“The deep sea: a fascinating world that remains little explored to this day yet whose existence is already under threat. Rudi Palla’s account of the first German deep-sea expedition and its consequences is as exciting as a thriller.” (Frank Schätzing)
Even though we still only knew very little about the deep sea by the middle of the 19th century, there were no limits to people’s imaginations. Kaiser Wilhelm II, for example, was sure that the future of the German empire lay in the water. In the competition for world power with Great Britain, both building up a navy and the scientific conquest of the deep sea were important political instruments. So it was easy to get him excited about the planned expedition by the zoologist Carl Chun from Leipzig. It was even possible to get the German Reichstag on board, which allocated an unusually high sum to the first German deep-sea expedition.
In 1898, equipped with the most modern scientific gear, the screw steamer Valdivia was ready to set sail. The Valdivia combed through the northern and southern Atlantic, Antarctic waters and Indian Ocean, comprehensively measuring sea depth and temperature, investigating the nature of the seafloor and discovering numerous new animal species. The scientific spoils were spectacular.
Now, Rudi Palla has brought back to light a treasure that for decades lay collecting dust in the archives: this is the first comprehensive account of this research expedition, focusing not only on its scientific results but also on previously unanalyzed materials, including notebooks, journals and logbooks. With narrative verve, Palla conveys a lively impression of daily life on board. Numerous original illustrations reveal the unexpected magnificence and abundance hidden deep in the sea.
