Eduard Robert Flegel
Encyclopedia
Eduard Robert Flegel was a German
explorer who played an important role in the Scramble for Africa
.
, Lithuania
, Flegel trained as a merchant
before travelling to Lagos
in 1875, where, in 1879 opportunity arose to take part in an expedition along the River Niger,
which penetrated to about 125 miles beyond the farthest point hitherto explored.
At the behest of the German African Society, which commissioned him to explore the entire Benue River
basin, Flegel undertook further study of the Benue, and in 1880 travelled up the Niger to Sokoto
. There, he obtained leave from the sultan for an expedition to the Adamawa Plateau
. During his exploration of the Benue, he identified its source at Ngaundere in 1882.
After a brief sojourn in Europe
, Flegel returned to Africa
on a commission from the German African Society to open the Niger-Benue district to German trade. His efforts were largely unsuccessful as he arrived to find the district occupied by George Taubman Goldie
's National African Company, and it maintained its ascendancy. Although very ill, he attempted the ascent of the Benue, but turned back at Yola and died soon after arriving at the coast.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
explorer who played an important role in the Scramble for Africa
Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa or Partition of Africa was a process of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the New Imperialism period, between 1881 and World War I in 1914...
.
Life
Born in VilnaVilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Flegel trained as a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
before travelling to Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
in 1875, where, in 1879 opportunity arose to take part in an expedition along the River Niger,
which penetrated to about 125 miles beyond the farthest point hitherto explored.
At the behest of the German African Society, which commissioned him to explore the entire Benue River
Benue River
The Benue River is the major tributary of the Niger River. The river is approximately 1,400 km long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months...
basin, Flegel undertook further study of the Benue, and in 1880 travelled up the Niger to Sokoto
Sokoto
Sokoto is a city located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2006 it has a population of 427,760...
. There, he obtained leave from the sultan for an expedition to the Adamawa Plateau
Adamawa Plateau
The Adamawa Plateau is a plateau region in west-central Africa stretching from south-eastern Nigeria through north-central Cameroon to the Central African Republic. The plateau was named after Fulani Muslim leader Modibo Adama. The part of the plateau that lies in Nigeria is more popularly known...
. During his exploration of the Benue, he identified its source at Ngaundere in 1882.
After a brief sojourn in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Flegel returned to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
on a commission from the German African Society to open the Niger-Benue district to German trade. His efforts were largely unsuccessful as he arrived to find the district occupied by George Taubman Goldie
George Taubman Goldie
Sir George Dashwood Taubman Goldie was a Manx administrator who played a major role in the founding of Nigeria...
's National African Company, and it maintained its ascendancy. Although very ill, he attempted the ascent of the Benue, but turned back at Yola and died soon after arriving at the coast.
Works about Flegel
- [Anon.] (1911) "Edward Robert Flegel", Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Schafhausen, F. W. (1961) "Eduard Robert Flegel", in Neue Deutsche Biographie, Bd. 5 (1961), S. 229f
Works by Flegel
- Lose Blätter aus dem Tagebuch meiner Haussa-Freunde und Reisegefährten (Loose Leaves from the Diary of My Hausa Friends and Travel Companions; Hamburg, 1885)
- Vom Niger-Benüe; Briefe aus Afrika (Concerning the Niger-Benue; Letters from Africa; Leipzig, 1890)