5R8TT 5R8XX Team will be active from Madagascar, October - November 2025.
Team - Members of the Italian DX Pedition Team.
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They will operate on HF Bands.
QSL via I2YSB, LOTW.
Madagascar: adventurers, pirates and French baguettes
For the state of Madagascar to exist in its present form, many strange and almost unbelievable things had to happen. Someday the story of the Indian Ocean island will be the basis for an exciting TV series, but for now you can learn about it in this article.
Madagascar. Author - Ray.
The history of Madagascar: the mixing of peoples, Marco Polo and the pirate state
Much about the history of Madagascar seems too amazing to be true. The island next to South Africa is actually a sliver of land that split off from India. It was settled two and a half thousand years ago. It is not clear which of the colonists landed on Madagascar earlier: representatives of the African Bantu tribes or Austronesians. The latter had to cross a whole ocean by canoe to reach the uncharted land. The Austronesians settled in the central parts of the island, while the Africans settled on the coast. After a thousand years of separate existence, the descendants of colonists from different parts of the world began to enter into mixed marriages. This is how the modern Malagasy people came into being.
Madagascar owes its name to Marco Polo. The famous traveler heard about the island during his wanderings in Africa. The name first appeared in the “Book of Wonders of the World” - a collection of stories by Marco Polo, recorded by his cellmate in a Genoese prison.
Europeans were convinced of Madagascar's existence two centuries later. Portuguese navigators searching for a route to India landed on the island in 1500. Despite the strategic importance of Madagascar, the world powers did not colonize it. Pirates took advantage of this. During the 17th century, the island was a paradise for sea robbers. They robbed European ships that carried cargo from India. For some time, the inhabitants of the Old World even believed that there was a real state in Madagascar, founded by pirates.
The pirate state, which did not exist, was invented by one Captain Charles Johnson. Probably under this pseudonym hid Daniel Defoe - the writer who told the story of Robinson Crusoe. Johnson's book, published in 1724, became a bestseller and went through several editions. Its popularity and sensationalism for a long time made researchers skeptical of the facts presented in it. It is now believed that much of the information given by Johnson-Defoe is true. Fiction are only the biography of one of the famous pirates and the existence of a state called Libertalia. The myth of a state ruled by pirates was so fascinating that the reality of Libertalia is still debated.
Madagascar. Author - Simone Pagliuca.
The French Conquest and Hitler's amazing plan
A century of great European adventurers has left its mark on Madagascar's history. No, neither Casanova nor Cagliostro visited the island. Instead, it was Hungarian hussar Moritz von Benevsky. The son of an Austrian colonel, disinherited by his father and was in Russian exile for participation in the Polish liberation movement, never got discouraged. He managed to make such an impression on the French ministers that they suggested von Benevsky to begin the conquest of Madagascar. In a strange way, the adventurer was able to fulfill the responsible mission entrusted to him. In 1774, he arrived on the island and founded a colony there, and two years later the local tribes elected him supreme ruler of Madagascar. To von Benevsky's annoyance, there was a change of ruler in France. The new king was skeptical of the foreigner's success and did not send reinforcements to the island. Moritz von Benevsky returned to France, where he was greeted as a hero. Since the envoy of the French monarch failed to find any minerals in Madagascar, it was decided to abandon plans to colonize the island.
The French did establish their rule in Madagascar in 1883, at the end of the colonial era. The finalization of colony status occurred in 1897. The Europeans were quite proud of the new acquisition. In the press, the series of invasions of the island became known as the Madagascar Wars. The final victory was celebrated with a famous patriotic poster. It depicted a military man thrusting a flagpole bearing the French flag into the island. It seemed that in the next century the descendants of the Gauls will claim overseas territories, so shortsightedly missed them because of a series of revolutions in their native country.
However, events developed quite differently. In 1940, the Third Republic fell and the Vichy regime was established on a large part of its territory. Its representatives controlled the island for two more years. When the Allies began to fear that the Japanese navy began to use Madagascar as a military base, it was decided to attack. In November 1942, the British managed to defeat the combined forces of Vichy France and Japan. Madagascar passed to the United Kingdom, and a little later was handed over to Fighting France, a liberation movement that took on the role of a government-in-exile.
During the brief period when Madagascar was controlled by the Vichy regime, the island was part of a large-scale Nazi plan. The idea of forcibly relocating European Jews to Madagascar first emerged in the late 19th century. The Nazis remembered it when they established a puppet regime in France. Germany's top leadership, headed by Hitler, considered the idea feasible. According to the “Madagascar” plan, the deportation of 4 million Jews to the island was to take 4 years. The Nazis did not intend to leave the settlers to themselves. It was assumed that a huge ghetto would be formed on Madagascar and run by the SS. Hitler believed that the fate of the Jews deported to the island could be blackmailed to the United States: for the Americans' withdrawal from the anti-Hitler coalition, he could promise to preserve the lives of the settlers.
After the end of World War II, Madagascar was once again in the status of a French colony. A rebellion broke out on the island, which was suppressed. However, it was impossible to fight against the course of history: in 1960 Madagascar gained independence.
During their short reign by historical standards, the French managed to bring to the island their main cultural achievement - the baguette. The long buns with a crispy crust are still sold everywhere on the island. French remains one of the two official languages of Madagascar.
Madagascar. Author - Janos Demeter.
Madagascar today: what does the island attract and frighten travelers?
The island is known above all for its biodiversity. Stepping on Madagascar's land, it's easy to think you've stepped onto another planet. Scientists estimate that 90% of local plant and animal species are endemic - that is, not found anywhere else in the world.
Despite this, tourism is not a significant source of revenue for the state budget. Flying to the island is expensive, staying on it is uncomfortable.
Madagascar does not have the best infrastructure. It is not even about the lack of good hotels, but about the minimal development of transportation. You can travel around the island only by jeep, as you will have to move mainly on unasphalted roads. Travelers definitely need a guide to explain themselves to the locals. In the villages, travelers risk begging from children: all white Malagasy consider all white people rich, so the children do not want to let the guests go without receiving a gift from them.
The choice of places to sleep and eat is extremely limited. Tourists usually have to settle for the only option available. No matter how much money you have, there is a chance that you will spend the night in a room with cockroaches.
Not everyone will dare to pay several thousand dollars for a vacation in such conditions.
Interesting facts about Madagascar
Madagascar has no railroad network, there are only two unconnected sections. The larger one is mainly used for transportation of goods. The second goes from the interior of the island to the coast. It was built because the natural conditions did not allow conventional roads to be built.
Many Malagasy people live their lives without ever seeing the ocean. The local population does not travel as it is very expensive. For those born in the interior of the island, the beauty of the coast is inaccessible.
The streets of the cities are full of old cars. On the island you can see models that have been discontinued decades ago.
Malagasy people consume more rice than the Chinese, who are considered the main fans of this cereal.
