That's why Jørgen Brønlund still inspires

The cold had eaten into his toes until they were dead and numb. 

The darkness was so massive that he lost his sense of direction. It was no longer possible to walk. His two travelling companions were dead. He was alone. And yet he forced himself to continue.

This is how Jørgen Brønlund describes his last days in his diary. A document that has since become one of the most harrowing testimonies from the Arctic.

As a participant in the Denmark Expedition 1906-1908, he became a central figure in an expedition that ended in tragedy. He was 29 years old.

Now his story is being told on stage in a new theatre performance “Piffissaq Sioqqullugu”, which brings the more than 100-year-old tale to life for a contemporary audience with actors Klaus Geisler and Kuka Fleischer in the lead roles.

But who was Jørgen Brønlund really? Who was the man whose diary more than 100 years later is still so famous that his story is now being performed as a theatre performance?

- He played a significant role in the expedition due to his broad knowledge and experience of the Greenlandic nature, says Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen.

She is a journalist at KNR and, in collaboration with Bibi Nathansen, also a journalist, has created the podcast series about Jørgen Brønlund, “Ajunaalernermik Nalunaarut” (in Danish: Emergency message, ed.).

Nikolaj Isak Jørgen Brønlund was born in Ilulissat on December 14, 1877. He was the son of a trapper and was a childhood friend of Knud Rasmussen, called Kunuunnguaq.

Brønlund participated in several expeditions, including the Danish expedition to Northeast Greenland in 1906.

- His knowledge of the ice, weather, dog sledding and survival techniques made him invaluable as a participant on the Danish expedition, says Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen.

A versatile man

Jørgen Brønlund was a seminary student in Nuuk, at that time the city's only educational opportunity, which was the catechist training.

- He has been a creative type, one with musical talent. A very teachable person, says Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen about Brønlund.

Her descriptions are based, among other things, on research in the form of books, conversations with experts in expeditions and visits to the national archive.

Jørgen Brønlund is described as a loyal and social person - a real friend. His circle included several of those we know today as great poets and composers.

- The seminary students were really close friends. Sometimes they didn't have much money and went to bed hungry, but they took it with humor and not too seriously, she says.

Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen's research describes Jørgen Brønlund as a fresh guy - nice to be with, talented, easy to learn and open.

- He often made fun of his Danish collaborators and met them as equals. He taught them Greenlandic. He was a brave person, curious and very intellectual, she says.

What Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen particularly noticed during his research was how Jørgen Brønlund and his comrades made fun of each other.

- They were many men who lived an intense and active life. They played sports, ran, wrestled, there was always movement, says Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen.

Brønlund was someone who was good at drawing, a great dog lover and someone who was wanted on expedition trips.

Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen emphasizes that these are her own observations, and as she herself says, she sees it with the eyes of 2026.

- It could be that I am completely wrong, she says.

During their research for the podcast, they have tried to immerse themselves in Jørgen Brønlund's world: Among other things, they have studied his old clothes at the National Museum, visited his former settlement in Nuutoqaq, seen his old school and experienced the view from there.

Part of the elite

When asked why he is still important today, Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen replies that the story of Brønlund never becomes outdated.

- He was part of the elite of his time and one of the first educated Greenlanders. But he was also a loyal companion. I don't think the Denmark expedition would have been the same without him, she says.

His story can always be retold. The fascination of his diary never fades, and he died in a place where almost no one could reach. In a cave in Northeast Greenland in 1907.

- His story can always be told, regardless of time and place. His personality is easy to imagine, and we have evidence of his life and deeds, evidence that will never be forgotten, says Aminnguaq Dahl-Petrussen.

Across generations

The story of Jørgen Brønlund doesn't just fascinate adults. My 12-year-old son has long been obsessed with him and the expedition's dramatic stories.

- I think it's amazing that he could manage alone, even when it was so cold and dark that you could hardly see anything, he says.

He is particularly fascinated by Brønlund's diary, where you can feel his struggle to survive, but also his humor and friendship with the other expedition participants.

- I think what makes the story cool is that he was both smart, brave and funny. And he was really good with dogs, he adds with a smile.

Although more than 100 years have passed, Jørgen Brønlund's story lives on. His courage, curiosity and human warmth mean that we can still learn from him today, both as a historical figure and as a person we can admire and relate to.

From the diary lines to the theatre performance, and from researchers' archives to young readers like my son, Brønlund reminds us that even in the most extreme situations, friendship, knowledge and courage can make a difference.

He is not just a part of Greenland's history, he is an example of how the strength and personality of an individual can continue to inspire generations.