Esploratori tedeschi nella Libia del XIX secolo: documenti inediti sulla spedizione a Cufra di Gerhard Rohlfs e il sostegno del governo italiano

This contribution focuses on Gerhard Rohlfs’ travels in Libya on his last exploring expedition to the Kufra Oasis (1879–1880). Largely unpublished documents kept in the Historical Archive of the Società Geografica Italiana illustrate the support Rohlfs received from the Italian consul and government during his difficult travel. The Società Geografica Italiana played an important mediating role with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially with Augusto Peiroleri, who was very interested in African expeditions. The archival documents and the publications by Rohlfs allow the reconstruction of a web of personal relationships, which, through combining the business and commercial considerations with scientific and archaeological interests and high-level politics, contributes to the historical understanding of the intellectual and political climate that determined and accompanied the Italian “peaceful penetration” and subsequent occupation of Libya.