Visionary, explorer, researcher, diplomat, humanist – Fridtjof Nansen was no ordinary man. Nansen was a dedicated scientist who made an outstanding contribution to marine zoology and oceanography, an audacious adventurer who pushed our knowledge of the Arctic to new frontiers, and an indefatigable savior of human beings displaced by conflict. As a young man Nansen led two successful polar expeditions and became a national hero, participating in the birth pangs of his country – Norway. As a respected international elder statesman he began a new career in 1919 by bringing home hundreds of thousands of prisoners-of-war from the remotest corners of Europe and Siberia. He created the "Nansen Passport" for stateless people under his responsibility and sought to give the Armenian people a secure homeland. For his efforts in favor of prisoners of war, famine relief and Russian refugees, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.
Preface
Foreword
Chapter 1: Nansen the Explorer
- Early Days
- The Crossing of Greenland
- The Voyage of the Fram
- The Dash for the Pole
- Norway Finds a Hero
Chapter 2: Nansen the Diplomat
- A New Role
- A Trip to Russia and the USA
- Nansen and the League of Nations
- The Sequel to the War
- Setting Up the League of Nations
- Sowing the Seeds of Future Problems
Chapter 3: The Prisoners-of-War in Siberia
- Getting to Grips with the Problem
- Nansen as High Commissioner
- Nansen Accepts Getting the Prisoners Home
- Where Were the Prisoners Located?
- Financial Matters
- Progress at Last
- Nansenhilfe
- Success
- Who Gets the Credit?
Chapter 4: The Russian Revolution and Its Aftermath
- Discontent in Russia
- Famine in Russia
- The Search for Funds
- The League Fails to Act
- Lessons Learned
- Once More, Nansen Intervenes
- Work Begins on the Refugee Crisis
- How Many Refugees?
Chapter 5: Massacres and Treaties in Asia Minor
- The Treaty of Sevres
- The Establishment of the Mandates System
- Kurdistan, Iraq, Palestine and Syria
- The Fate of the Armenians
- Resettling the Armenians
- The Commission of Inquiry
- Nansen and the Armenians
Chapter 6: Trouble in Asia Minor
- The Greeks of Smyrna
- An Idea Is Born
- Nansen Goes to Constantinople
- An Exchange Is Agreed
- The Lausanne Conference
Chapter 7: The Nansen Passport
- The Origins
- Refining the Model
- Employment for Refugees
- The Nansen Passport in Practice
- The Nobel Peace Laureate
Chapter 8: Nansen's Heritage
Bibliography
Index
Chronology
Marit Fosse is a writer, journalist, entrepreneur, and creative manager with a broad-based background in highly competitive and dynamic organizations. She set up Diva International and succeeded in making it a reference magazine for the international community in Geneva, Switzerland, and has published hundreds of articles and co-authored several books. She is also the vice-president of the World Trade Center in Dakar, Senegal, and is involved in developing business in Mali.
John Fox is a former publications officer for the BBC and UNESCO and a retired international civil servant. He is a contributor to and co-editor of Diva: International Diplomat and co-author of The League of Nations: From Collective Security to Global Rearmament.