Who is Peter Freuchen?
The man:
-Killed a wolf with his bare hands
-Escaped a Nazi prison
-Won an Oscar
-Founded a town in the Arctic
-Was 6'7" tall
And in his most famous survival story, he claims he freed himself from an ice coffin with the least suspected item everโฆ
The man:
-Killed a wolf with his bare hands
-Escaped a Nazi prison
-Won an Oscar
-Founded a town in the Arctic
-Was 6'7" tall
And in his most famous survival story, he claims he freed himself from an ice coffin with the least suspected item everโฆ
In Freuchenโs autobiography, he recalls an event that took place in 1926.
During one of the Danish manโs Arctic explorations, he got caught in a blizzard.
His dogs were demobilized and he was forced to take shelter under his dogsled.
During one of the Danish manโs Arctic explorations, he got caught in a blizzard.
His dogs were demobilized and he was forced to take shelter under his dogsled.
The dogs huddled around the the sled but unfortunately they froze.
The dogs and the sled was covered with a heavy layer of snow and ice by the time the blizzard ended.
Freuchen was all alone.
The dogs and the sled was covered with a heavy layer of snow and ice by the time the blizzard ended.
Freuchen was all alone.
After 30 hours, Freuchen was trapped.
He tried to break free with his bare hands but was unable to do so.
So, this is when he supposedly freed himself with the most unsuspected item everโฆ
He tried to break free with his bare hands but was unable to do so.
So, this is when he supposedly freed himself with the most unsuspected item everโฆ
What did he do?
โI moved my bowels and from the excrement I managed to fashion a chisel-like instrument which I left to freezeโฆ At last I decided to try my chisel and it workedโ
Yes, he is saying that he made a chisel out of his feces and it allowed him to escape...
โI moved my bowels and from the excrement I managed to fashion a chisel-like instrument which I left to freezeโฆ At last I decided to try my chisel and it workedโ
Yes, he is saying that he made a chisel out of his feces and it allowed him to escape...
Upon returning back to safety, he realized his toes had gangrene.
So, Freuchen proceeded to amputate his toes himself with a pair of pliers (the rest of his leg was later amputated and he had a peg leg).
So, Freuchen proceeded to amputate his toes himself with a pair of pliers (the rest of his leg was later amputated and he had a peg leg).
There are other examples of frozen feces being used as a tool.
In the book, The Shadow of the Sun by W. Davis, the author recounts a story of an Inuit man using frozen feces to butcher an animal.
In the book, The Shadow of the Sun by W. Davis, the author recounts a story of an Inuit man using frozen feces to butcher an animal.
So, these stories are quite uniqueโฆ but are they true?
Well, in a recent study conducted at Kent State in 2019, they concluded that the tales are most likely not true.
Although, I actually read the study and the conditions were certainly not identical to Freuchenโs case.
Well, in a recent study conducted at Kent State in 2019, they concluded that the tales are most likely not true.
Although, I actually read the study and the conditions were certainly not identical to Freuchenโs case.
The story could be true, but it could also not be trueโฆ
There isnโt really that much evidence for Freuchen to have had any motivation to lie though.
The rest of his life was just as extraordinary, and most it was well documented and verified by othersโฆ
There isnโt really that much evidence for Freuchen to have had any motivation to lie though.
The rest of his life was just as extraordinary, and most it was well documented and verified by othersโฆ
What else did this strange explorer do?
For nearly 20 years he explored the Arctic.
In 1910, he founded a town called Thule.
The name came from the term โUltima Thule,โ which to a medieval cartographer meant a place โbeyond the borders of the known world.โ
For nearly 20 years he explored the Arctic.
In 1910, he founded a town called Thule.
The name came from the term โUltima Thule,โ which to a medieval cartographer meant a place โbeyond the borders of the known world.โ
After Freuchen buried his own Inuit wife in 1921 because she died of the Spanish Flu, he returned home to Denmark.
In 1924 he married into one of the richest families in Denmark, the family had owned a margarine empire...
In 1924 he married into one of the richest families in Denmark, the family had owned a margarine empire...
With his newfound wealth he got into writing.
Over the course of his career he would write over 30 books and countless articles, stories, and other various works.
Over the course of his career he would write over 30 books and countless articles, stories, and other various works.
He also tried his hand in the film industry and succeeded.
The most notable film he worked on was MGM's Oscar-winning Eskimo/Mala The Magnificent starring Ray Mala, and Freuchen was featured as Ship Captain.
The most notable film he worked on was MGM's Oscar-winning Eskimo/Mala The Magnificent starring Ray Mala, and Freuchen was featured as Ship Captain.
In 1938, he founded The Adventurer's Club of Denmark.
The club is still functioning to this day.
The club is still functioning to this day.
Eventually his marriage to the margarine heiress fell through and he married his third wife: Dagmar Cohn in 1945.
This woman was a fashion illustrator and her work made it onto the April 1947 cover of Vogue, introducing Christian Dior.
This woman was a fashion illustrator and her work made it onto the April 1947 cover of Vogue, introducing Christian Dior.
When WWII rolled around, Freuchen was actively involved with the Danish resistance movement against the occupation by Nazi Germany.
Supposedly Hitler saw him as a significant threat and ordered his arrest, sentencing him to death.
Luckily, Freuchen escaped to Sweden.
Supposedly Hitler saw him as a significant threat and ordered his arrest, sentencing him to death.
Luckily, Freuchen escaped to Sweden.
Lastly, in 1956, he won $64,000 on an American TV gameshow called The $64,000 Question.
It was this event that made him famous in the publicโs eyes because of his extraordinary life story they showcased and his unusual height.
It was this event that made him famous in the publicโs eyes because of his extraordinary life story they showcased and his unusual height.
These short anecdotes are just a glimpse into this manโs life.
But what should we take from all this?
But what should we take from all this?
Contrarianism.
When people were supposed to be civilized, Freuchen went to live in one of the wildest places on the planet, the Arctic.
When people put him in the box of just being a writer, he ventured into films.
When Europe was under Nazi pressure, he fought back.
When people were supposed to be civilized, Freuchen went to live in one of the wildest places on the planet, the Arctic.
When people put him in the box of just being a writer, he ventured into films.
When Europe was under Nazi pressure, he fought back.
Freuchen did what he wanted, when he wanted.
And he got the life he deserved - an exciting one.
You donโt have to be a psycho about it, but when the world sits down, try standing up.
Life is going to be a lot more interesting that way...
And he got the life he deserved - an exciting one.
You donโt have to be a psycho about it, but when the world sits down, try standing up.
Life is going to be a lot more interesting that way...
If the idea of contrariansim peaks your interest, consider studying Peter Thiel.
Although Thiel is not an Arctic explorer, he has approached modern life through a contrarian lens and has been quite successful in doing so.
Although Thiel is not an Arctic explorer, he has approached modern life through a contrarian lens and has been quite successful in doing so.
USEFUL KNOWLEDGE:
-Adopt a contrarian lifestyle.
Question the crowd. Take the other side of popular opinion. Gold is found in the calm, tucked away part of the river, not in the fast moving, central currents of the river. Great Ideas and Great Lives are lived when you exit theโฆ
-Adopt a contrarian lifestyle.
Question the crowd. Take the other side of popular opinion. Gold is found in the calm, tucked away part of the river, not in the fast moving, central currents of the river. Great Ideas and Great Lives are lived when you exit theโฆ
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