Following the most eccentric Czech adventurer: Jan “Eskimo” Welzl
In Zábřeh, a small town in eastern Czech Republic, everyone knows Jan “Eskimo” Welzl. Born here in 1868, Welzl became one of the most remarkable and unconventional figures of Czech history – a self-taught traveller who ventured through the Siberian Arctic, lived among Indigenous communities, and spent his final years in Dawson City, Yukon. Nearly a century later, his legacy still connects Zábřeh and Dawson City, now cemented by an official partnership.
To learn more about Jan Welzl, the best place to start is Zábřeh’s Museum. It is housed in the very building where his mother once ran a small dairy shop. Since 2020, the museum’s attic is fully devoted to Jan Welzl. As I set out to understand who Welzl was, I began to see the broader significance of the cheerful, robust man with a large moustache.
Around the World with Jan “Eskimo” Welzl
Welzl’s extraordinary life began with journeys across Europe, which eventually carried him ever farther afield. Though literate, trained as a blacksmith, and known for his practical skills, he could reportedly neither read maps nor use a compass. He also always travelled alone, without the organized expeditions typical of his era. As Zábřeh’s mayor, František John, puts it: “He simply went wherever work took him.”
Welzl worked on Austro-Hungarian ships and other odd jobs before ending up in Siberia, where he helped build the Trans-Siberian Railway. From there, he continued north, drawn to remote empty landscapes. He spent several years among the Indigenous peoples of the New Siberian Islands and allegedly became a ‘chief.’ He also travelled to Alaska, mainly trading in fur.
During one of his journeys, in 1924, Welzl’s ship was wrecked off the U.S. Pacific coast, leading U.S. authorities to deport him back to Europe. In this way, he had unwillingly travelled once around the globe – setting out eastward and returning from the west. When he returned, the Czech lands were no longer part of Austro-Hungary but an independent Czechoslovakia – an era marked by optimism and freedom known as the First Republic.
John describes the atmosphere when Welzl first returned to Zábřeh in the 1920s: “It caused a big sensation. He shared stories of his travels - mostly in local pubs, where people would listen to him once they had managed to recognize him. They divided between those who believed him and those who thought he was making it all up.”
Welzl did indeed have a tendency to embellish his stories, making them sound rather unbelievable. Many of his exaggerations made it into books that began to be published on the basis of his tales. His adventures were first featured in the journal Lidové noviny, and journalists Golombek and Valenta later compiled three books from his accounts, gradually turning Welzl into a household name. He even met with the first Czechoslovak president, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk – a testament to the prominent place he held in society.
However, he did not stay in Czechoslovakia long. His longing for cold, desolate landscapes led him in June 1929 to travel via Hamburg to Dawson City, Yukon. From there, he hoped to return to the New Siberian Islands, but Soviet authorities denied him entry. Instead, he remained in Dawson City until his death in 1948 and was buried in the town’s public cemetery.
Why Jan “Eskimo” Welzl continues to inspire
What is striking about Welzl’s stories is that it hardly matters whether every detail is true. There is no doubt that he travelled extensively, and his detailed knowledge clearly reflects this. Yet his tales take on a significance that goes beyond mere facts. As John puts it: “It’s also important to understand how he interpreted those experiences over the years, and how we can view his story today.”
Welzl’s enduring appeal is evident even far from his native land. Patrik Pikálek, a Czech resident of Dawson City who moved there thirteen years ago, was surprised to discover that tourist information was available in Czech. He noted: “a lot of Czech people come to Dawson, and many of them treat it as a pilgrimage to Welzl’s grave. There are a lot of people here, who know about him.”
When asked why this figure remains so important to Czechs, Pikálek’s answer was clear: “When I was doing my own research about him, I learned that during the communist era he became a symbol of freedom for the Czech people. The idea of freedom, travel, and living completely independently was very inspiring during the communist regime.”
Zdeněk David, director of Zábřeh’s Cultural Centre, shares a similar view. When asked whether Welzl’s legacy still influences everyday life in Zábřeh, he does not hesitate: “Definitely. It’s really about a longing for freedom, courage, adventure, and discovery. Those ideas still resonate today.”
In Zábřeh, Welzl’s legacy endures through local traditions, including Welzlování – an annual festival celebrating travellers, adventurers, and eccentrics, now preparing for its 22nd edition. “One of the most memorable moments was in 2013, when 579 people gathered in the town square with suitcases in hand, earning us a place in the Czech Book of Records,” David recalls.
Although, as Pikálek puts it, “Zábřeh and Dawson City are totally different worlds,” since 2024, the two towns are officially connected by a partnership based on the enduring legacy of Jan “Eskimo” Welzl.
Listen to the full audio feature, with a special excerpt from Welzl’s stories.
