CZERNY, Gerhard. Pettau (Ptuj in Slovenia) 12.4.1904 — 1936?. Austrian/Yugoslavian student of Comparative Religion. Born in Austria (now Slovenian territory), son of a Gerichtsofficial (d. 1908), then German-speaking Yugoslavian citizen. School at Pettau, Obergymnasium in Graz, matriculated 1923. Studied Theology (ev.) and Philosophy at Vienna 1923–25, 1925 Theology at Rostock, and 1925–27 Theology and Philosophy at Erlangen. Interested there in Comparative Religion under Althaus. Also attended von Negelein’s classes in Indology. His dissertation is on an Indological subject, but not especially valuable. Instead of the original text, the English translation by M. N. Dutt was used as the main source. Perhaps the same G.Cz. who was minister in Hartberg, Austria, from 1931 until his early death in 1936.
Publications: Diss. Die Seelenwanderung im Mahābhārata. Ein Beitrag zur Erklärung und Entwicklung des Seelenwanderungsglaubens, dargestellt nach dem Ādiparvan des Mahābhārata. 44 p. Erlangen 1927.
Sources: Vita in diss.