Ludwig Kohl-Larsen
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Kohl-Larsen was a German physician, amateur anthropologist, and explorer.
to Antarctica, but did not participate in the expedition to the Weddell Sea
due to appendicitis. At South Georgia he cured himself out and met his wife, the daughter of Carl Anton Larsen
, the founder of the town of Grytviken
. During the First World War, he was a government doctor working in Micronesia. In 1928 he visited South Georgia with his wife and the cameraman Albert Benitz to lead the first scientific expedition to the island.
In 1931 he joined the Nazi Party, and later undertook, partly on behalf of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
, expeditions to German East Africa
in search of "primitive man". In 1934 he discovered Australopithecus afarensis
at Laetoli
, without realizing the importance of his find. He also collected folklore of the Hadza and Isanzu
.
He and his wife Margit performed excavations at the Mumba cave
where they found a numerous Middle Stone Age
artifacts. He attempted to prove that all people have a common origin, but that African peoples remained in the state of primitive man, while the Aryan race
had developed. Such 'scholarship' was at odds with most anthropological concerns of the day in Africa.
In 1939 Kohl-Larsen became Professor of Ethnology
at the University of Tübingen. He lost his position in the course of denazification after the war, but worked from 1949 at the Institute of Early History in Tübingen.
Due in part to his politics, but also to dubious scholarship, Kohl-Larsen is not highly regarded amongst contemporary East Africanists.
Biography
In 1911 he traveled as ship's doctor with Wilhelm FilchnerWilhelm Filchner
Wilhelm Filchner was a German explorer.At the age of 21, he participated in his first expedition, which led him to Russia. Two years later, he travelled alone and on horseback through the Pamir Mountains, from Osh to Murgabh to the upper Wakhan to Tashkurgan and back...
to Antarctica, but did not participate in the expedition to the Weddell Sea
Weddell Sea
The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha Coast, Queen Maud Land. To the east of Cape Norvegia is...
due to appendicitis. At South Georgia he cured himself out and met his wife, the daughter of Carl Anton Larsen
Carl Anton Larsen
Carl Anton Larsen was a Norwegian Antarctic Explorer, who made important contributions to the exploration of Antarctica, the most significant being the first discovery of fossils, for which he received the Back Grant from the Royal Geographical Society...
, the founder of the town of Grytviken
Grytviken
Grytviken is the principal settlement in the British territory of South Georgia in the South Atlantic. It was so named in 1902 by the Swedish surveyor Johan Gunnar Andersson who found old English try pots used to render seal oil at the site. It is the best harbour on the island, consisting of a...
. During the First World War, he was a government doctor working in Micronesia. In 1928 he visited South Georgia with his wife and the cameraman Albert Benitz to lead the first scientific expedition to the island.
In 1931 he joined the Nazi Party, and later undertook, partly on behalf of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft is an important German research funding organization and the largest such organization in Europe.-Function:...
, expeditions to German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
in search of "primitive man". In 1934 he discovered Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct hominid that lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. A. afarensis was slenderly built, like the younger Australopithecus africanus. It is thought that A...
at Laetoli
Laetoli
Laetoli is a site in Tanzania, dated to the Plio-Pleistocene and famous for its hominin footprints, preserved in volcanic ash . The site of the Laetoli footprints is located 45 km south of Olduvai gorge.-Date:...
, without realizing the importance of his find. He also collected folklore of the Hadza and Isanzu
Isanzu
The Isanzu are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the Iramba District of Singida Region in central Tanzania. In 1987 the Isanzu population was estimated to number 32,400 . They speak a Bantu language , have matrilineal descent groups and are agriculturalists who subsist on sorghum, millet...
.
He and his wife Margit performed excavations at the Mumba cave
Mumba cave
Mumba Cave or Mumba Rockshelter is an archeological site located in Tanzania near Lake Eyasi, that was found to contain important Middle Stone Age and Late Stone Age artifacts. The cave was originally excavated by Ludwig Kohl-Larsen and his wife Margit in the 1930s.-External links:*...
where they found a numerous Middle Stone Age
Middle Stone Age
The Middle Stone Age was a period of African Prehistory between Early Stone Age and Late Stone Age. It is generally considered to have begun around 280,000 years ago and ended around 50-25,000 years ago. The beginnings of particular MSA stone tools have their origins as far back as 550-500,000...
artifacts. He attempted to prove that all people have a common origin, but that African peoples remained in the state of primitive man, while the Aryan race
Aryan race
The Aryan race is a concept historically influential in Western culture in the period of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendants up to the present day constitute a distinctive race or...
had developed. Such 'scholarship' was at odds with most anthropological concerns of the day in Africa.
In 1939 Kohl-Larsen became Professor of Ethnology
Ethnology
Ethnology is the branch of anthropology that compares and analyzes the origins, distribution, technology, religion, language, and social structure of the ethnic, racial, and/or national divisions of humanity.-Scientific discipline:Compared to ethnography, the study of single groups through direct...
at the University of Tübingen. He lost his position in the course of denazification after the war, but worked from 1949 at the Institute of Early History in Tübingen.
Due in part to his politics, but also to dubious scholarship, Kohl-Larsen is not highly regarded amongst contemporary East Africanists.
External links
- German National Library on Kohl-Larsen