Who Owns Neuschwabenland (New Swabia/Queen Maude Land)?

[Dr. Solar Wolff]

There was a sector of land, opposite the tip of Africa, along the coast of Antarctica once called Neuschwabenland. During the Second World War, Germany conquered Denmark. Denmark held claim to Queen Maude Land which was roughtly the area claimed by the Germans after taking Denmark. In addition to this, the Ritcher Expedition (1938-39), and the German ship Schwabenland sent flying boats (airplanes) to survey Queen Maude Land and explored more territory towards the center of Antarctica. They found year-round fresh-water ponds (Schumacher Ponds), each a different color, depending upon the particular strain of algea present in the warm water. The water was warm due to geo-thermal activity which was also discovered by the German expedition. Rumors have it that warm caves were located and the area or part of the area was turned into a Navy/AirForce base during the war years. Germany considered Neuschwabenland part of the Greater Reich.

As the war concluded, Admiral Karl Doenitz surrendered "the three fighting forces (army, airforce, navy) to the Allies. Germany, in the civillian sense, never surrendered, however. Neither did the SS.

About 1960, nations around the world did a treaty saying that no real territorial claims would be made in Antarctica but bases for research would be allowed. Germany, at the time, was divided and still under the thumb of the wartime Allies. There was no independent opportunity for Germany to sign or decline this treaty.

Now, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and Unification, a treaty was finally done between Germany and its one-time opponents, France, Russia, Britain, USA, Australia, etc. which officially ended WW2.

The issue of Neuschwabenland has never been settled. The question remains: Is Neuschwabenland part of Germany? If laws matter, it is. What is your opinion?

[Stahl]

I know nothing about the history of Neuschwabenland, but in school we were told that it belongs to germany.
Btw.: Some weeks ago there was a report about a team of german scientists doing science-like stuff in Neuschwabenland. And that report sounded like Neuschwabenland belongs to germany, too.
Thats what I think. I got no idea where it officially belongs to.

[Telperion]

To the extent that Neuschwabenland consisted of territory that was formerly claimed by Denmark, and the Danish government did not relinquish its claim to the territory (notwithstanding the occupation of Denmark by Germany), then Denmark would have a stronger claim to this territory than Germany, and any German claim to the territory would in any case have ceased once Germany ceased its occupation of Denmark. In other words, the German occupation of Denmark would not, as a matter of international law, extinguish Denmark's sovereign claim to the territory.

If Denmark signed the Antarctic Treaty and voluntarily renounced any claims to the territory (I'm not sure whether it did), then no country would currently have a valid claim to that portion of Neuschwabenland that was formerly claimed by Denmark.

However, if there were portions of Neuschwabenland that had not previously been claimed by Denmark or any other country, and Germany didn't sign the Antarctic Treaty, then legally Germany could still claim those portions of Neuschwabenland as its own territory today.

[Marlboro]

Queen Mauds land is norwegian. Its named after the norwegian queen maud. Very simple.

[Telperion]

Queen Mauds land is norwegian. Its named after the norwegian queen maud. Very simple.

By this logic, the Dutch have a current claim to Tasmania, which was originally named Van Dieman's Land.