Obituary

Abstract

Baron Gaston de Gerlache de Gomery died on 13 July 2006 at the age of 86 (Fig. 1). On 11 January 1958, the 60 year old flag of Belgica flew once more in Antarctica when a short ceremony marked the construction of a geophysical observatory in Dronning Maud Land. This Belgian contribution to the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957–1958, as well as the subsequent Belgian Antarctic programmes were made possible thanks to the interest, initiative and unrelenting effort of Baron Gaston de Gerlache de Gomery. Like his famous father Adrien de Gerlache, at the end of the previous century, he managed to convince politicians and scientists that the world was not confined by the borders of Belgium.