Schirmacher Hills is a line of low coastal hills, 11 nautical miles (20 km) long, with numerous meltwater ponds (Schirmacher Oasis

Schirmacher Oasis

The Schirmacher Oasis is a 25 km long and up to 3 km wide ice-free plateau with more than 100 fresh water lakes. It is situated in the Schirmacher Hills on the Princess Astrid Coast in Queen Maud Land in East Antarctica, and is on average 100 metres above sea level...

), standing 40 nautical miles (70 km) north of the Humboldt Mountains

Humboldt Mountains

Humboldt Mountains is a group of mountains immediately west of the Petermann Ranges, forming the westernmost portion of the Wohlthat Mountains in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. They were discovered and mapped by the Third German Antarctic Expedition , led by Capt...

 along the coast of Queen Maud Land

Queen Maud Land

Queen Maud Land is a c. 2.7 million-square-kilometre region of Antarctica claimed as a dependent territory by Norway. The territory lies between 20° west and 45° east, between the British Antarctic Territory to the west and the Australian Antarctic Territory to the east. The latitudinal...

. Discovered by the Third German Antarctic Expedition under Alfred Ritscher

Alfred Ritscher

Alfred Ritscher was a German polar explorer. A captain in the German Navy, he led the third German Antarctic Expedition in 1938-39, which mapped the New Swabia area of Queen Maud Land. Ritscher Peak and Ritscher Upland there are named for him.-External links:*...

, 1938–39, and named for Richardheinrich Schirmacher, pilot of the Boreas, one of the expedition seaplanes.