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Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen

(Redirected from Knut Rasmussen)

Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen (June 7, 1879December 21, 1933) was a Greenlandic polar explorer and anthropologist.

Rasmussen was born in Jakobshavn, Greenland. When on his first expedition in 19021904, "The Literature Expedition" with Jørgen Brønlund , Harald Moltke and Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen to examine Inuit culture. In 1910 he established the Thule Trading Station at Cape York (Uummannaq), Greenland as a base. He went on several expeditions between 1912 and 1919, including travelling over the Viscount Melville Sound and crossing the Northwest Passage by dogsled.

From 1921 to 1924 he went on his famous "The Great Sled Journey" to collect and describe Inuit songs and legends. For that effort he gained a post at the University of Copenhagen.

He was also patron of the first long polar movie "SOS Iceberg" (directed by Leni Riefenstahl).

Last updated: 05-07-2005 02:55:09
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04