German Explorer. He is remembered for his explorations of Central and West Africa. The son of a Lutheran pastor. he studied medicine at the universities of Halle, Würzburg and Greifswald, then practiced for several years as a military surgeon. In 1863 he travelled to Tunisia where he took part as surgeon in several expeditions into Central Africa between 1869 and 1875. He served as the German Empire's consul-general for Tunisia and Commissioner for West Africa that resulted in Togoland and Kamerun becoming the first colonies of a German colonial empire. In 1882 he was awarded the Royal Geographical Society's Founder's Gold Medal. On a return voyage to Germany, he died at sea aboard the gunboat SMS Mowe off Cape Palmas, Liberia. Initially interred at Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast, in 1888 his remains were exhumed and reburied in a ceremonial grave at Duala in front of the Cameroon colonial government building. The Gustav-Nachtigal-Medal, awarded by the Berlin Geographical Society, is named after him. A monument to his honor resides in Stendal, Germany.
German Explorer. He is remembered for his explorations of Central and West Africa. The son of a Lutheran pastor. he studied medicine at the universities of Halle, Würzburg and Greifswald, then practiced for several years as a military surgeon. In 1863 he travelled to Tunisia where he took part as surgeon in several expeditions into Central Africa between 1869 and 1875. He served as the German Empire's consul-general for Tunisia and Commissioner for West Africa that resulted in Togoland and Kamerun becoming the first colonies of a German colonial empire. In 1882 he was awarded the Royal Geographical Society's Founder's Gold Medal. On a return voyage to Germany, he died at sea aboard the gunboat SMS Mowe off Cape Palmas, Liberia. Initially interred at Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast, in 1888 his remains were exhumed and reburied in a ceremonial grave at Duala in front of the Cameroon colonial government building. The Gustav-Nachtigal-Medal, awarded by the Berlin Geographical Society, is named after him. A monument to his honor resides in Stendal, Germany.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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