ALTER, Franz Karl. Engelsberg, Austrian Silesia (Andělská Hora in Czechia) 27.1.1749 — Vienna 29.5.1804. S.J. Austrian (Silesian) Orientalist and Greek Scholar. Born in what is now Czech part of Silesia. Educated in Olmütz (Olomouc). Jesuit from 1766, after the suppression of the order taught Greek at a gymnasium, further studies at Vienna and Prague. Ph.D. From 1779 custos (librarian) of the Vienna university library. Productive, but also super­ficial scholar interested in Oriental, Slavic and Greek philology. He learned little Sanskrit in Vienna from Paulinus a Sancto Bartholomaeo and compared it to other Indian and Asian languages as they were documented in glossaries like those of Paulinus and Catharina the Great.

Publications: Edited the Greek New Testament 1787 and the Homeric epics in 1789–94, ed. princeps of the Byzantine chronicle of Georgios Phrantzes 1796; edited Latin texts; Über Georgianische Litteratur. 286 p. Vienna 1798; Über die Tagalische Sprache. 10+80 p. Vienna 1802; and other works.

– Ueber die samskrdamische Sprache, vulgo Samskrit. 16+199 p. Vienna 1799.

Sources: Halm, A.D.B. 1, 363f.; W. Kratz, N.D.B. 1, 218; Wurzbach 1; Gel. Teutschland 1; German Wikipedia with small picture.