Carl Passavant
Carl Passavant (14 May 1854 – 22 September 1887) was a Swiss explorer, medical doctor and anthropologist who was primarily known for his research and photography in West Africa.
Carl Passavant

Datenbank Tripota in der Wissenschaftlichen Bibliothek der Stadt Trier/Stadtarchiv · Public domain
- Name
- Carl Passavant
- Born
- 14 May 1854
- Birthplace
- Basel, Switzerland
- Died
- 22 September 1887
- Place of death
- Honolulu, Hawaiian Kingdom (now Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.)
- Occupation
- Explorer, medical doctor, anthropologist
- Known for
- Research on West Africa
- Nationality
- Switzerland
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Documentary summary
Carl Passavant (14 May 1854 – 22 September 1887) was a Swiss explorer, medical doctor and anthropologist who was primarily known for his research and photography in West Africa.
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Note VALÉORINE
Carl Passavant (1854–1887) was a photographer, of Swiss nationality. The photographer was born in Basel and died in Honolulu. Carl Passavant was a member of Corps Franconia Tübingen.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q1040003 · wikipedia · Carl Passavant
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Carl Passavant • Other Names — Carl von Passavant • Birth Name — Carl Passavant • Born — 14 May 1854 • Birthplace — Basel, Switzerland • Died — 22 September 1887 • Place of death — Honolulu, Hawaiian Kingdom (now Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.) • Occupation — Explorer, medical doctor, anthropologist • Known for — Research on West Africa • Relatives — Johann Jakob Bachofen (maternal uncle)
Early life and education
Early life and education
Passavant was born 14 May 1854 in Basel, Switzerland, the fourth of six children, to Emanuel Passavant (1817–1879), a banker, and partner of Passavant & Cie. (an original predecessor to UBS), and Adèle Passavant (née Bachofen; 1823–1883), into an affluent Protestant family of the Daig. He completed his schooling in Basel and studied natural science at University of Basel from 1871 to 1873, followed by architecture at Zurich Polytechnic Institute briefly from 1873 to 1874 and ultimately medicine at the University of Basel and the University of Tübingen. He graduated as Doctor of Medicine under Julius Kollmann.
Career
Career
Initially, between 1881 and 1882 Passavant resided in Berlin, where he prepared himself for his first exploration trip. After the death of his father and receiving a not insignificant inheritance, he was able to finance his first expedition. On 12 January 1883, Passavant and Wilhelm Retzer (1856–1883), a colleague and zoologist, boarded the steamship Aline Woermann, which took them to Western Africa. They arrived in the coastal area of Cameroon near Douala on 11 March 1883. Retzer died two months into the expedition, after which Passavant returned to Basel.
Personal life
Personal life
Passavant was unmarried and had no children. He died on 22 September 1887 in Honolulu, Hawaiian Kingdom, aged 33.
Works and production
Works and production
Institutional cataloguing adds that carl Passavant is recorded with the occupation photographer. Institutional cataloguing adds that carl Passavant is recorded as a citizen of Switzerland. Recorded with the gender male. Born on 14 May 1854. Passavant died on 22 September 1887.
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Basel.
Birth place
Honolulu.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Carl Passavant”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1040003: Carl Passavant
General reference · Wikidata
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Citations
References
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reference work
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General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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