author
Georg August Schweinfurth
1836–1925
A botanist, ethnologist, and explorer of East Central Africa, he became known for journeys that brought European readers vivid accounts of regions then little described in Western books. His writing mixes scientific curiosity with the adventure of long, demanding travel.
5 Audiobooks
The heart of Africa, Vol. 2 (of 2)
by Georg August Schweinfurth
The heart of Africa, Vol. 1 (of 2)
by Georg August Schweinfurth
Arabische Pflanzennamen aus Aegypten, Algerien und Jemen
by Georg August Schweinfurth
Aufzählung und Beschreibung der Acacien-Arten des Nilgebiets
by Georg August Schweinfurth
Le piante utili dell' Eritrea
by Georg August Schweinfurth
About the author
Born in Riga on December 29, 1836, Georg August Schweinfurth studied at the universities of Heidelberg, Munich, and Berlin, focusing on botany and related natural sciences. He went on to build a reputation as both a plant scientist and a traveler, with major expeditions in East Central Africa that made his name widely known.
He is especially remembered for exploring the upper Nile basin and the Baḥr al Ghazāl region, and for identifying the Uele River as part of the Congo system. Alongside his geographical work, he collected plants and wrote ethnographic observations, bringing together science, travel writing, and close attention to the people and environments he encountered.
Schweinfurth died in Berlin on September 19, 1925. Today he is remembered as one of the 19th century figures who linked botanical research with exploration, and his best-known book, The Heart of Africa, helped shape how many readers first imagined Central Africa.