Sunday 27 October 2024Before the Wire, which starts 26 October 2026Updated 23:59
Polar night, day 2 of 112. The sun returns 15 February.
Svalbard Wire starts on 26 October 2026. Pages before that date show the history of the island.
This week in history, 26 October
2017
On 26 October 2017 a Russian helicopter crashed in Isfjorden on its way in to Kapp Heer, and all eight on board died. The town of Barentsburg was deeply marked by it.
History Store norske leksikon
From the timeline, War and rebuilding
1943
In September 1943 the Germans carried out a large raid on Svalbard with a fleet led by the battleships Tirpitz and Scharnhorst. Barentsburg, Longyearbyen and Grumantbyen were nearly completely razed.
History Store norske leksikon
Svalbard