BURKHARD, Karl Friedrich. Leipheim bei Ulm, Bavaria 2.9.1824 — Vienna 19.2.1893. German School-Teacher and Indologist in Austria. Son of the Protestant minister Johann Andreas Christoph B., educated at Augsburg Gymnasium in 1840-44. From 1844 studies of theology, philosophy and philology at Erlangen, from 1845 theology and especially philology at Halle, where among his teachers were Pott (Sanskrit), Rödiger (Arabic & Hebrew) and Arnold (Syrian). Ph.D. 1846 Halle. Then further studies of Arabic, Persian and Chinese at Munich. In 1847 moved to St.Petersburg, where attended the lectures of Ṭanṭāwī and Topǰi Bašša, but in 1848 fled because of the cholera epidemy. Worked as a tutor in St.Petersburg, then in Munich and Vorarlberg, and in 1851 passed the Lehramtsprüfung in Innsbruck. From 1852 taught at k. k. ev. Gymnasium in Teschen, in 1868 obtained a Professor’s title. Taught Greek, Latin, Hebrew and French, privately also Sanskrit. In addition taught piano playing. In 1870 moved to Vienna, where he became the very first non-catholic Gymnasial Professor at k. k. akad. Gymnasium. From 1874 Director of k. k. Stadtgymnasium in I Bezirke von Wien (soon Franz-Joseph-Gymnasium). In July 1890 retired and was conferred the title of Regierungsrat. His last years B. lived outside Vienna. Married in 1857, six children.

Burkhard produced a number of editions and studies of the Śakuntalā and wrote on Kashmiri language. He was too many-sided and too much engaged in his educational work to be a good philologist, but has nevertheless secured himself a small place in the history of Indology. Böhtlingk appreciated and supported his work.

Publications: Diss. on Kazan Tatar dialect 1846; Über die Entstehung der griechischen Personalendungen. Progr. Teschen 1853.

– Sacuntala annulo recognita fabula scenica Câlidâsi. In usum scholarum academi­carum textum recensionis devanagaricae recensuit atque glossario sanscritico et pracritico instruxit. 1-2. Vratislaviae 1872-73; Flexiones prâcriticae quas editioni suae Sâcuntali pro supplemento adjecit. 10+41 p. Vratisl. 1874; “Lectiones codicis Çâkuntali Bikânirensis”, Progr. Franz-Joseph-Gymn. Wien 1882, 16 p.; “Die Kaçmîrer Çakuntalâ-Handschrift”, SWA 107, 1884, 479-640 (edited, Nachtrag ibid. 114, 1887, 373f.).

– “Das Verbum der Kâçmîrî-Sprache”, SBaAW 1887:1, 303-424; “Die Nomina der K.-Spr.”, SBaAW 1888:1, 444-522; “Die Präpositionen der K.-Spr.”, SBaAW 1889:1, 375-468; all transl. by G. A. Grierson: “Essays on Kashmiri Grammar”, IA 24-25, 1895-96 & 27-30, 1898-1901 (sep. 1-2. 1897-1900).

– Review of Wade’s A Grammar for the Kashmiri Language, L. 1888, ZDMG 46, 1892, 545-559; posthumous article (ed. & tr.) “Mahmûd Gâmî’s Jusuf Zuleikhâ, romantisches Gedicht in Kashmîrî Sprache”, ZDMG 49, 1895, 422-469 & 52, 1899, 551-592.

Sources: Val. Hintner, Bursians Jahrbuch 1894, 407-413 (in Dt. biogr. Archiv); Stache-Weiske 2017, 241-243, 511; works at the Ges. Verz.; N.D.B. and Öst. Biogr. Lex. are silent on him.