No. 116/2024

Still ubiquitous today: in the Alexander von Humboldt National Park in the East of Cuba, there is a statue of its namegiver in the Visitors’ Centre at the UNESCO World Heritage site. and degenerate region. Thanks to him, a considerable share of knowledge about America reached Europe and he made a strong case for including the work of American scholars and discoverers in the international scientific community. PART OF AMERICA’S HISTORY Emphasis is placed on the political dimension of Humboldt‘s contribution to the emergence of the new nations of Central and South America as he highlighted a path for the scientif ic, political and economic modernisation of the continent. Particular mention should be made of his social engagement: he openly criticised slavery and the way Indigenous people were treated both at the mission stations and in the mines. He denounced the corruption of the colonial administration as well as the exploitation of the population by the elites. Even today, people are still convinced that Humboldt campaigned for the interests of ordinary people in America, that he is a part of America’s history. That said, the countries of America have their own critical view of Humboldt’s legacy which derives from their specific pasts. Humboldt’s inclusion in the respective (colonial) histories can be better illustrated by taking a closer look at the two countries about which he wrote regional studies: Mexico and Cuba. In Mexico, his work, “Political Essay on the Kingdom of New Spain”, is › Humboldt era una voz a favor de la igualdad y la libertad. Humboldt was a voice for equality and freedom. 19 HUMBOLDT KOSMOS 116/2024