Neuschwabenland For A Moment Poem by Chris Lane

Antarctica, preserved remnant of Gondwanaland
Big cold empty virgin landscape of this magnificent continent
Such attraction a Magnetic Pole can wield
Providing stability within its shield

Surveyors enthusiastically explored Neuschwabenland
Piecing together aerial maps
Limited only by fuel capacity on their
Flown reconnaissance missions

Schirmacher could scarcely believe his eyes
An Oasis - No mirage between ice and sky
Here this moment recorded in Antarctica's time
January 1939

© Calac

The Schirmacher Oasis (Schirmacher Lake Plateau) is a 25 km long and up to 3 km wide ice-free plateau with more than 100 fresh water lakes. It is situated in the Schirmacher Hills and is on average 100 meters above sea level. With an area of 34 km², the Schirmacher Oasis ranks among the smallest Antarctic oases and is a typical polar desert.


The German airline Lufthansa lent one of its ships, the ‘Schwabenland’ for the expedition – hence the name that was given to the territory. The vessel was a so-called ‘catapult ship’, having before proved itself as a transporter and postal carrier in the South Atlantic. The ‘Schwabenland’ had two Dornier aircraft on board, named Boreas and Passat. A steam catapult was used in flinging the planes, each weighing 10 tonnes, off the ship