Killing of Dr Albrecht Roscher The Story of a Young German Explorer in East Africa 1858-1860

Africa in the mid-nineteenth century was still very much an unknown continent, its vast lands a source of unceasing interest and mystery to the white man. This was the age of discovery, the decades before the fascination wore off and the scramble for Africa began in earnest. Explorers such as Burton, Speke and Livingstone were the names on everyone's lips. In this climate, Albrecht Roscher grew up to be an outstanding young scholar, whose interest in the works of classical writers such as Ptolemy and Herodotus inspired in him a love of geography, science and biology, which the achievements of Burton and others only served to inflame. Africa beckoned.However, little did he imagine as he left Germany for the shores of East Africa that he would never return. His murder before he managed to fulfil his ambitions has ensured that he has been largely consigned to a footnote in the history of African exploration. In 'The Killing of Dr Albrecht Roscher' Heldring sets out to redress the balance in what is a fitting tribute to a man who, had he lived longer, might have gone on to rival the achievements of Burton, Livingstone and the other great explorers of that age.Heldring, J. W. is the author of 'Killing of Dr Albrecht Roscher The Story of a Young German Explorer in East Africa 1858-1860' with ISBN 9781844261635 and ISBN 1844261638.