CONRADY, August. Wiesbaden 28.4.1864 — Leipzig 3/4.6.1925. German Indologist and Sinologist. Professor in Leipzig. Son of the priest and church historian Ludwig C. and Babette, the daughter of —> P. von Bohlen, nephew of archaeologist Wilhelm C. Educated at Wiesbaden Gymnasium, then studies of Sanskrit, comparative IE and classical philology at Strassburg, Leipzig, Jena, Heidelberg, and Würzburg (under Jolly), where Ph.D. 1886. In 1887 moved to Leipzig, where he presented his habilitation in 1891 becoming PD “für Sanskrit, Tibetisch und Buddhismus”. He concentrated now on Sino-Tibetan and Chinese philology. From 1897 ao. Professor für ostasiatische Sprachen, from 1922 ord. until his death (succeeded by E. Haenisch). From 1914 first director of the just founded Orientalische Seminar. In 1903/04 at Peking University. Married 1891 Lucia Rossbach, four daughters (Anna married the Sinologist Eduard Ekes). Died of heart attack.

While the Sinological work of Conrady does not really concern us here, he was also important as the pioneer of the study of literary Newari. In Sinology he concentrated on ancient China and founded a school. He published Chinese manuscripts and fragments found by Hedin in Loulan (1920). His students include Ed. Erkes, G. Haloun, B. Laufer, B. Schindler, J. Schubert, and F. Weller. His papers were destroyed during the war. Note that his term “Indochinesisch” is our Sino-Tibetan.

Publications: Diss. 15 Blätter einer nepalesischen Palmblatt-Handschrift des Nārada. Einleitung, Text, Anm. 26 p. Würzburg 1886 / Lp. 1891; habil.diss. Das Hariçcandranṛityam. Ein altnepalesische Tanzspiel. 45 p. Lp. 1891.

– “Das Newârî. Grammatik und Sprachproben”, ZDMG 45, 1891, 1-35; “Ein Sanskrit-Newârî Wörterbuch. Aus dem Nachlasse Minayeff’s hrsg.”, ZDMG 47, 1893, 539-573.

– Indochinesische Kausativ-Denominativbildung und der Zusammenhang von stimmlosen und stimmhaften Anlaut mit der Tonhöhe. 19+208 p. Lp. 1896.

– “Indischer Einfluss in China im 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr.”, ZDMG 60, 1906, 335-351; “Altwestöstliche Kulturwörter”, BVSAW 77:3, 1925, 19 p.

– “Eine merkwürdige Beziehung zwischen den austrischen und den indochinesischen Sprachen”, Fs. E. Kuhn 1916, 475-504; “Neue austrisch-indochinesischen Parallelen”, AM Probeband (Fs. Hirth) 1923, 23-66.

– Die chinesischen Handschriften- und sonstigen Kleinfunde Sven Hedins in Lou-lan. 15+191 p. 53 pl. Stockholm 1920; many Sinological works.

Sources: E. Erkes, Art. As. 1, 1925, 145-147 and WissZLeipzig 1954/55, 199-205; E. Haenisch, N.D.B. 3, 1957, 341; J. Hertel, V.S.A.W. Ph.-hist.Kl. 77:4, 1926, 7’-14’; *Chr. Leibfried, Sinologie an der Universität Leipzig. Lp. 2003, 51-114; P. Pelliot, TP 24, 1926, 130-132 (with bibliography); *B. Schindler, “Der Wissenschaftliche Nachlass August Conradys”, Asia Major 3, 1926, 104-115; *E. Schmitt, Ostas. Z. N.F. 3, 1926, 77-81; Stache-Weiske 2017, 513; M. Taube, WissZLeipzig 1979, 39-41; Wikipedia; UMass.edu: Sinological Profiles, with picture; painting by Ph. Wolff-Arndt in WZLeipzig 1979.