Walter Kaudern
Walter Alexander Kaudern (March 24, 1881 – July 16, 1942) was a Swedish zoologist and ethnographer. He made research trips to Madagascar and Sulawesi. Kaudern became a Doctor of Philosophy in 1910 and in 1933 he succeeded Erland Nordenskiöld as the director of the Ethnographic collections at the Museum of Gothenburg.
Also recorded as Kaudern · W. Kaudern · Walter Alexander Kaudern
Walter Kaudern

Walter Kaudern · https: Source book page · Public domain
- Died
- 1942.
- Nationality
- Sweden.
- Occupation
- herpetologist, explorer, ethnographer, zoologist, anthropologist, painter, photographer and exlibrist.
- Education
- Stockholm University.
- Languages
- Swedish.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Walter Alexander Kaudern (March 24, 1881 – July 16, 1942) was a Swedish zoologist and ethnographer. He made research trips to Madagascar and Sulawesi. Kaudern became a Doctor of Philosophy in 1910 and in 1933 he succeeded Erland Nordenskiöld as the director of the Ethnographic collections at the Museum of Gothenburg.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Walter Kaudern (1881–1942) was an anthropologist, ethnographer and ethnologist, among other activities, of Swedish nationality. The anthropologist was born in Stockholm.
Walter Kaudern was educated at Stockholm University. The anthropologist worked for Gothenburg Museum and worked in Sulawesi.
Languages used include Swedish. Works are held at Huis van het boek and National Museum of World Cultures.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Walter Kaudern. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q5903709 · wikipedia · Walter Kaudern
In this article
Biography
Biography
From 1906 to 1907 and from 1911 to 1912, he made research trips to Madagascar and 1916–1921 to Dutch India and Sulawesi (Celebes at the time), from where he returned to Sweden with rich zoological, botanical, anthropological and ethnographic collections. In addition to the scientific papers, Kaudern published several books on his travels, På Madagascar (1913) and I Celebes obygder (2 volumes, 1921). Among his ethnographic works Ethnographical studies in Celebes (4 volumes, 1925–1929) are the most known.
Walter Kaudern studied at Stockholm University. The recorded working language is Swedish. Places of work recorded in the authority are Sulawesi. Employment is recorded with Gothenburg Museum. Work by Walter Kaudern is recorded in the collections of National Museum of World Cultures and Huis van het boek.
Key facts
Key facts
• Illustration — Trip to Sainte Marie de Marovoay in 1906 during Walter Kauderns first visit to Madagascar.
First trip to Madagascar
First trip to Madagascar
In 1906, Kaudern traveled to the northwest of Madagascar, where he spent 10 months to collect material for his doctoral dissertation on the reproductive organs of insectivorous and half-monkeys. He also collected ethnographic objects and plants. He never wrote a travel story from this trip, but in the book about the subsequent trip he reproduces some episodes from this first trip. He travelled from Sweden to Durban, South Africa with the boat Baltic. In Madagascar, Kaudern lived with the Swedish consul and entrepreneur Thure Richmann in Majunga. Photographs from this expedition are kept at the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg and the ethnographic collections are kept at the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm.
Second trip to Madagascar
Second trip to Madagascar
With the financial support of, among others, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf, in 1911, Kaudern once again traveled to Madagascar, now in the company of his wife Teres. This time, too, the trip went to the northwestern part of the island, but they also made a detour to the northeastern part of the island. The son Johan Valter was born in Madagascar in May 1912. In his book "På Madagaskar", Kaudern tells about his time in Madagascar, especially from the time of this second expedition to the island. In addition to the crown prince, he received financial support from the foundation Lars Hierta's memory, director M. Lindahl and bank manager Fraenckel. Equipment was provided by the Swedish Museum of Natural History and Gustaf Retzius assisted with anthropometric instruments. During the trip they received more financial support from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography. On March 24, the Transatlantic's steamer Tasmania left Fredrikstad with destination Durban. Due to problems with the luggage, they remained in Durban for about a month, which they spent with Georg Adlersparre and his wife. In May, they finally came to Madagascar and again, Kaudern was helped with accommodation by Thure Richmann in Majunga. In Tamatave he got to live with Christian Bang. Collections from this expedition are kept at the Museum of World Culture and the Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm.
