Ignatius Knoblecher
Encyclopedia
Ignatius Knoblecher was a Slovenian Roman Catholic missionary in Central Africa
.
(now Novo Mesto), at the lyceum and the theological seminary in Laibach (now Ljubljana
), and at the College of Propaganda in Rome. On 9 March 1845 he was ordained a priest, and a year later graduated as a doctor of theology.
When the Vicariate Apostolic of Sudan
was established on 3 April 1846, the Congregation of Propaganda selected Knoblecher as one of the missionaries for the region. Before leaving for central Africa he spent eight months in Lebanon
and at other places in Syria to acquaint himself with the rites and customs of the Oriental Christians. Towards the end of September, 1847, he left Cairo in company of Maximilian Ryllo, S.J., the Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Central Africa, and four other missionaries, and arrived at Khartoum
on 11 February 1848. Here they established a school for young Africans whom they had purchased in the slave-market and who subsequently assisted them on their missions. Through them Knoblecher became acquainted with languages spoken in the interior of Africa, and was soon enabled to compile a sort of dictionary of these languages.
When Father Ryllo died on 17 June 1845, Knoblecher succeeded him as pro-vicar apostolic. From Khartoum Knoblecher made an expedition into the interior of Africa in the fall of 1849. He ascended the Bahr-el-Abiad (White Nile
) and was the first European to penetrate into the land of the Bari people
, as far as 4° 10′ N. In 1850 he went back to Austria to recruit missionaries and collect money for the African missions. He returned to Africa in 1852 with five new missionaries, established a mission among the Bari tribe at Gondokoro
, and in 1854 another among the Dinka or Jangeh people at Angweyn (Heiligenkreuz).
The missionaries were hampered by European merchants and slave-traders. Bad health cut short the lives of many of the them, and Knoblecher himself died while making a journey to Europe to convalesce.
Accounts of his travels in Central Africa were published in Jahresberichte des Marienvereins (Vienna, 1852–58). His extensive ethnographical and ornithological collections are preserved in museums in Vienna and Ljubljana, and the studies that he prepared on the Denka and Bari languages are in the Austrian National Library
.
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
.
Life
He studied at the secondary school in RudolfswerthNovo Mesto
Novo Mesto is a city and municipality in southeastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. The town is traditionally considered the economic and cultural centre of the historic Lower Carniola region.-Geography:...
(now Novo Mesto), at the lyceum and the theological seminary in Laibach (now Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
), and at the College of Propaganda in Rome. On 9 March 1845 he was ordained a priest, and a year later graduated as a doctor of theology.
When the Vicariate Apostolic of Sudan
Vicariate Apostolic of Sudan
The Vicariate Apostolic of Sudan , or in full Vicariate Apostolic of Sudan or Central-Africa, was a Roman Catholic missionary jurisdiction in North-Eastern Africa, including parts of several colonial states.-History:...
was established on 3 April 1846, the Congregation of Propaganda selected Knoblecher as one of the missionaries for the region. Before leaving for central Africa he spent eight months in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and at other places in Syria to acquaint himself with the rites and customs of the Oriental Christians. Towards the end of September, 1847, he left Cairo in company of Maximilian Ryllo, S.J., the Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Central Africa, and four other missionaries, and arrived at Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
on 11 February 1848. Here they established a school for young Africans whom they had purchased in the slave-market and who subsequently assisted them on their missions. Through them Knoblecher became acquainted with languages spoken in the interior of Africa, and was soon enabled to compile a sort of dictionary of these languages.
When Father Ryllo died on 17 June 1845, Knoblecher succeeded him as pro-vicar apostolic. From Khartoum Knoblecher made an expedition into the interior of Africa in the fall of 1849. He ascended the Bahr-el-Abiad (White Nile
White Nile
The White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile from Egypt, the other being the Blue Nile. In the strict meaning, "White Nile" refers to the river formed at Lake No at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers...
) and was the first European to penetrate into the land of the Bari people
Bari people
The Bari ethnic groups in South Sudan occupy the Savanna lands of the White Nile Valley. They speak a language which is also called Bari. The name "Bari of the Nile Valley" would be fitting because the river Nile runs through the heart of the Bari land...
, as far as 4° 10′ N. In 1850 he went back to Austria to recruit missionaries and collect money for the African missions. He returned to Africa in 1852 with five new missionaries, established a mission among the Bari tribe at Gondokoro
Gondokoro
Gondokoro was a trading-station on the east bank of the White Nile in Southern Sudan, 750 miles south of Khartoum. Its importance lay in the fact that it was within a few miles of the limit of navigability of the Nile from Khartoum upstream...
, and in 1854 another among the Dinka or Jangeh people at Angweyn (Heiligenkreuz).
The missionaries were hampered by European merchants and slave-traders. Bad health cut short the lives of many of the them, and Knoblecher himself died while making a journey to Europe to convalesce.
Accounts of his travels in Central Africa were published in Jahresberichte des Marienvereins (Vienna, 1852–58). His extensive ethnographical and ornithological collections are preserved in museums in Vienna and Ljubljana, and the studies that he prepared on the Denka and Bari languages are in the Austrian National Library
Austrian National Library
The Austrian National Library , is the largest library in Austria, with 7.4 million items in its collections. It is located in the Hofburg Palace in Vienna; since 2005 some of the collections are located in the baroque Palais Mollard-Clary...
.