Michael Rockefeller: biography, versions of the disappearance

Michael Rockefeller was an American researcher in the field of ethnography and anthropology. In addition, he had a direct relationship to the Rockefeller family, his father was a famous politician and banker.

The fate of the ethnographer is shrouded in mystery, as he disappeared in 1961 during the expedition to New Guinea. The most popular in the press is the version that it was eaten by the cannibals of one of the tribes. This statement is based on the fact that the researcher was sent to the Aboriginal tribe, which was distinguished by its bloodthirstiness. Who this person was and what he did in Oceania, you can learn from the article.

Rockefellers

Michael was the representative of the richest family of America of that time. The Rockefeller family symbolizes wealth. Its representatives are some kind of icon of economic and political culture.

Members of this family belong to the largest law firms, military structures, the media, lobbying organizations. They became a legendary dynasty thanks to the work of John Rockefeller, Jr., who lived in the nineteenth century and was involved in the oil industry and finance. No less famous representative of this family was Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller, which should also be told a little. It was he who sponsored his son and sought him after his disappearance.

Famous politician

Michael Rockefeller was the son of an influential man in America. Nelson Aldrich was not just a banker, he was engaged in political activities and quite well succeeded in this. In 1974-1977 he was vice president of the United States.

He started working in banks in New York, London and Paris. With his name is associated the creation of the famous in New York Rockefeller Center, the construction and finishing which he supervised.

The banker has been engaged in politics since the forties of the last century. He was a member of the Republican Party. Under Dwight Eisenhower's rule, he was deputy minister, and later - special assistant to the head of state on foreign policy issues.

In 1959-1973, Nelson was Governor of New York. All this time he tried to run for president, but to no avail. All four attempts did not find sufficient support among representatives of his party.

The politician died on 26.01.1979 from a heart attack that originated during sexual intercourse with his mistress. At the time of his death, he was seventy years old.

Nelson Aldrich was married twice and had seven children:

• Rodman;
• Ann;
• Stephen;
• Mary;
• Michael;
• Nelson;
• Mark.

It is noteworthy that Mary and Michael were twins. Further all the details will concern only the life of Michael.

Biography

Michael Rockefeller was born on May 18, 1938. His father, as we said, is banker Nelson Aldrich, and grandfather is the first dollar billionaire John. All of them wore the name Rockefeller.

Since childhood, the boy was interested in antiquity. This enthusiasm was fully supported by the father. From a young age he spent time at the Institute of Anthropology, which existed at the expense of his family's contributions. Deciding to become a scientist, Michael entered Harvard University, which he graduated in 1960.

After this, the young man served several months in the army. He sought to become a member of a scientific expedition to Oceania to assemble his own collection of subjects that would tell about the life of Aboriginal people. The father also supported his son and financed the expedition.

Michael Rockefeller, whose biography is considered in the article, was able to set off on the road in the autumn of 1961.

Expedition to Oceania

Having agreed with the Dutch ethnographer, whose name was Rene Wassing, Michael Rockefeller left for Oceania. At the place of their arrival, they hired two residents for themselves as guides. They were called Leo and Simon.

Together they moved from the village to the village, exchanging from the aborigines art, including applied art. In return, they offered metal products, among which axes and hooks were very popular.

The researchers were not enough seen and received. They were attracted to the idea of meeting with a tribe of cannibals, which was distinguished by its bloodthirstiness.

Skull buyers

Some Papuans offered white scholars kushi. So they called dried and decorated human skulls. They managed to collect an impressive collection, which they transferred to the New York Museum.

If the researchers had stopped on this, perhaps their fate would have been different. Missing scientists decided to take a chance and go to the asmatics.

Journey to the Asmatam

Expedition to the bloodthirsty tribes began on November 18, 1961. Missing researchers decided to get to the desired village along the river. To do this, they exchanged a homemade boat from the Papuans, hung a motor to it and set out on their journey. The boat was overloaded, but the young people did not pay attention to it.

They needed to swim three kilometers, and they hoped that there would be no problems. Michael decided to send ashore guides to swim to help. Leo and Simon got to the ground, but lost in the jungle. Rescuers found them in a couple of days.

The scientists were left to wait for help, but the boat was covered with a big wave and turned it over. Renee decided to stay afloat with the help of a wreck of a swimming device, and his friend swam to the shore and disappeared there.

A few hours later, Renee was discovered using a seaplane of the Dutch Navy, and the Tasman schooner took him aboard. Renee was in a fainting state and was able to tell about what had happened when he came to himself.

Huge forces were thrown in search of a rich heir. During them they combed the forest, the bottom of the river, interviewed the natives. No traces were found. The father, who flew from New York, spent a huge amount of money on the search, but they were unsuccessful. The mystery is that even the body of the scientist was not found, so inconsolable Nelson Rockefeller had no choice but to return home with nothing.

The tragedy in the family did not affect the career of the politician, who, having returned home, took the post of vice-president of the United States. In memory of his son, he completed the wing to the Metropolitan Museum. It bears the name of the missing scientist. It exhibits exhibits of primitive art.

Version of the devouring

Where did Michael Rockefeller go? The reason for the death of an ethnographer, probably, will remain one of the mysteries of the last century. Many media outlets are feeding the version that Michael was eaten by bloodthirsty aborigines. It is assumed that he managed to swim to the shore and get to the asmatas.

From the words of one of the missionaries it became known that the representatives of this tribe carried the clothes of the missing American. They even showed human bones allegedly owned by Rockefeller. But it was not possible to find out all the details, as Christian Ian Smith died.

There was another witness, also a missionary, who reported that he had heard from the aborigines about the murdered young man. It is noteworthy that on the skull, which was kept by the shaman of this tribe, there were "iron eyes". Most likely, these were the researcher's glasses, which he never took off. But nobody could find this skull.

Why could Asmatas eat the researcher? The first reason could be the belief that cannibals ate their enemies to master their strength and skill. The second reason could be that the Aborigines believed in a sea monster that comes out of the water in human form with fair skin. And when the son of the billionaire left the river, they got scared and killed him.

Other versions of the disappearance

The American ethnographer could not die at all by the hands and teeth of the aborigines. Put forward the version that he drowned in the river, was eaten by crocodiles. However, the river was combed carefully enough and did not find anything that would confirm this. And the version with crocodiles seems unlikely, as the conductors and Renee were also in the water for a long time, but not a single crocodile touched them.

There is no definitive answer to the question of the disappearance of a young man to this day.

Documentary film

How can you find out more about the tragic expedition in which Michael Rockefeller disappeared? "Secrets of the Century" created and released a documentary on the screens, which was named "Missing Rockefeller Expedition".

The film was released in 2003, its duration is thirty-nine minutes. Oleg Ryaskov became the director of the picture. He was also the executive producer of this and other documentary films from the series. Under his leadership, 30 films of this series were released.

"Secrets of the century" are devoted to riddles and facts that have not been unambiguously interpreted among the historical community. By the end of each release, the viewer can choose for himself one of the suggested points of view.