ASMUSSEN, Jes Peter. Aabenraa, North Slesvig 2.11.1928 — Copenhagen 5.8.2002. Danish Iranian Scholar, Specialist of Judeo-Persian Literature. Son of engineer Asmus Heinrich Asmussen (d. 1959) and Eline Petersen (d. 1960). Matriculated from Aabenraa in 1948, then studied theology at Copenhagen University: Cand.Theol. 1954. After amy service as military chaplain in Greenland (learned there Inuit language) worked in 1955-60 as schoolteacher in Copenhagen, also continuing studies under Kaj Barr, also at Cambridge, Hamburg and Tehran. Ph.D. 1965. In 1960-66 Universitetsadjunkt, 1966-67 Professor eo., and from 1967 Professor i Iransk filologi at Copenhagen (succeeding Barr), retired 1998 (no successor). Member of Danish Academy 1973. Hon. Dr. 1986 Lund. In last years an eye-disease seriously hampered his work. Married 1955 Ellen Anette Diderichsen (1933–2023), two sons, one daughter.
Asmussen was mainly a specialist of religions of Iran (especially Manichaeism) and of Middle Iranian languages. Also an ornithologist (with publications).
Publications: Diss. Xuāstuānīft. Studies in Manichaeism. 292 p. Acta Theologica Danica 7. Copenhagen 1965.
– Historiske texter fra Achaemenidetiden. 152 p. Copenhagen 1960.
– The Khotanese Bhadracaryādesanā. D. Vid. Selsk. Medd. 39:2. Copenhagen 1961.
– Jewish-Persian texts. With intr. & glossary. 47 p. Wb. 1968; Studies in Judeo-Persian literature. 135 p. Studia Post-Biblica 24. Leiden 1973.
– “Manichaeism”, HistoriaReligionum.1. Leiden 1969,580-610;“Der Manichäismus”, Handbuch der Religionsgeschichte. 3. Göttingen1975, 337-358.
– Manichaean Literature. Representative Texts Chiefly from Middle Persian and Parthian Writings. 148 p. Delmar, NY 1975.
– “Christians in Iran”, CambridgeHistory of Iran. 3:2. Cambridge 1983, 924-948.
– Translations from Persian; articles and reviews in AO, Temenos, etc.
Sources: W. Sundermann, Encyclop. Iranica 2005 (online 2016); Kraaks Blå Bog 1989; *Barg.e sabz. A Green Leaf. Papers in Honour of Prof. J.P.A. Acta Iranica 3:12. Ld. 1988 (with life, bibliography, and photo); Wikipedia; photo in Iran Soc. Silver Jubilee Souvenir. Calcutta 1970.
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