Conrad Carel Käyser | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Käyser meetsWayanas in Suriname, ca. 1936/1937 | |
| Born | (1876-11-05)November 5, 1876 |
| Died | April 26, 1939(1939-04-26) (aged 62) |
| Allegiance | Netherlands |
| Rank | Vice-admiral |
| Known for | Exploration expeditions in Suriname |
| Memorials | Kayser Mountains |
Conrad Carel Käyser (5 November 1876 – 26 April 1939) was aDutch naval officer, explorer and mountaineer. He led two expeditions inSuriname, among which the expedition at the end of the 1930s to mark theBrazilian–Surinamese border.
Conrad Carel Käyser was born on 3 November 1876 inOosterhout,North Brabant.[1]
He pursued a regular study for naval officers and had subsequent promotions in his career by theRoyal Netherlands Navy. He was appointedAdjutant First Class on 2 August 1887,Lieutenant at sea Second Class in 1900, Lieutenant at sea First Class on 1 January 1912,Captain Lieutenant at sea on 16 April 1921,Captain at sea on 1 December 1926, andSchout-bij-nacht on 26 January 1929. He finally was promoted toVice Admiral on 16 March 1931, the day he was honourably discharged from his naval service.[2]
In 1910 he was one of the members of the expedition ofEilerts de Haan to theUpper Suriname River. De Haan passed away on the way and Käyser took over the lead of the expedition. In theDutch East Indies he also seized every opportunity to engage in mountaineering, which he also pursued in Europe. From 1935 to 1938 he led the expedition to mark theBrazilian–Surinamese border. It took three years and had two intermissions inParamaribo to wait for a more favourable time of year. After his return and the signing of the border demarcation protocols withEngland andBrazil he stayed in Paramaribo for some time until his departure to the Netherlands on 24 February 1939.[3]
Shortly after his arrival he had a conversation with ministerCharles Welter on 26 April 1939 at the office in theMinistry of the Colonies inThe Hague. There, at the age of 62, Käyser suffered a sudden heart attack and medical assistance was promptly summoned in vain. On 29 April 1939, he was laid to rest at the cemetery ofOud Eik en Duinen.[2][4]
Käyser was decorated as a Knight in theOrder of the Netherlands Lion and Commander in theOrder of Orange-Nassau for his role in Suriname. Next to them, he was decorated in several foreign orders.[2] In 1939, he was posthumously awarded the rank of Grand Officer in theOrder of the Southern Cross in Brazil.[4][5] TheKäyser Mountains are named after him.[6]