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The Krassin’s Heroic Dt sd
By JOSEPH A. LOEWINSOHN
SYNOPSIS
Perhaps no other event held
the ‘world’s attention more than
the daring rescue of the dirible
"Italia” by a Russian ice-breaker,
The Krassin. May marks the
third anniversary of the polar
drama in ‘which Professor Sam-
oilovitch, a Jew, played an out
standing part. Mr. Loewin-
sohn’s article thus far (see the
preceding issue of the Southern
Israelite) death with the dra
matic crash of the dirigible
"Italia” near the North Pole and
the consequent death of the eight
men—members of the ill-fated
Arctic expedition headed by Gen
eral Nobile.
The radio operator of the ex
pedition, Biaggi, was frantically
sending the S. 0. S. into the cold
ether. Ten days later the distress
signals were picked up by No
bile’s base ship "Citta di Milano”
(City of Milan).
(Continued from the preceding issue of
The Southern Israelite)
“We are convinced of the truth of your
message. We will endeavor to establish
a constant communication with you.”
We all know that General Nobile was
the first one to be saved and safely,
with his dog “Titina,” brought to the
base ship “Citta di Milano.” The res
cue was effected by a daring Norwegian
airman, Lieutenant Lundborg.
The rest of the men were left to their
own wits. Dr. Finn Malmgren left the
group of survivors on the 30th of May
and suggested that some men should go
with him in an effort to reach the near
est rescue ship. Zappi and Mariano de
cided to join Malmgren.
On the 10th day of July, the Krassin
received aviator Chuchnovsky’s wireless
message saying that he discovered a
group of three men on the ice Hoe and
gave the position of the airplane. The
Krassin followed with great difficulty
the trail of Chuchnovsky. Two days later,
on the 12th of July, at 5 o’clock in the
morning, the lookout perceived at a dis
tance of five miles from, the ship a dis
mal moving object and pulled the string
of the ship’s siren. Two hours later the
Krassin shut off her engines and came
to a stop within a considerable distance
of the moving object for fear that the
tremendous pressure exerted on the ice
by the movements of the ship may cap
size the brittle floe on which there were
two men.
In order to get to those men it was
necessary to use portable wooden pon
toons to facilitate the slow and perilous
walk from one cake of ice to the next
one.
Mariano was found lying inertly on
the ice while Zappi was visibly agitated
and wildly jumping. His eyes were fe
verishly glittering, his face was covered
with long whiskers and his extended arms
were shaking. Zappi was very warmly
clad. He had on his own underwear,
suit, sweater and furs, then, besides, furs
and sox belonging to Mariano. In addi
tion to this he wore an overcoat and sox
that were Dr. Malmgren’s.
When the Krassin approached the
group, Zappi commanded in a thunder
ous voice “Stop!” Mariano was lying
on the ice and had on just a shirt and
a pair of short trousers that were soaked
with water. His bare feet rested on the
[4]
ice. In the center of the floe could be
seen a wool blanket and a pair of trous
ers. On the adjoining floe Zappi had
cut out from a tarpaulin English letters
and spelled “Please help food.” Zappi
knew very well that an airplane could
not make a landing on the ice floes and
he could not reasonably expect arrival of
a ship. Zappi thought only of one thing
and that was food.
When he saw the approaching men
from the Krassin he knelt before Profes
sor Samoilovitch and vigorously em
braced his feet. Mariano could not move
and only looked.
Zappi was removed from the ice first
and when the men were going to assist
him in climbing the ship’s rope ladder
he pushed away the helping hands and
quickly climbed up the ladder with the
official form, in clear expressions and
concise military manner, Zappi wrote a
report about his rescue, to be radioed to
General Nobile. He threw the written
sheet on the table, leaned back in the
chair and repeated “Eat, I want to eat.”
A cup of coffee and a few biscuits were
placed before him. The doctor watched
Zappi’s movements, but it was too late.
He grabbed 3 biscuits at one time, put
them in the mouth and instantly swal
lowed. The plate was quickly removed.
Zappi gnashed his teeth and wanted to
grab more biscuits.
Russian aviator Boris Chuchnovsky dis
covered on the ice three men. Two days
later, when the Krassin arrived on the
spot, there were only two men. What
had become of the third man, Dr. Malm
gren? This question was asked when
the two men were still on the ice. Ma
riano, being utterly helpless and emaci
ated, could not answer. Zappi, instead
of an answer, pointed with his finger, as
if to say: “There, beyond the edge of the
floe, on the bottom of the sea.” An
other thing: when Zappi saw the men
from the Krassin coming toward the floe
he attempted to cover Mariano with some
rags and parts of clothing.
