MAN WHO STROVE FOR THE BETTER
Dragutin Lerman (1863–1918), a native of Požega, was the youngest member of Stanley's exploration expedition in the then Belgian Congo. On three occasions, he spent a total of fourteen years in Africa, distinguishing himself through altruism and empathy toward the local population, regardless of his employer's colonial policies. Dragutin Lerman made a significant contribution to Croatia by discovering the waterfalls on the Kwilu River, which he named “Zrinski Falls”. Additionally, he donated a substantial collection of acquired local items from the native population to the National Museum in Zagreb. In Požega, he returned at the age of thirty-three, holding the position of retired Consul General in the Kwango region.
Lerman and Kempf, as peers, were connected through godparent relations and a strong friendship. Kempf was the one who encouraged Lerman to keep a daily journal, which was published seventy years later as African Diaries. Thanks to Kempf, already in the late 19th century, their correspondence led to the travel narratives “Pages from Africa” and “New Pages from Africa”.