During World War II, the only acts of warfare in Antarctica took place due to the operations of the German Navy's auxiliary cruisers. These were armed merchant ships disguised as vessels of other nations to avoid detection by Allied patrols. Their mission was to sink or capture enemy ships. In Antarctica, they were responsible for the largest naval capture operation of the entire conflict, which led to the only war engagement between two nations on this continent.

Else, Alfred Wegener's wife, has created a lasting monument to the polar explorer by publishing her husband's diaries and letters, supplemented by her own memories. The German Society for Polar Research elected her an honorary member and introduced an Else Wegener Medal, which is awarded for merits in public relations, knowledge transfer and the promotion of young talent.

Two PhD candidates from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) were supported by the German Society of Polar Research (DGP) in attending the 10th International Conference on Arctic Margins in 2025 in Bremen, Germany. The conference covered topics such as tectonics and sedimentology, teaching and outreach, and history and geopolitics. The small size of the Arctic geoscience community made the conference an excellent platform for networking and scientific discussions.

I submit a review of the interesting book by Patrick De Deckker on the Belgica expedition 1897-1899. It describes the expedition and evaluates the results for the first time.

Review of the book by Bernadette Hince "Cold Words - A Polar Dictionary".

This an obituary in German for the late Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Spaeth, a polar researcher who participated in six Antarctic expeditions between 1982 and 1994.

Penguins have survived for over 60 million years, yet many colonies are now changing rapidly. This overview links fossils, ancient colony remains, and modern surveys to place today’s trends in a long context. Some populations are expanding, but ice-dependent species are at high risk where sea ice breaks up earlier, and food shortages can worsen where fishing overlaps. These results support protecting key breeding and feeding areas, and limiting disturbance and catches in possible warming scenarios.

Lewis Juckes tells his once-in-a-lifetime adventure of being a young geologist in East Antarctica. Sent on a 2-year trip by Prof. Lester King to find geological evidence for a former connection between southern Africa and East Antarctica in Gondwana, he not only has to deal with a hostile climate and complex geology but also needs to master a dog-sled team.

The International Conference on Permafrost 2024 brought together researchers and local voices in Whitehorse, Canada, to explore diverse perspectives on permafrost thaw and adaptation to the changing Arctic environments. With support from the German Society for Polar Research, three early career researchers from Germany joined this global exchange, gaining insight, inspiration, and valuable new connections within the scientific community.