Emil Bessels (1847–88)

German Arctic explorer and naturalist. Studied natural science and medicine at Heidelberg and Jena. Took part in a German expedition to Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya, 1869. Lead scientist on US Arctic expedition aboard Polaris, which reached Smith Sound, 1871–3; published the scientific results in 1876. Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 1876–86.