FAZY, Robert. Foëcy, Cher (France) 28.6.1872 — Lausanne 2.3.1956. Swiss Judge interested in Oriental Studies. Son of an engineer and economist, of ancient Genevan family. During his childhood he lived in France, Silesia, and Bern. After studies of science and law at Geneva he worked from 1897 as a lawyer in Geneva, from 1900 judge. In 1921 he taught civil law at the local university, but in the same year became Bundesrichter in Lausanne. From 1939 president of Bundesgericht, retired in 1942 and concentrated on Oriental studies. He was an officer, a conservative, an Alpinist, and much interested in golf and bridge. In his early years he had written dramatic pieces.
In Switzerland Fazy became only late known as an Oriental scholar (e.g. Tscharner met him only in 1936, through presentation by Pelliot), although he had communicated with many foreign scholars since the 1920s (Lévi, Foucher, Pelliot, and Grousset). In 1939 he was one of the founders of the Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Asienkunde. Since 1918 he had collected a fine library of especially pre-1800 Oriental studies, which was given to the University and Canton Library of Lausanne.
Publications: Diss. De la revision en matière pénale. 256 p. Geneva 1899; Spectateur. Pièce en 4 actes. 150 p. Geneva 1903; etc.
– Since the 1920s reviews especially of books on Buddhism in Journal de Genève and Gazette de Lausanne; articles in JA, T’oung Pao, Bull. de la Soc. Suisse des Amis de l’Extrême-Orient, Études Asiatiques, Les Alpes, etc., for example:
– “Le cas Moorcroft, un problème de l’exploration tibétaine”, TP 35, 1939, 155-184; “Essai d’une bibliographie raisonnée de l’exploration tibétaine”, BSSAEO 2, 1940, 3-22; “Autour d’une expédition chinoise sous les T’ang à travers les Pamirs et le Yasin”, BSSAEO 3, 1941, 3-24; “Autour de l’expédition d’Alexandre le Grand en Asie Centrale, 331–327 av. J.-C.”, BSSAEO 4, 1942, 3-26; “Autour d’une expédition romaine en Arabie Heureuse sous Auguste”, BSSAEO 5, 1943, 3-31; “Le P. Ippolito Desideri à Lhasa”, BSSAEO 6, 1944, 17-61; “Autour de Gengis-Khan”, BSSAEO 8, 1946, 3-22.
– “Le problème de l’Everest”, As.St./Ét.As. 1, 1947, 129-143; “Une nouvelle vie du Buddha Çâkya-mouni”, As.St./Ét.As. 3, 1949, 124-143; “Jehan de Mandeville: ses voyages et son séjour discuté en Egypte”, As.St./Ét.As. 4, 1950, 30-54; “L’exploration du Kafiristan par les Européens”, As.St./Ét.As. 7, 1953, 1-25; “Alfred Foucher — 1865 à 1952 — et son œuvre”, As.St./Ét.As. 7, 1953, 81-98.
Sources: *C. Regamey, Art. As. 19, 1956, 72; J. de Senarclens in Web HistLexSchweiz; E.H.V. Tscharner, As.St./Ét.As. 10, 1956, 1-13 (with bibliography); *Semaine judiciaire (Genève) 1939, 161ff. & 1956, 241ff.; briefly in *As. St./Ét.As. 6, 1952; French Wikipédia.
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