Expedition to Celebes
Expedition to Celebes
In December 1916, Walter Kaudern, with Mrs Teres and the two sons Sven Alexander and Johan Valter, went on an expedition to Celebes (today Sulawesi). The expedition was again financed by Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and Axel A: son Johnson and it came to last four years until 1921. The purpose was initially zoological, but after meeting with the island's people, Kaudern and Teres mainly devoted themselves to exploring the culture and daily life. Kaudern returned to Sweden with more than 3000 objects, hundreds of photographs, drawings and drawings as well as 15 oil paintings which are today available at the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg. The scientific results were published in the series Ethnographical studies in Celebes. The zoological material from Sulawesi can be found at the Gothenburg Natural History Museum. During the journey, objects were also collected in Java and the Philippines.
Museum director
Museum director
During his time as director of the ethnographic collections at the Museum in Gothenburg he founded the periodical Etnologiska studier in 1935. He also took great care in re-arranging and re-creating the exhibitions in the Museum.
Identity
Identity
Walter Kaudern is recorded with the occupation anthropologist. Recorded as herpetologist, explorer, ethnographer, zoologist and anthropologist. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the headings Kaudern, W. Kaudern and Walter Alexander Kaudern. His recorded language was Swedish. He married Teres Kaudern.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1881
Walter Kaudern was born on 1 January 1881.
1942
Walter Kaudern died on 1 January 1942.
Primary material
Documents and archives
scholarly publication
- 9. A Swedish Ethnographer in Sulawesi: Walter Kaudern, Histories of Anthropology Annual, 2006
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2006
- In memoriam: Walter A. Kaudern 1881–1942, Ethnos, 1942
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 1942
- MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA: <i>Ethnological Studies 1, 2, 3.</i> WALTER KAUDERN, American Anthropologist, 1937
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 1937
reference work
- “Walter Kaudern”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5903709: Walter Kaudern
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Lindberg, Christer. 9. A Swedish Ethnographer in Sulawesi: Walter Kaudern. Histories of Anthropology Annual. 2. 1. 264–272. 2006. 1940-5138.
- 2.Wassén, Henry. In memoriam: Walter A. Kaudern 1881–1942. Ethnos. 7. 4. 173–175. 1942. 10.1080/00141844.1942.9980610.
- 3.Kaudern, Walter. På Madagaskar. Bonnier. 1913.
- 4.Kaudern, Walter. I Celibes obygder, D1. A. Bonniers Förlag. 1921.
- 5.Kaudern, Walter. I Celibes obygder, D2. A. Bonniers Förlag. 1921.
- 6.Photographs from Walter Kauderns first expedition to Madagascar (1906-1907), Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg. collections.smvk.se.
- 7.Collections from Walter Kauderns first expedition to Madagascar (1906-1907), Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm. collections.smvk.se.
- 8.Walter Kauderns andra expedition till Madagaskar (1911-1912). collections.smvk.se.
- 9.Walter Kauderns andra expedition till Madagaskar (1911 - 1912) :: forskningsresa. collections.smvk.se.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
scholarly publication
9. A Swedish Ethnographer in Sulawesi: Walter Kaudern, Histories of Anthropology Annual, 2006Crossref registry
Institutional witnessscholarly publication
In memoriam: Walter A. Kaudern 1881–1942, Ethnos, 1942Crossref registry
Institutional witnessscholarly publication
MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA: <i>Ethnological Studies 1, 2, 3.</i> WALTER KAUDERN, American Anthropologist, 1937Crossref registry
Institutional witnessreference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Photography
11,392 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Walter IoossPhotographer
- Walter John BurtonPhotographer
- Walter JosephPhotographer
- Walter KappacherPhotographer
- Walter MumaPhotographer
- Walter NiedermayrPhotographer
- Walter NurnbergPhotographer
- Walter PeterhansPhotographer
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Walter Kaudern?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.