the history and legacy of the station will be delivered by Dr. Hartwig Gernandt, who led the first overwintering mission.
The Georg Forster Station remains an important symbol of scientific pioneering spirit, international cooperation, and sustainable research under extreme conditions.
Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal
