Polarquest2018 meets the descendants of the ITALIA Airship crew in Rome


Laura and Paola De Grassi di Pianura, grand-daughters of Adalberto Mariano and Filippo Belloni, grandson of Filippo Zappi consulting the archives of the Italian Geographical Society, looking for administration documents linked to their participation in the ITALIA expedition in 1928.
The “Italian Polar Expedition” was given its formal approval in the same room by the then-Reale Società Geografica Italiana.
Adalberto Mariano and Filippo Zappi, together with the Swedish Malmgren, left the Red Tent on foot out of despair following several days with no response to Biagi’s SOS messages, which were being sent out every 55 minutes. They tried to reach land walking on the pack. (Photo: Flavia Ruggeri)

Petter Johannesen, descendant of Norwegian polar hero Roald Amundssen, shaking hands with Michele Tomaselli, grandson of Cesco Tomaselli, one of the guest journalists who joined the ITALIA expedition. Michele Tomaselli is also a journalist. In the background, Massimo Inguscio, president of CNR (Italian Research Council). (Photo: Flavia Ruggeri)