Karl Johan Andersson

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Karl Johan Andersson (from HB Scammel, 1890)

Karl Johan Andersson (born March 4, 1827 in the Swedish province of Värmland , † July 5, 1867 in Ukuambi , South West Africa , today Namibia ), often erroneously Anderson (with an s ), was a Swedish adventurer, explorer , trader and writer , who dealt with the development and exploration of South West Africa, today's Namibia.

Life

Explorer

Andersson landed as a companion of the Africa explorer Francis Galton on August 20, 1850 in the southwest African port city of Walvis Bay with the aim of exploring Ovamboland in the north of the country and the way to Lake Ngami in Bechuanaland, today's Botswana .

In 1851 both set out on a tour to Ovamboland and reached Lake Otjikoto near Tsumeb on May 20, 1851 . A short time later, both of them were the first Europeans to discover the Etosha pan . In recognition of his services to the exploration of the northern parts of the country, the south entrance of the later established Etosha National Park near Okaukuejo was named after Andersson. Galton and Andersson continued their journey, roaming the Ovamboland for several months, but without reaching the Kunene.

In 1853 they moved east to Lake Ngami. Andersson made numerous notes on the fauna and flora of his trip and published them under the title Lake Ngami (London 1856, 2 volumes; in German Ngami-See , 1858 in Leipzig) on ​​the occasion of a short stay in Europe.

In 1856 Andersson returned to the Cape and met the English big game hunter and adventurer Frederick Green there . The latter told Andersson about his plan to go on a hunting tour on the Kunene. Since Andersson had not achieved this goal on his first trip to Ovamboland, he saw an opportunity here to make up for it together with Green. Green went straight away. Andersson tried to prepare, after he had married in 1860, to improve his economic situation by accepting the temporary position offered to him as director of the Walfishbay Mining Company (WBMC) in Otjimbingwe . After his contract expired, Andersson was able to follow his friend Green to the Kunene in 1859. Instead of the Kunene, however, Andersson discovered the Okavango in 1860 . Green didn't find the Kunene either and so they both returned to Ojimbingwe. Andersson published his travel memories in 1863 in the book The Okavango River (London 1861; German: Der Okavango-Strom. Journeys of discovery and hunting adventures in South West Africa (Leipzig 1863)).

Trader in what is now Namibia

Gate to Etosha National Park named after Andersson

Andersson had, however, acquired extensive knowledge of the economic and political situation in central Namibia. In April 1860 he bought the WBMC building and warehouse in Otjimbingue. With the permission of Jonker Afrikaner , he set up a trading company. With credit from Cape Town wholesalers, he built warehouses in Otjimbingue and Walvis Bay and, in turn, equipped traders and hunters on credit, who offset ivory , ostrich feathers and cattle. Almost all Europeans and some Herero cattle farmers in the region were trading through his shop. Andersson himself mainly traded in cattle and ivory. Between 1860 and 1862, he and a partner exported at least 13,400 to 14,400 pounds of ivory. Conversely, he mainly imported weapons, ammunition and alcohol. It is true that Andersson initially made large profits. But he soon got into financial difficulties. His attempts to monopolize the cattle trade brought him into conflict with various Nama chiefs.

Overland trade made herds susceptible to lung disease epidemics. So leaders of the Nama-Oorlam tried to protect their own herds by preventing cattle drives through the areas they controlled. Andersson came to the Cape in 1860 with the permission of Jonker Afrikaner; a year later, however, his cattle were infected and his cattle drive was intercepted by an ally of Jonker Afrikaners. Andersson responded to this conflict by recruiting mercenaries and importing weapons, including two cannons. He hoped to drive a wedge between Christian Afrikaner and his allies and for a war in which they would destroy each other. In early 1862 he wrote in his diary:

“Hurray! I only hope it is true, and that they will earnestly set about cutting one another's throats. It would give us some chance then. "

"Hooray! I just hope it's true and they are seriously going to cut each other's throats. That would open up some possibilities for us. "

