Gennady Olonkin

Gennady Nikitich Olonkin (Russian: Геннадий Никитич Олонкин, Norwegian: Gennadij Nikititsj Olonkin; * 1898 in Arkhangelsk Governorate, Russian Empire died September 1960 in Tromsø, Norway) was a Russian-Norwegian polar explorer and radio operator.

Biography

Olonkin was the only son among twelve children of a Norwegian mother and a Russian father.

From 1918 to 1925, he was a radio operator and mechanic on the polar ship Maud, led by Roald Amundsen. In 1926 he was honored as a Knight of the Order of St. Olav. Olonkin acquired Norwegian citizenship and worked at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. He served on Jan Mayen in the years 1928–1929, 1930–1931, 1933–1934, and 1935–1936. From 1958 he worked in conjunction with an expansion of a LORAN station (NATO) on Jan Mayen.

Gennadij Olonkin was married and had one son and two daughters. Cape Olonkin and Olonkinbyen at Jan Mayen have been named in his honor.