Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Walter Trenk (Dierks, 2021) or P. Trenk (Logan, 1969; Hugo et al, 1983) was a scientifically oriented officer of the Schutztruppe (colonial troops) in German South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1896 to 1906. He later reported his observations, made while on journeys or patrols in the Namib desert, in four journal articles. "Eine Patrouille von Sesriem den Tsauchab abwärts nach Sossus (Namib)" (Deutsche Kolonial Zeitung, 1909) provided a narrative account of his journey from Sesriem, along the Tsauchab River to Sossus Vlei, with an early description and map of the latter. In "Die Buschleute der Namib" (Miteillungen aus den deutschen Schutzgebieten, 1910) he gave a good description of the Namib Bushmen, which differ significantly from those of the Kalahari. "In den Dünen der Namib" (In the dunes of the Namib) appeared in the Deutsche Kolonialblatt in 1910. Finally, "Aus der Namib" (Zeitschrift für Kolonial Politik, 1911) provided a narrative account of journeys in the desert.

List of sources:

Dierks, Klaus. Biographies of Namibian personalities. Retrieved on 22 February 2021 from https://www.klausdierks.com/Biographies/Biographies_3.htm

Hugo, P.J., Schalk, K.E.L. & Barnes, S.J. Bibliography of South West African/Namibian earth science. Windhoek: Geological Survey, 1983.

Logan, R.F. Bibliography of South West Africa: Geography and related fields. Windhoek: SWA Scientific Society, 1969.

Compiled by: C. Plug

Last updated: 2021-02-22 11:36:17