Hannes Lindemann – DoctorsTalents

Hans-Günther[1] “Hannes” Lindemann (* 28 December 1922 – † 17 April 2015[2]) was a German physician, sailing pioneer, canoeist and author who became known for his Atlantic crossings in very small boats.

Interview with WDR5 on his 90th birthday in 2012 and report.

From 1955 onwards, he conducted several self-experiments to test the ability of a shipwrecked sailor to survive on the high seas under extreme psychological and physical stress. In 1955, he sailed the Atlantic in a dugout canoe, the Liberia, measuring 7.70 m x 0.70 m and weighing approximately 600 kg, specially built in Liberia. The following year, he sailed in an even smaller folding canoe (5.20 m x 0.87 m, 27 kg), the Liberia III.

Lindemann equipped a standard two-seater Klepper folding boat of the Aerius II type with 60 cans of food, 96 cans of milk and 72 cans of beer, and 3 liters of water and crossed the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to St. Martin in the Netherlands Antilles. Although he carried a sextant for navigation, a floating anchor for rest breaks, and fishing tackle, he did not use a stove and ate the fish he caught raw. Lindemann cast doubt on Alain Bombard’s theory, which was discussed at the time, that shipwrecked sailors could meet their drinking water needs solely from salt water or the flesh of caught fish: he survived only by supplementing his supplies with collected rainwater. During the 72 days of the Atlantic crossing, he lost 25 kilograms of body weight and survived several hurricanes and two capsizes. He attributed his success to careful mental preparation for his journey through autogenic training and autosuggestion.

Lindemann subsequently enjoyed success as an author: “Alone Across the Ocean” is a logbook-like account of his first voyages. “One Man, One Boat, Two Continents” describes the experiences of a third Atlantic crossing in 1960 and summarizes conversations with African statesmen and with Albert Schweitzer, with whom he worked for a time as a doctor in Lambaréné (Gabon). He wrote several works on the subject of autogenic training, worked as a health educator for the German Red Cross, and taught at the University of Bonn on the topics of autogenic training and mental hygiene. His guidebooks have appeared in numerous editions.