 Detzner 's book was wildly popular among the general population for its incredible tales of stubborn patriotism and its narratives describing the exotic locales of the lost imperial colonies . His descriptions touched a chord in the German imagination : one of their own had explored the colony , walked its paths , seen its mountains and valleys , and met its people . His vivid descriptions brought to life the images Germans had seen on postcards ( such as the one to left ) , newspapers , and in school books . Furthermore , he had defended Germany 's " place in the sun " when others had failed to do so . His book was translated into English , Finnish , Swedish and eventually French . ( See below . ) 
