Hermann von Wissmann (1853-1905), German explorer of Africa, officer and colonial administrator. Wissmann was an army officer who travelled with German explorer Paul Pogge on an expedition to the Congo Basin (1880 to 1884). Pogge died on that expedition, but Wissmann was later employed by the Belgians during the creation of the Congo Free State. By 1889, Wissmann had been appointed imperial commissioner for the German East Africa region, in which role he carried out a ruthless suppression of the Abushiri Revolt. In 1895, Wissman became Governor of German East Africa. This engraving dates from circa 1888.