The Georg Forster Station was the first German research base in Antarctica to operate year-round. It was opened by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) on 21 April 1976 in the Schirmacher Oasis.
Geographically, the station was located in Queen Maud Land, about two kilometres away from the Soviet station Novolazarevskaya. Until 1987, it was simply referred to as the ‘base laboratory’ before being officially named after the naturalist Georg Forster.
The station was primarily constructed from prefabricated living quarters and laboratory containers that had been modified for the extreme conditions.
A key research objective was to study the upper atmosphere and magnetosphere at polar latitudes. The station gained worldwide fame for its balloon-borne ozone measurements, which began in May 1985. These measurements provided crucial data on the vertical extent of the then newly discovered ozone hole. In addition to meteorology, geodesy and glaciology were further scientific focal points of the station.
Over 100 scientists worked in the barren rocky landscape of the oasis during its 17 years of existence.
A special feature was the close logistical cooperation with the Soviet Union, which supported transport and energy supply.
After German reunification in 1990, the station was taken over by the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI). As the AWI already operated the Neumayer Station, it was decided to close the Georg Forster Station for reasons of efficiency. Scientific operations officially ended in February 1993, bringing an era of German polar history to a close. After the closure, the valuable ozone measurement series was continued at the Neumayer Station, where it is still considered one of the longest in the world.
The station was dismantled between 1993 and 1996 in accordance with the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty. In a logistical masterpiece, all buildings, foundations and waste were completely removed from the continent. Today, only a small commemorative plaque remains.
The station was dismantled between 1993 and 1996 in accordance with the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty. In a logistical masterpiece, all buildings, foundations and waste were completely removed from the continent. Today, only a small plaque on site commemorates the former research station in the Schirmacher Oasis.
The station is now regarded as a symbol of the successful transfer of cutting-edge research from the GDR to reunified Germany. To mark the 50th anniversary of its founding, Deutsche Post will issue a special stamp in honour of the Georg Forster Station in 2026.