War North of 80: The Last German Arctic Weather Station of World War II

Obtaining weather data was vital for military operations in Northwestern Europe during World War II. In an effort to secure this data, the German Navy and air force secretly established manned weather stations in East Greenland, Svalbard, and Franz Josef Land. This is the personal story of Wilhelm Dege, the leader of the last weather station, code-named "Operation Haudegen". Originally written in German, Dege describes the mission from beginning to end. On 9 May 1945, the allies despatched a vessel to pick up Dege and his team; in effect, Dege and his team were the last German troops to surrender. With a detailed introduction, this translation offers English-speaking readers a rare glimpse into the Germans' account of weather activities during World War II in the Arctic. An epilogue written by Dege's son offers insight into the various fates of the expedition members who worked alongside his father.