DILLMANN, Christian Friedrich August. Illingen bei Maulbronn 25.4.1823 — Berlin 4.7.1894. German Semitic Scholar, famous Pioneer of Ethiopian Studies. Professor in Berlin. Son of Elias D., a school principal, and Christiana Louisa Wiemeg. Studied theology and philology at Tübingen, mainly under Ewald, but also Roth and Schleicher. Ph.D. 1846. Ordained priest. Further studies in 1847-48 in Paris, London and Oxford, now specializing on Ge‘ez. Back in Tübingen he taught as episcopal repetent and PD, from 1853 as ao. Professor. From 1854 ao. and 1859 ord. Professor of Oriental Languages at Kiel, in 1864-69 Professor of Theology at Giessen and from 1869 at Berlin University. Hon. Dr. Theol. 1862 Leipzig. Married 1856 Mathilde Leo, four daughters, two sons.

Dillmann was the real founder (after the early pioneer work of Hiob Ludolf in the 17th century) of Ethiopian philology in Europe and still well remembered in Semitics, where some of his handbooks are still used. In addition to this he was mainly a Hebrew scholar, but he also knew Sanskrit and taught it at Kiel University during his time there.

Publications: Grammatik der äthiopischen Sprache. 24+435 p. Lp. 1857; Lexicon linguae Aethiopicae. 1522 p. Lp. 1865; Äthiopische Chrestomathie. Lp. 1866; Ethiopian (Ge‘ez) text editions, etc.

– Further publications on Hebrew and Semitics, also on theology, apparently nothing on Sanskrit.

Sources: *H. Bobzin, Lex. gramm. 1996, 242; Fück 1955, 218; Hofman in Univ. Gesch. Kiel. 5:2, 1969, 699-702; *R. Kittel, A.D.B. 47, 699-702; E. Littmann, N.D.B. 3, 1957, 721f.; *G.L. Robinson, The Biblical World 4, 1894, 244-258; Wikipedia with photo.