ASMUSSEN, Jes Peter. Aabenraa 2.11.1928 — Copenhagen 5.8.2002. Danish Iranian Scholar, Specialist of Judeo-Persian Literature. Son of engineer Asmus Heinrich A. (d. 1959) and Eline Petersen (d. 1960). Matriculated from Aabenraa in 1948, then studied at Copenhagen University: Cand.Theol. 1954. After amy servoce in Greenland (learned Inuit language) worked in 1955-60 as schoolteacher in Copenhagen, also continuing studies under Kaj Barr, also at Cambridge, Hamburg and Tehran, retired 1998. Ph.D. 1965. In 1960-66 Universitetsadjunkt, 1966-67 Professor eo., and from 1967 Professor i Iransk filologi at Copenhagen (succeeding Barr). Member of Danish Academy 1973. Hon. Dr. Lund. 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 online 2011; Kraaks Blå Bog 1989; *Asmussen Volume with life, bibliography, and photo, Acta Iranica 3:12, Ld. 1988; Wikipedia; photo in Iran Soc. Silver Jubilee Souvenir. Calcutta 1970.