Biography.guide
Home › People › Geographer › Alfred Jahn
Portrait of Alfred Jahn

Alfred Jahn

1915 – 1999

Polish geographer, geomorphologist, polar explorer and rector of Wrocław University

Geographer University teacher Geomorphologist
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Alfred Jahn

Lived 1915 – 1999 (aged 83). Alfred Jahn was a Polish geographer, university teacher, geomorphologist, photographer and polar explorer.

Alfred Jahn (22 April 1915, Kleparów, near Lwów (L'viv) – 1 April 1999, Wrocław) was a Polish geographer, geomorphologist, polar explorer and rector of Wrocław University.

Biography He was born on 22 April 1915 in Kleparów, near Lwów (L'viv). He obtained a Masters of Science degree at the Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów in 1937. In the same year he took part in the First Polish West Greenland Expedition, organized by Aleksander Kosiba, which provided him with enough material for his PhD dissertation. Completed in 1939, it had the title "Investigations on the structure and temperature of soils in West Greenland".

In 1968, as a rector of Wrocław University, he made the decision to support the student strikes against Communist censorship. As a result, he lost his job.

"

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
22 April 1915, Lviv
Birth century
20th century
Died
1 April 1999, Wrocław
Occupation
Geographer, university teacher, geomorphologist, photographer, polar explorer
Nationality
Poland
Education
Lviv University, University of Lviv
Employers
University of Wrocław, Lviv University
Awards
Albrecht Penck Medal; Honorary doctor of the University of Wrocław; Honorary doctor of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań; Honorary doctor of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University; Commander with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta; Gold Cross of Merit‎; Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland; Albrecht-Penck-Medaille

People in Alfred Jahn's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Portrait of Aleksander Kosiba
Aleksander Kosiba
1901 – 1981
Geographer

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Alfred Jahn's

Portrait of Henry Hallett Dale
Henry Hallett Dale
1875 – 1968
Physician
 Portrait of Ludwig Prandtl
Ludwig Prandtl
1875 – 1953
Physicist
 Portrait of Adolf Windaus
Adolf Windaus
1876 – 1959
Chemist
 Portrait of Nikolai Burdenko
Nikolai Burdenko
1876 – 1946
Neurosurgeon
 Portrait of Paul Montel
Paul Montel
1876 – 1975
Mathematician
 Portrait of Aleksandr Arbuzov
Aleksandr Arbuzov
1877 – 1968
Chemist

Frequently asked questions

Who was Alfred Jahn?

Polish geographer, geomorphologist, polar explorer and rector of Wrocław University (1915–1999)

When was Alfred Jahn born?

Alfred Jahn was born on 22 April 1915 in Lviv.

When did Alfred Jahn die?

Alfred Jahn died on 1 April 1999 in Wrocław.

What was Alfred Jahn's occupation?

Alfred Jahn was a geographer, university teacher, geomorphologist, photographer and polar explorer.

What nationality was Alfred Jahn?

Alfred Jahn was Polish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Alfred Jahn

· Wikidata: Q2542839

· DBpedia: Alfred Jahn

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alfred Jahn. https://biography.guide/alfred-jahn/

MLA: "Alfred Jahn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alfred-jahn/.

Chicago: "Alfred Jahn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alfred-jahn/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:24 UTC