ARKHANGELSK, October 17. /TASS/. A project about legendary Arctic Captain Vladimir Voronin will be presented in the Russian Arctic National Park in Arkhangelsk. Vladimir Voronin was the captain on most famous polar vessels and icebreakers in the early 20th century. The exposition's key objects are memorabilia from the Yermak, the world's first Arctic icebreaker, as well as rare photographs and documents, the national park's Head of the Historic and Cultural Heritage Department Evgeny Yermolov told TASS.

Vladimir Voronin was Captain of the Georgy Sedov icebreaker when the vessel participated in rescuing the Umberto Nobile expedition and discovered previously unknown Arctic islands. In 1932, the Alexander Sibiryakov icebreaking steamer, led by Voronin, for the first time in history managed to sail along the Northern Sea Route within one navigation season. Vladimir Voronin was the captain of the Chelyuskin vessel.

"This year, we mark the 135th anniversary of Vladimir Voronin. He was born on October 17, 1890," the historian said. "We present objects that Voronin could have used - they are from the Yermak icebreaker. It was the very first icebreaker, launched in 1899. Voronin was the captain. He returned from the Chelyuskin and, being the most prominent polar captain, was assigned to the most important polar icebreaker and managed it until 1938, when he was appointed captain of the newly launched Joseph Stalin icebreaker."

The exhibition features a sectarian, a compass, a barometer, a key to the captain's cabin, an armchair from the icebreaker, most likely from the wardroom, and a clock with a 24-hour dial. Plus sea chess. "Voronin was fond of playing chess. They are very small in size, each field has a hole, and the figure on a special stick is inserted into this hole. During pitching, this chess does not slide anywhere, the game may be put on hold, players may leave to do job, then come back and continue the game," he said.

The exposition will include an authentic set of uniforms, as well as documents and photographs from museums in Arkhangelsk and St. Petersburg, newsreels from expeditions, and Voronin's speech on Red Square.

The first Soviet station on Franz Josef Land

The exhibition is set in the interior of the first polar station on Franz Josef Land - the Tikhaya Bay Station. This is very symbolic, because it was only thanks to Voronin's skills as an ice captain that the Georgy Sedov icebreaking steamer was able to reach the archipelago before the Norwegian expedition, the expert continued.

"If it hadn't been for his skill as a navigator, as an ice captain, if he hadn't guided the [Georgy] Sedov through the ice to Franz Josef Land in 1929, there would have been no polar station, and FJL (Franz Josef Land) may have been Norwegian, not Soviet," he explained.

In the 1930s, Voronin was, a "superstar," and at that time polar explorers could have been compared to cosmonauts in the 1960s. Voronin did not want to sail on the Chelyuskin as he did not like the vessel's quality, and nevertheless, he was the last to leave the Chelyuskin, the last to evacuate from the ice floe where the explorers had been drifting.

Memory of the captain

The captain's award list of April 12, 1945 reads that "from the first days of the Great Patriotic War, Vladimir Voronin took an active part in ensuring the entry and withdrawal of allied and domestic vessels to the White Sea ports. Over the many years of service, he has not allowed a single accident."

However, in 1938, Voronin underwent a serious surgery, he had health problems, and in the 1940s a medical board issued a certificate reading: "He can sail in the Arctic, but must not catch a cold." "This is what the medical board has written. You can understand how much this may be doable in the Arctic," the historian said.

Many documents and photographs, related to Voronin, will be presented during the project. However, the exposition will not include a picture of how the deceased captain was taken off the icebreaker, as the image was discovered later. Captain Voronin died on October 18, 1952 - it was a very difficult mission where the Joseph Stalin icebreaker was towing through ice a lighter with a cargo of fuel and equipment. On October 17, Voronin suffered a stroke on the bridge, as the vessel was heading for Dixon. It was impossible to rescue the captain.

"We've found an amazing photo. Solid ice, with the Joseph Stalin far away in the background. And a huge procession. A raging blizzard, blowing out coats, earflap hats, so the people had to hold hats with hands. The people are carrying a wreath, I can't say what they could have used to make a wreath onboard the icebreaker, but anyway it was a funeral wreath. Then, there come people carrying a coffin covered with a flag with a black stripe," the national park's representative said. "They were carrying their captain's coffin across the ice from the icebreaker to the Dixon Island. Further on, an aircraft took it to Arkhangelsk - to the Kegostrov [Island]- the polar aviation's airfield. Later on, it was brought to Leningrad, as the captain had wished to be buried in Leningrad."

Streets have been named after Vladimir Voronin in St. Petersburg, Belomorsk, Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk, Yekaterinburg, and Sokol (the Vologda Region). His name was given to the Arctic Maritime Institute in Arkhangelsk. Capes, glaciers, bays, and coves in the Arctic and Antarctic have been named after Voronin. The exhibition will run for a year.