Georg August Schweinfurth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georg August Schweinfurth
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| Born | 29 December 1836 |
| Died | 19 September 1925 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | Baltic German |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Botany |
Georg August Schweinfurth (born December 29, 1836 – died September 19, 1925) was a famous Baltic German botanist and ethnologist. He was known for his exciting journeys and discoveries in East Central Africa.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Georg Schweinfurth was born in Riga, which was part of the Russian Empire at the time. He loved learning and studied at several universities. These included Heidelberg, Munich, and Berlin from 1856 to 1862. He especially focused on plants and ancient life forms.
Adventures in Africa
Schweinfurth became very interested in Sudan. This happened after he helped organize collections from that region. In 1863, he began his own travels. He explored the areas around the Red Sea and the Nile River. He then traveled to Khartoum before returning to Europe in 1866.
His discoveries caught a lot of attention. In 1868, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation asked him to lead a big science trip. This mission was to the inner parts of East Africa.
Exploring the Congo-Nile Watershed
In January 1869, Schweinfurth started his journey from Khartoum. He traveled up the White Nile to the Bahr el Ghazal River. From there, he joined a group of ivory traders. They traveled through lands where the Diur, Dinka, Bongo, and Niam-Niam people lived.
He then crossed the Congo-Nile watershed. This is a high area that separates rivers flowing to the Congo from those flowing to the Nile. He entered the country of the Mangbetu people.
Discovering the Uele River
On March 19, 1870, Schweinfurth made a big discovery. He found the Uele River. He noticed it flowed west, meaning it was not connected to the Nile. He thought it might be part of the Chad river system. It took many more years for scientists to confirm its connection to the Congo River.
Finding the Uele River was one of his greatest achievements in geography. He also helped map the Bahr el Ghazal River system better.
Learning About People and Nature
Schweinfurth learned a lot about the people, plants, and animals of Central Africa. He described the Mangbetu and their customs. He also discovered the pygmy Aka people. This discovery proved that there were dwarf races living in tropical Africa.
Sadly, a fire in his camp in December 1870 destroyed almost everything he had collected. Despite this, he returned to Khartoum in July 1871. He later wrote a book about his journey called Im Herzen von Afrika (In the Heart of Africa).
Later Expeditions and Work
From 1873 to 1874, Schweinfurth joined another expedition. This time, he went with Friedrich Gerhard Rohlfs into the Libyan Desert.
In 1875, he moved to Cairo, Egypt. There, he helped start a geographical society. He spent most of his time studying African history and cultures. He explored the Arabian Desert from 1876 to 1888. During this time, he also studied the geology and plants in the Faiyum area and the Nile Valley.
In 1889, he moved back to Berlin. However, he continued his travels. He visited the Italian colony of Eritrea in 1891, 1892, and 1894. Georg Schweinfurth passed away in Berlin.
His many travel stories and research findings were published in books and magazines. One of his notable works is Artes Africanae, which showed illustrations and descriptions of crafts from Central African tribes.
See also
In Spanish: Georg August Schweinfurth para niños
