Charles John Andersson

Karl Johan Andersson ( born March 4, 1827 in the Swedish province of Värmland, † July 5, 1867 in Ukuambi, Namibia ) was a Swedish adventurer, explorer, merchant, Herero leader and writer, deals with the development and exploration of south-west Africa (now Namibia) employed.

Biography

Andersson landed as companion to the African explorer Francis Galton on 20 August 1850 in the South West African port city of Walvis Bay with the aim of Ovamboland in the north of the country and the way to Lake Ngami in Bechuanaland, now Botswana to explore.

1851 both set off on a tour to Ovamboland and arrived on May 20, In 1851, Otjikotosee at Tsumeb. Shortly thereafter, both discovered the first Europeans to the Etosha Pan. In recognition of his services to the exploration of the northern parts of the country lying at the Okaukuejo South entrance of the later founded Etosha National Park was named after Andersson. Galton and Andersson continued their journey, roamed several months Ovamboland, but failed to match the Kunene.

1853 they moved to the east to Lake Ngami. Andersson, who produced numerous recordings for the fauna and flora of his journey to and published them under the title of Lake Ngami (London 1856, 2 vols, in German Lake Ngami, 1858 in Leipzig ) on the occasion of a short European stay.

1856 Andersson returned back to the Cape where he met the English big-game hunter and adventurer Frederick Green. The latter reported Andersson of his intention to want to go on a hunting trip on the Kunene River. Since Andersson had not achieved this goal on his first trip to Ovamboland, he saw a possibility here, this omission, together with Green. Green was sent off. Andersson tried preparing, after he had married in 1860, thereby improving its economic situation that he accepted the proffered temporary position of Director of Walfishbay mining company in Otjimbingwe. After the expiration of his contract in 1859 Andersson was his friend Green follow the Kunene. Instead of the Kunene however discovered Andersson 1860 the Okavango. Also, Green did not find the Kunene and so both returned to Ojimbingwe. His travel memories Andersson published in 1863 in the book The Okavango River ( London, 1861; German: The Okavango current expeditions and hunting adventures in South-West Africa (Leipzig, 1863 ). ).

In Otjimbingwe Andersson founded a successful trading house. He sold guns, ammunition, alcohol, clothing, household goods and hardware, swapped ostrich feathers, cattle, sheep and ivory. Andersson auctioned the whole place Otjimbingwe including many buildings and a copper mine. For the protection of both Andersson created a well-equipped, armed with two guns, a private army of Herero volunteers. Otjimbingwe flourished in these years. Trade with guns, ammunition, clothing, household goods, alcohol, and are important for the spears iron bars flourished. Cattle, sheep, ivory and ostrich feathers were exchanged.

1863 experienced the life Andersson and the place Otjimbingwe a dramatic turn. The young Herero chief Maharero had fled to a troubled time in Windhoek with his people to Otjimbingwe to get to safety before the people of the Africans. In fact, the new Kaptein of Africans, Christian Africans appeared on 15 June 1863 with a group of followers before Otjimbingwe to punish both Maharero for his high-handedness as well as the rich place Otjimbingwe to plunder. In a joint effort, however, managed Maharero and Andersson, both to prevent and repel the attack bloody. Christian Africans also lost his life, so that Jan Jonker Afrikaner was Kapteinsnachfolger. Maharero was named after this successful battle to the head chief of all the Herero and appointed his hand Andersson in recognition of his assistance in the defense Otjimbingwes to " rulers and military commanders of all Herero for life " - a unique and never repetitive ceremony for Europeans in South-West Africa.

Andersson tried to be worthy of this honor and was planning an attack on the Africans, to force them to the peace agreement. Maharero and Green led accordingly in 1864 a very successful strike against the Africans. In a vendetta Africans raided a run of Green large commercial transport near Rehoboth. This in turn led Andersson for general mobilization of all Herero; in no time he could muster 3,000 armed combatants and repositioning with them in the mountain gorges of Seeis fleeing Africans. On June 22, 1864, came at Seeis the decisive battle, the Andersson - battle, with the Africans. While Andersson and remained the Herero winner, but had suffered heavy losses and Andersson himself was severely wounded.

The Herero followed Andersson no longer as readily as before, and his merchandise in Otjimbingwe had been damaged in the multiple wars. Thus, Andersson decided in 1865 to sell Otjimbingwe to the missionary Hahn, who established a mission colony. Andersson moved to Walvis Bay over to there under better sign - finally Walvis Bay was the only seaport on the southwest coast of Africa to Cape Town - to establish a new commercial enterprise. From Walvis Bay from Andersson took then another very successful Handelszug to Ovamboland. He founded in Ondonga a branch of his company, and then finally reached still the Kunene. Here Andersson became seriously ill and died on July 5, 1867 at Ukuambi.

Works

• Notes of travel in South Africa. London 1875
• Travelling in South-West Africa to Lake Ngami in 1850-54. Leipzig 1857
• The Okavango River. Expeditions and hunting adventures in southwest Africa. Leipzig 1863