1. Johannes Rebmann, sometimes anglicised as John Rebman, was a German missionary, linguist, and explorer credited with feats including being the first European, along with his colleague Johann Ludwig Krapf, to enter Africa from the Indian Ocean coast.
Johannes Rebmann returned to Germany only in 1875 for the final year of his life, by which time he had become blind.
Johannes Rebmann was born to a Swabian farmer and winegrower on January 16,1820 in Gerlingen, Wurttemberg.
Later, when Johannes Rebmann became a young man, he chose to devote himself to being a missionary, and was trained in Basel.
Together with fellow missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf, Johannes Rebmann traveled in 1846 by a ship called "Arrow" to East Africa, where he worked in what is Kenya, as well as at various other locations.
In 1848, with the Swahili guide Bwana Kheri, Johannes Rebmann was the first European to see Mount Kilimanjaro.
Johannes Rebmann noted in his journal the strange white on the summit of Kilimanjaro, and he questioned his guide on what he thought it was.
On November 10,1848, Johannes Rebmann recorded an entry in his log about the mountain:.
Johannes Rebmann kept to a policy that, in order to truly affect the African people, and to complete his task as a missionary, much patience was needed.
Johannes Rebmann married a fellow missionary, Anna Maria, nee Maisch, with whom he spent fifteen years doing missionary work in Africa before her death in 1866, and with whom he had a child.
Johannes Rebmann returned to Germany for the first time in 29 years after being persuaded to do so by a fellow missionary who was working in the area.
Johannes Rebmann then proceeded to take up residence in Korntal near Stuttgart, where he was close to his old friend Krapf.
The marriage did not last long, as on October 4,1876, Johannes Rebmann died of pneumonia.