Imagine that you are back in 1888 and listening to the defence of a doctoral thesis. The candidate's main hypothesis is that the nervous system consists of separate nerve cells rather than a continuum of tubes. This would later be known as the Neuron Doctrine. The candidate went on to become professor of zoology at the University of Oslo, establishing the Oslo school of neuroscience. He also established himself as a famous oceanographer, a world-known explorer - a polar explorer as such - and a man that made a difference for millions of European refugees.
His name was of course Nansen, Fridtjof Nansen.
The Nansen passport saving lives
In the final decade of his life, Nansen devoted himself primarily to the League of Nations, following his appointment in 1921 as the League's first High Commissioner for Refugees. In 1922, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work for the displaced victims of the First World War and related conflicts. Among the initiatives he introduced was the Nansen passport for stateless persons, a passport that became recognised by more than 50 countries. It allowed the bearer to cross borders legitimately.
The Nansen passport was much sought-after and made it possible for many people to flee to the West and establish a new life. Many of these later left a strong imprint on the world: composers Igor Stravinsky a
