Help: The mystery of Hans Hansen

I am a journlalist for NRK - the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation - wrinting a story about a man called Hans Hendrik (also written Hendrick and Henrik) Hansen. He was participating in a around the world car race from New York to Paris in 1908 (crossing America, over Behring Strait, through Russia and finally Paris).

Hansen was hired because of his knowledge of Siberia, where he allegedly was living with his family. According to the newspaper, Hansen lived in Tomsk, where he was doing mining. I have also read that he was working on the Trans Siberian railway.

Hansen was also part of a Russian search party, looking for Salomon Andrè, the Swede who was lost in the attempt to reach the North Pole in a balloon.

Hansen allegedly had a russian wife and a daughter named Lydia. He was born in Norway - in 1865 or -66. Then he left for England, USA and Russia.

On the passenger list from the ship carrying him to New York before the race in 1908, his last place of residence says "Tfilis" (I don't manage to attach the picture) or Tblisi.


Do anyone here have some tips for how I can find any information of him from his time in Russia? It is very hard to find anything, so I am happy for any help I can get.


Best, Martin Skjæraasen

Вот и я обратила внимание на эти даты

MartinS Try to ask https://www.facebook.com/profi...nds.search OLGA Hmelnickay She work in Tomsk'a arhive

Thank you very much!

Yes - your contact was bery helpful and nice. She found three documents, regarding citizenship and marriage.

It seems that Hans Hansen, also written Gans Gansen (Ганс Гансан or Ганс Ганзен), He married with Raisa Illarionovna Smirnova - later Raisa Illarionovna Gansen.

She was a Kovrovskaya philistine daughter and was 21 yrs old in 1898, when they married.

According to newspaper articles, they had a daughter called Lydia, but we didn't find any info on her.

Maybe someone else in here are able to find more details about Raisa Illarionovna Smirnova?

Some rumors said that they were seen in St. Petersburg after the race in 1908 - but I can't confirm this...