How Mt Hagen got its name

 

History With Dave presents to you another interesting Story based on how Mt Hagen got its name.

Mount Hagen is a city located in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. It is named after the German explorer, Curt von Hagen, who was one of the first Europeans to explore the area in the late 1800s. Von Hagen was part of a German expedition to the region to study the flora and fauna.

During his explorations, von Hagen climbed several peaks in the region, including what is now known as Mount Hagen. The mountain was later named in his honor as a tribute to his contributions and achievements. Today, Mount Hagen is acknowledged as one of the most popular trekking destinations in the country.

In 1896, a German Botanist named Dr Carl Lauterbach, while exploring the Sepik River, ascended the Yuat River ( a tributary of the Sepik R ),and made camp at it's junction with the Sour. 

In order to get a better view of the surrounding countryside, he climbed a mountain the ranges edging the Great Wahgi Valley. He wrote in his diary, " to the south lies a striking mountain ". He named it Mt Hagen, after Captain Kurt von Hagen, then Acting Administrator of German New Guinea.

Captain Kurt von Hagen is buried at Bogadjim (Bogati), in Madang. Bogati was the centre of the German New Guinea Compagnie in German times.

Australian explorers, Patrol Officers, Missionaries later penetrated the Highlands Region. In 1933, the Leahy brothers discovered the Hagen area. The rest is history. But the German name of Mt Hagen remained.

Source : Hagen Saga, by Mary R Mennis, 1982

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