- Karl Johan Andersson : Diary entry, early 1862

In 1863 Maharero , who had previously fought with and for Jonker Afrikaner, triggered a war against the Africans - Oorlam with a symbolic theft . Christian Afrikaner then attacked the armed forces gathered in Otjimbingue with 400 to 500 men. The attack failed bloody. Africans and 200 of his followers died. In the following months, Andersson supported Maharero with his troops. Together they attacked Windhoek in March 1864 and marched with 2,500 men to Rehoboth in June 1864 to support the Swartbooi against a Nama-Oorlam alliance. Andersson was seriously wounded in the Battle of Abis Berg. The Africans were defeated. But some Herero chiefs, especially Maharero, who was able to consolidate his power, benefited from Andersson's intrigues. Andersson's business, however, collapsed in 1863/4. After being wounded, he had to declare bankruptcy. He sold the buildings in Otjimbingue to a mission colony in September 1864. Until his death he still equipped hunting expeditions. From Walvis Bay he made another very successful trade train to Ovamboland. He founded a branch of his company in Ondonga and then finally reached the Kunene . Here Andersson fell seriously ill and died on July 5, 1867 near Ukuambi.

The events of 1863/64 are interpreted differently. The missionary Heinrich Vedder saw it as a "Herero war of freedom" against the rule of the African Oorlam. Heinrich Loth , however, emphasized the role of the missionaries, while Brigitte Lau emphasized Andersson's economic interests. For Marion Wallace , Maharero's active leadership role must not be neglected. It is unlikely that Andersson would have been appointed "regent and military commander", as earlier authors claimed. A corresponding document was not signed.

Works

See also

literature

  • John Peter Richard Wallis: Fortune My Foe. The story of Charles John Andersson, African Explorer, 1827-1867. Jonathan Cape, London 1936.
  • Bernhard Voigt: In undiscovered South West Africa . 1st edition. Safari Verlag, Berlin 1927.
  • Karl Johan Andersson . In: Nils Linder (Ed.): Nordisk familjebok konversationslexikon och realencyklopedi . 1st edition. tape 1 : A-barograph . Gernandts boktryckeri, Stockholm 1876, Sp. 715 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ute Dieckmann: Haiom in the Etosha Region: A History of Colonial Settlement, Ethnicity and Nature Conservation. Basler Afrika Bibliographien, 2007, ISBN 978-3-905758-00-9 , p. 20 and p. 378.
  2. ↑ Etosha Park Fees . EtoshaNationalPark.org; accessed on March 5, 2018.
  3. ^ Charles Anderson: Lake Ngami (Exploration and Discoveries During Four Years' Wanderings in the Wilds of South Western Africa). Briar Patch Press, 1988.
  4. ^ Dag Henrichsen: Rule and everyday life in pre-colonial central Namibia. The Herero and Damaraland in the 19th century . Basler Afrika Bibliographien, Basel 2011, p. 131.
  5. ↑ Jan-Bart Gewald: Herero Heroes. A Socio-political History of the Herero of Namibia, 1890–1923. James Currey Ltd., Oxford 1999, p. 20.
  6. ↑ Harri Siiskonen: The Seven Year's War in Namibian Historiography. In: Ulrich van der Heyden, Jürgen Becher, Holger Stoecker (ed.): Mission and violence. How Christian missions deal with violence and the spread of Christianity in Africa and Asia from 1792 to 1918/19 . Steiner, Stuttgart 2000, p. 350.
  7. ↑ Jan-Bart Gewald: Herero Heroes. A Socio-political History of the Herero of Namibia, 1890–1923. James Currey, Oxford 1999, p. 22.
  8. ^ Dag Henrichsen: Rule and everyday life in pre-colonial central Namibia. The Herero and Damaraland in the 19th century . Basler Afrika Bibliographien, Basel 2011, p. 132.
  9. ^ Marion Wallace: History of Namibia . Basler Afrika Bibliographien, Basel 2015, p. 105.
  10. ^ Marion Wallace: History of Namibia . Basler Afrika Bibliographien, Basel 2015, p. 105. On the other hand, see the interpretation by Harri Siiskonen: The Seven Year's War in Namibian Historiography. In: Ulrich van der Heyden, Jürgen Becher, Holger Stoecker (ed.): Mission and violence. How Christian missions deal with violence and the spread of Christianity in Africa and Asia from 1792 to 1918/19 . Steiner, Stuttgart 2000, p. 351.
  11. ^ Heinrich Vedder: The old South West Africa - South West Africa's history up to Maharero's death in 1890 . Martin Warneck Verlag, Berlin 1934, p. 664
personal data
SURNAME Andersson, Karl Johan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swedish adventurer, explorer, trader, Herero guide and writer
DATE OF BIRTH March 4, 1827
PLACE OF BIRTH Varmland , Sweden
DATE OF DEATH July 5, 1867
Place of death Ukuambi , Namibia