Research translated into sensationalism – About Rätsel der Urwaldhölle – Vorstoß in unerforschte Urwälder des Amazonenstromes, by Otto Schulz-Kampfhenkel (About the mysteries of the jungle hell – Venturing into the unexplored jungles of the Amazon River by
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7968.2026.e114963Keywords:
Expedition to the Jary River, Schulz-Kampfhenkel, Translation of research and travel report, Involvement with NazismAbstract
The book Rätsel der Urwaldhölle – Vorstoß in unerforschte Urwälder des Amazonenstromes, published in 1938 by German zoologist Otto Schulz-Kampfhenkel, recounts a German scientific expedition to Brazil between 1935 and 1937. Written in diary form, the account details the logistical and diplomatic challenges faced in order to enable the exploration and geographical reconnaissance of the Jary River, on the border between Brazil and French Guiana. Schulz-Kampfhenkel obtained government support and funding for the mission, including for the experimental use of a seaplane. The expedition, which aimed to conduct geographical, anthropological, and zoological studies, faced extreme difficulties in the Amazon jungle, such as hunger, disease, and natural obstacles. The text mixes science with sensationalism, highlighting the harshness of the jungle and the dangers faced. It assesses the expedition as an undertaking that was not very scientific and much more media-oriented. The article discusses the issue of Schulz-Kampfhenkel’s involvement with German Nazism – a question with no definitive answer.
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