100th anniversary of Gunther Plüschow’s Tierra del Fuego expedition: Meeting with the descendant of a crew member

​100 years ago, the famous German naval officer Gunther Plüschow explored the remote regions at the southernmost tip of South America for the first time. It marked the start of a series of exciting expeditions, both by air and by sea. In his honour, Cape Horn skipper Osvaldo E. Escobar Torres has retraced some of those voyages with a changing crew. In Berlin, the Chilean recently met the widow of one of Plüschow’s crew members.

• Interview with expedition leader Osvaldo E. Escobar Torres on YACHT online
• A profile of the Tierra del Fuego explorer Gunther Plüschow from YACHT 7/2026

Torres writes about his encounter and the conversation as follows:

“This weekend, a significant cultural and historical event took place in Berlin as part of the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the German explorer and pilot Gunther Plüschow in Patagonia. His expedition marked a milestone in the history of aviation, maritime exploration and the geographical documentation of the southern regions of Chile and Argentina.

On Friday 26 June, representatives of the Gunther Plüschow Friends’ Association – Berlin, Gerhard Ehlers and the Chilean Osvaldo E. Torres, had the special honour of welcoming Erika Schmitt to Berlin, the daughter of Josef ‘Seppel’ Schmitt, the engineer and crew member of the historic cutter Feuerland. Josef Schmitt was part of Gunther Plüschow’s expedition from the very beginning – from the ship’s construction in the port of Büsum, Germany, to its arrival in Punta Arenas, Chile, in 1928.

This encounter provided an opportunity to learn about new historical background and to hear valuable personal accounts of this extraordinary journey through the canals, fjords and the then largely unexplored regions of Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn.

Erika Schmitt, born in Punta Arenas, Chile, shared memories of her family, experiences from her childhood on the estancias of the Magallanes region, and her later travels between Chile and Germany. In doing so, she provided a particularly personal and human insight into the history of this unique expedition.

During the meeting, Erika Schmitt was presented with a collection of articles and publications that had appeared in various German and Chilean media and which document the historical and cultural significance of Gunther Plüschow’s expedition and the legacy of all those involved.

Furthermore, Erika Schmitt used a nautical chart to show the exact route taken by the Feuerland during its voyage. Drawing on her in-depth knowledge, she explained the challenges faced by her father’s expedition and that of Gunther Plüschow as they navigated the unknown and treacherous waters of Patagonia.

This meeting marks the start of a series of further activities to mark the 100th anniversary of this significant Patagonian expedition. These include several research voyages in the Beagle Channel area, together with journalists and other descendants of expedition member Gunther Plüschow, as well as members of the Gunther Plüschow Friends’ Association – Berlin. Erika Schmitt will also be taking part. The aim is to explore, photograph, document and share parts of the historic route that her father, Josef ‘Seppel’ Schmitt, travelled whilst aboard the cutter Feuerland as it sailed round Cape Horn in 1928–1929.

In addition, an audiovisual presentation, organised in collaboration with Erika Schmitt, is planned for the Magallanes region from December 2026. The presentation will showcase memories, documents and personal experiences relating to this history of exploration and navigation.

As part of these commemorative activities, there are also plans for Gunther Plüschow to officially hand over original parts and historical artefacts from the cutter Feuerland to institutions, cultural organisations and museums in Punta Arenas and Puerto Williams. The aim is to preserve this significant historical heritage, make it accessible and ensure it is safeguarded for future generations.

• On the end of “Feuerland”

“These cultural activities aim not only to keep alive the memory of one of Patagonia’s most significant expeditions, but also to further deepen the historical, cultural and human ties between Germany and Chile through research, seafaring, discovery and personal exchange.”