It was too late, however, for the men
were too close to Zappi and saw his
movements. If Zappi wanted to conceal
the horrifying nudeness of his comrade,
why did he not do it immediately after
Chuchnovsky’s airplane circled five times
above their heads? The answer is simple:
Zappi did not expect to meet with wit-
PROFESSOR SAMOILOVITCH
agility of a cat. The Krassin’s crew
were amazed. It was hard to believe
that this man, according to his own ad
mission, had not eaten for 13 days. Ma-
rano was not able to do so much as to
move a finger. He was almost dead.
Only his lips were folded in a frozen
smile of a happy child. His eyes were
open and there was a light of tender
appreciation. Mariano’s arms were ghast
ly white and looked as if they were
caked with ice, while his feet were blue.
He was carefully placed on a litter
and immediately carried to the ship’s hos
pital. The doctor declared that if Mari
ano was left on the ice a few hours
longer he would have been dead. Zappi
went to the dining room, heavily threw
his body in the chair, stretched out his
legs and let out a moan. He wanted to eat.
The doctor gave the order to prepare
some coffee. It took some time because,
as a rule, Russians don’t drink much
coffee, and coffee seeds had to be roasted.
Zappi continued to utter gutturals and
impatiently roared: “Mangiare!” “Man-
giare!” (“eat, eat”). A few men sur
rounded him but he did not seem to no
tice anyone. Suddenly, leaning heavily
on the arms of the chair, he straight
ened out, moved closer to the table, his
fingers closing in a fist, and demanded
some writing paper and ink. He was
given a few- sheets of paper and a pen.
Then easily and without the slightest
hesitation, in perfect accordance with the
GENERAL UMBERTO NOBILE
nesses. He did not believe that ship could
come so close to his place and he knew
that it was hardly possible for an air
plane to land on the rough ice. Zappi
figured help in the form of food. Hence
his sign on the ice: “Please help food.”
When Zappi was questioned again
aboard the Krassin as to the fate of
Malmgren he declared that Malmgren
was left behind, in a place further north
a month ago. He was hurt, desperately
ill, totally unable to walk and begged
them to leave him and go ahead in a
southerly direction.
After returning to his native land
Zappi made the following statement:
Malmgren dug out a grave in the ice
(with what?), took off his clothes, lay in
the grave, begged us to take his belong
ings and proceed further. We walked off
some distance, approximately loo meters
when Malmgren, lifting himself from ‘'the
grave,” motioned for us KO ahead.”
Was Malmgren really s «> weak 5 It i
true that he was badly ' rt at the time
the gondola crushed down on the i ce
but neveitheless he took upon himself
the command of the gio .p, and, besides
being wounded and suffering great pain
he went after a polar bear and with one
well-aimed shot in the head, killed the
animal.
All these little things speak well of
Malmgren’s remarkable moral strength.
And such a man, a few days later, would
willingly undress, dig out an icy grave,
lay there, trust his watch to Zappi to he
given his mother and heroically demand
from his comrades to leave him alone
to die. A curious coincidence: when re-
cued, Zappi had on his wrist his own
watch, Malmgren’s watch and the watch
belonging to the still alive Mariano.
General Nobile, the commander of the
Italia, graciously condescended to he res
cued by Lundborg, only after persistent
demands of his associates who wanted n
remain on the ice so that their chief could
later direct their rescue. All this sound'
too beautiful, so much like a legend and
is really too touching were it not for the
facts.
Zappi, when saved from the Hoe, de
clared: “We have not eaten for 13 days.
But his walk was decidedly sprightly and
how easily and quickly he climbed up
the ladder of the Krassin. Physically, he
was in splendid shape, though very nerv
ous, agitated and restless. He has not
in the least suffered from the intense cold
and had a ravenous appetite.
Mariano is frozen, emaciated, almost
dying. Mariano had to be rubbed with
medicated alcohol, for a warm bath is
dangerous for a person in his condition.
Zappi takes a warm bath very nice y.
The two men were put in the Sanitary
cabin and were told that no food wi f
given until their stomachs are thoroughly
pumped out. Mariano resigns to his fate,
while Zappi is violently protesting a
refuses to submit to the request
doctor. He demands food More any
thing else. Finally he had to & v .
The results of the stomach '
showed that Zappi, while being s
on the ice, continued to have nourish".*
long after Mariano had ceasti to ^
On the next day, after the r ’ d
seemed to be normally strong ag n ^
demanded his food so vigorous > _ , {0
ship’s regular bill of fare ryt
him and Zappi devoure things
bread, canned meat, rice am
without ill effects. „u S sed that
After a gentle grilling ^ hr
he really starved for 6 days i
previously stated, 13 da>- . f hi?
That Zappi divested ‘ that Zappi
clothes and wore them hirn^fj ^ ^
continued to eat when : „^j sn utablf
ready been starving—are
facts. All of the above >
by affidavits of the
a matter of record.
Malmgren’s death sti
tery and the world does
probably will never km "
circumstances that upns-
man met his death. Z a PP
cerning this unsavory
tradictory. Up to t
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