Chronological overview of Krapf’s life and ministry
Organised according to Krapf’s centres of gravity and with cross-references to his Travels, Researches, and Missionary Labours […] (London: Trübner, 1860) and Jochen Eber’s biography, Johann Ludwig Krapf: Ein schwäbischer Pionier in Ostafrika (Riehen: arteMedia; Lahr: johannis, 2006).
CHILDHOOD AND STUDY (1810–36)
[Cf. Krapf, Travels, p. 1–12; Eber, Krapf, p. 9–40]
Jan. 1810: Johann Ludwig Krapf was born as youngest child of a farming family in Derendingen (now a district of Tübingen, Germany).
1823–26: Krapf attended grammar school in Tübingen. He learned Greek and Hebrew and was very interested in geography [Krapf read, amongs others, Bruce, Travels]). First visit of Basel Mission Training Institution in Spring 1825.
1827–29: Study at the Basel Mission Training Institution (Switzerland).
1829–34: Theological studies at Tübingen University.
1834–35: Vicariate in Altburg and Wolfenhausen. Krapf resigned after being criticized because of expressing end-time expectations; private tutor at Kirchheim.
1836: Encouraged by his friend Peter Fjellstedt, Krapf joined the Anglican Church Missionary Society and waited for posting at the Basel Mission Training Institution. Study of Ge’ez and Amharic with Hiob Ludolph’s grammars.
First Stay in Africa:
TIGRAY AND SHEWA (1837–42)
[Cf. Travels, p. 13‒106; Eber, p. 41‒79]
Febr. 1837: Krapf left Basle and travelled to Cairo, where he stayed for about 5 months and learned Arabic. Then travel to Massawa.
Dec. 1837 – March 1838: Stay at Adwa with his colleague Karl W. Isenberg. Expulsion by Prince ‘Ubie’ (i.e. Wube Haile Maryam)
Jan. 1839 – June 1839: Travel from Cairo to Ankober (capital of Shewa).
June 1839 – March 1842: Stay at King Sahle Selassie‘s court in Ankober. Isenberg focuses on Amharic, Krapf on Oromo.
March – Nov. 1842: Travel and stay in Egypt; first marriage (Rosine Dietrich). Honorary doctorate from Tübingen University in recognition of his advancement of knowledge about Ethiopia (not least through the manuscripts he donated to the university).
1842/43: Failed attempt to return to Shewa.
STAY IN KENYA (1844–50)
[Cf. Travels, p. 107‒208; Eber, p. 79‒144]
Nov. 1843 – May 1844: Travel from Aden via Sansibar to Mombasa.
June 1844: Krapf began to translate the Bible (Genesis) into Kiswahili.
July 1844: Death of his wife and daughter.
1844 -46: Several travels along the coast and into the mainland.
Aug. 1846: After the arrival of Johannes Rebmann, establishment of a mission station in Rabai (near Mombasa)
1847-49: Translations into Mijikenda (formerly known as ‘Kinika’). Vocabulary of the Chiyao language (‘Kihiau’). Study of the Kikamba language.
1848/49: Travels to Usambara, Ukambani, Kap Delgado.
As the first European, Krapf saw Mount Kenya.
STAY IN EUROPE (1850–51)
[Cf. Travels, p. 210; Eber, p. 145‒49]
1850/51: Krapf visits Great Britain and Germany. Return to Mombasa.
2nd Travel to Africa:
KENYA (1851–53)
[Cf. Travels, p. 211‒13; Eber, p. 149‒62]
1851/52: Second travels to Ukambani and Usambara.
1853: Failed trials to travel Usambara, Ukambani and Kadiaro.
STAY IN EUROPE (1853–54)
[Cf. Travels, p. 213‒14; Eber, p. 162‒65]
1853/54: Krapf visits Germany and Great Britain.
Third Travel to Africa:
ETHIOPIA (1854–55)
[Cf. Travels, p. 214‒15; Eber, p. 167‒79]
1854/55: Travel to Ethiopia with Johann Martin Flad (then St. Chrischona Pilgrim Mission). Their orginal plan to reach former Christian areas in South Central Ethiopia failed.
STAY IN GERMANY (1855–61)
[Cf. Travels, p. 215‒16; Eber, p. 179 ff.]
1855-61: Krapf settled in Korntal (near Stuttgart).
Second marriage in 1856 (Charlotte Pelargus).
1859/60: “Inspector” at St. Chrischona (teaching Greek and Hebrew to students; setting up a printing press; meetings with other mission organisations, etc.). Returned to Korntal because of his wife’s health problems.
Since 1860 revision of Platt’s edition of the Amharic Bible (in particular comparison with the basic Hebrew resp. Greek texts).
4th Travel to Africa:
KENYA (1861–62)
[Cf. Eber, p. 205‒06]
1861/62: Accompanied missionaries of the United Methodist Free Churches to build a mission station in Ribe near Mombasa, among other things to reach the Oromos in what is now Kenya. Krapf’s plan to continue the journey northwards to Ethiopia failed.
STAY IN GERMANY (1862–67)
[Cf. Eber, p. 206]
1862-67: Worked again from his home in Korntal.
1863: Krapf drafted the programme of an “Apostles’ Road” from Jerusalem to Gonder for St. Chrischona Pilgrim Mission. During the following years, he served as the program’s Secretary.
Krapf’s wife founded a collection organisation in Southwest Germany. People signed a pledge to give a fixed small amount (or goods) to the Pilgrim Mission every week.
5th Travel to Africa:
ERITREA (1867–68)
[Cf. Eber, p. 207‒18]
1867/68: Krapf worked as an interpreter and caplan during the first part of the British military expedition against Emperor Tewodros II, who held some Pilgrim missionaries and the British consul as hostages. Early return to Europe from Senafe (approx. 580 km north of Magdala / Amba Mariam) because of health problems.
After the expedition, the work of the Pilgrim Mission in Ethiopia was temporarily discontinued and the Apostles’ Road project lost importance.
FINAL YEARS IN GERMANY (1868–81)
[Cf. Eber, p. 219‒43]
1868/69: Death of his wife in Korntal and third marriage (Nanette Schmid).
During the following years, Krapf was heavily involved in Bible translation work and publishing (see bibliography). He remained an avid letter writer until his last days.
Nov. 1881: Krapf died during his evening prayers at his house.
Picture
Church Missionary Intelligencer 4 (1853): 194
Contribution to Bible Translation
Krapf was convinced that there is no genuine Christianity without reading and understanding the Bible. During his stays in Africa, Krapf made an effort to communicate with other people in their mother tongue and to study their language. Even then, he began to translate parts of the Bible if they were not yet available in the relevant languages. When he returned to Europe for health reasons, he spent a lot of time editing Bible translations and seeing them through the printing process.
» Details of Krapf’s contribution to Bible translation can be found in the English version of Jochen Eber, Johann Ludwig Krapf, chapter 14: “Bibles for East Africa“.
Krapf aimed for Bible translations that were understandable and accurate. The translator must not take away or add anything to what is written in the Greek New Testament or the Hebrew Old Testament (cf. Deut. 4:2; 12:32; 18:20-22 and Rev. 22:18).
Bible translation is a team effort. Krapf’s unique strength was his command of the biblical languages. He was also responsible for communicating with the British and Foreign Bible Society (in part also for finding funds for printing), editing the manuscripts and reviewing the proofs. However, Krapf did not carry out the actual translations alone, but enlisted the help of native speakers:
» Read overview of Krapf’s resource persons in Bible translation
Further readings
» Krapf’s context and legacy
» Krapf’s letters and unpublished writings
» Published sources with links
» Secondary literature with links