Gustav Frederik Holm (
August 6 1849 –
March 13 1940) was a
Danish naval officer and
Arctic explorer, born at
Copenhagen. He was made commander in the navy in 1899, was chief of the hydrographic bureau from 1899 to 1909, and became director of pilots in 1912. He became distinguished for his explorations, especially of the east coast of
Greenland. From 1883 to 1885 he explored with
Garde, the east coast of Christian IX Land, as far as 66° 8' N. Holm discovered 11 hitherto unknown
Eskimo communities, numbering 431 inhabitants, and five great ice fiords. For his explorations he received gold medals from the
Société de Géographie,
Paris (1891), and the
Danish Geographical Society (1895), and the
Danish Order of Merit (1909). He wrote, with Garde,
Den danske Konebaads-Expedition til Grønlands Ostkyst 1883-85 (1887) and
Om de geografiske Farhold i dansk Ostgrönland (1889).
Cape Gustav Holm is named after him.
Literature
- Meddelelser om Grönland, ii, vi, ix, x, xvi (Copenhagen, 1879)