Vasily Vasilievich Junker - Russian geographer and doctor of medicine, who became one of the first researchers in Africa.
Biography
Vasily Vasilievich was born in 1840 in Moscow in the family of a banker. His father was a Russified German and conducted his business in Moscow and St. Petersburg, was the founder of the banking house "I.V. Junker and K." Basil’s childhood passed mostly in St. Petersburg.
Vasily Juncker received primary education at schools in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Professional education was associated with medicine - Vasily graduated from the Medical and Surgical Academy, then was a student at several European universities (in Göttingen, Berlin, Prague, etc.). He had a short medical practice in St. Petersburg, after which he finally chose research activities for himself. Vasily Junker went down in history as one of the first Russian explorers of Africa.
V.V. Junker
Travel and research
Vasily Vasilievich made his first journey back in 1869 - he visited Iceland, then went to Tunisia and Lower Egypt. The main question Junker wanted to clarify was the hypothesis of a displacement of the Nile. These trips brought him acquaintances with travelers Nachtigall, Rolfs and Schweinfurt, who studied the African continent.
Georg August Schweinfurt, a close friend of V.V. Juncker
Together with archaeologists, Junker followed the route to Tunisia in the 1873-74s, studying the Arabic language and Islamic ideology along the way - this greatly expanded his circle of communication. Archaeologists introduced him to the technique of performing geographical and ethnographic work. In 1875, Vasily Vasilyevich explored Sudan. He puts a lot of refinement on maps, including drying up rivers. Subsequently, East and Equatorial Africa became the main research area for Junker.
Junker's routes often crossed the paths of other travelers - this allowed him to supplement and refine the maps, connect them with his observations and significantly expand knowledge about these places. So, he used the notes of his close friend Schweinfurt and confirmed some of his guesses.
The first studies of the African continent
In 1878, Junker returned to St. Petersburg, and at the beginning of 1879 made a report at a meeting of the Russian Geographical Society. Later his works were published, and the collected ethnographic collection was donated to the Russian Academy of Sciences. Rare exhibits of flora and fauna of African nature were transferred not only to Russian museums and collections, but also to the Berlin ethnomuseum.
After a short break, Junker again leaves for Africa. In the fall of 1879, Vasily Vasilyevich decided to explore its central part. This journey will take him seven years. Studying the Uele-Mbomu hydrographic system, Juncker and his expedition were cut off from civilization by the revolt of the Mahdists. Numerous attempts to rescue travelers did not bring success, and only in 1887 did they pass through Suez and returned to St. Petersburg.
For his travels, Junker always chose the simplest but most reliable equipment. He didn’t like excesses and was rather modest himself. For the exchange with the local African population I always chose goods of excellent quality, I did not try to deceive the natives. In communication, he was characterized by delicacy, but in key moments Juncker showed rigor and perseverance. All these qualities provided him with many friends among African tribes, he was respected and loved.
After this journey, Junker lived in Vienna, systematizing and publishing his materials. Vasily Vasilyevich died in February 1892 at the age of 52. His grave is located in the family tomb in Smolensk.
