HELLER, Ludwig. Travemünde 18.8.1866 — Greifswald 21.8.1945. German Indologist. Professor in Greifswald. Son of Ludwig H. (1805–1878), a minister, historian Johannes H. (1851–1880) was his brother. Educated at Lübeck Gymnasium in 1878-86, then military service in Erlangen in 1886-87. In 1887-93 studies of Indology (Kielhorn) and classical philology at Göttingen, Ph.D. there 1894. In 1893-97 working at Staatsbibliothek in Berlin (catalogued Indian manuscripts with Weber). PD 1897 Greifswald, then from 1904 ao. Professor of Indology. From 1920 ord. Professor at Greifswald, from 1924 also of Comparative IE. In the 1930s formally retired, but continued his teaching until 1945, as his successor could not take the chair because of the war. Among his students was Lauenstein. Unmarried.
Heller has been much praised by his students, but he published extremely little. His main work was the edition of the Kavirahasya, the introduction being his dissertation, but the extensive commentary remained unpublished. He was a specialist of Sanskrit Grammar
Publications: Diss. Halāyudhas Kavirahasya. Einleitung. 56 p. Göttingen 1894.
– Hab.diss. Die indische Lehre von der Bildung der Denominative. 1897 (Stache-Rosen).
– Halāyudha’s Kavirahasya in beiden Recensionen. 8+101 p. Greifswald 1900 (text edited).
– A few brief articles, e.g.: “Der gaṇa ’mṛṣâd”, Festshcrift Weber 1896.
Sources: D.G.K. 1940; L. Magon, Idg. Jb. 27, 1948, 273-277; Stache-Rosen 1990, 161; German Wikipedia; photo in Rau 87, also in Indology in G.D.R. 1978.
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