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Theodor Lerner

1866 – 1931

German journalist and explorer

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About Theodor Lerner

Lived 1866 – 1931 (aged 65). Theodor Lerner was a German explorer and journalist.

Theodor Lerner (10 April 1866 – 12 May 1931) was a German journalist and polar explorer who conducted several expeditions to Svalbard. In 1897 he witnessed the start of S. A. Andrée's Arctic balloon expedition of 1897 and took part in the search for Andrée in 1898 during a journey with Friedrich Römer and Fritz Schaudinn. He visited Bjørnøya in 1898 and 1899, exploring the viability of coal mining and eventually claiming ownership of the island as a territory of the German Empire. This enterprise proved unsuccessful but raised some publicity, earning him the nickname "Nebelfürst" ("prince of the mists"). In 1908 after overwintering the polar night with Hjalmar Johansen in a cabin at Cape Boheman on Spitsbergen, he and Johansen travelled over the inland ice to Spitsbergen's northwest coast.

Legacy The headland Lernerneset of Abel Island in Kong Karls Land, Svalbard, is named after him.

In popular culture Lerner's history is the basis for the 2001 German novel Der Nebelfürst by Martin Mosebach.

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Important facts

People in Theodor Lerner's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Theodor Lerner's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Theodor Lerner?

German journalist and explorer (1866-1931)

When was Theodor Lerner born?

Theodor Lerner was born on 10 April 1866 in Antweiler.

When did Theodor Lerner die?

Theodor Lerner died on 12 May 1931 in Frankfurt.

What was Theodor Lerner's occupation?

Theodor Lerner was an explorer and journalist.

What nationality was Theodor Lerner?

Theodor Lerner was German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Theodor Lerner

· Wikidata: Q92422

· DBpedia: Theodor Lerner

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Theodor Lerner. https://biography.guide/theodor-lerner/

MLA: "Theodor Lerner." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/theodor-lerner/.

Chicago: "Theodor Lerner." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/theodor-lerner/.

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