KUHN, Ernst Wilhelm Adalbert. Berlin 7.2.1846 — Munich 20/21.8.1920. German Indologist. Professor in Munich. Son of —> Adalbert Kuhn (1812–1881) and Albertine Schwartz, grew up in Berlin. From 1863 studies at Berlin, Tübingen and Halle. Ph.D. 1869 Halle. From 1871 PD at Halle, 1872-75 at Leipzig. In 1875-77 Professor ord. at Heidelberg and in 1877-1917 at Munich (succeeding Haug as ord. für arische Philologie und vergleichende indogermanische Sprachwissenschaft, from 1909 only of Indology, when a new chair was created for IE). From 1878 Member of Bavarian Academy. Married 1877 Clara Knies (1852–1878), again 1880 Mathilde Dormeyer (1856–1943), his only daughter (with the first wife) died young.
Ernst Kuhn began as a Pāli scholar and soon became also interested in such questions as the languages of the Hindukush, Romani, South-East Asian languages, Barlaam and Joasaph tradition and further contacts with other countries in the sphere of religion. His major interest were books and bibliography. He was the editor of his father’s KZ (1873-1920) and among the editors of Orientalische Bibliographie (until 1912/15). Before the WW I he was the editor of vol. 1 of the planned international Pāli dictionary – and his materials finally ended up in the P.T.S. dictionary. He was a bookworm who never published much himself and earned from Oldenberg the malicious characterization as “der Eunuche im Harem der Wissenschaft”. Kinder was von Glasenapp’s “ein stark bajuvarisierter Urberliner und hervorragender Kenner der Biersorten”. Indeed, he put much his time to editorial and bibliographical work, but his few publications contained much valuable. Among his students were Fr. Heiler, L. Scherman, J. Schwab and H. Walter.
Publications: Diss. Kaccâyanappakaraṇae specimen. 34 p. Halis Saxonum 1869; habil.diss. Specimen alter, i.e. Kaccâyanae Nâmakappa. 14+34 p. Ibid. 1871.
– Beiträge zur Pāli-Grammatik. 8+120 p. B. 1875.
– “Über den ältesten arischen Bestandteil des singhalesischen Wortsatzes”, SBaAW 1879, 399-434; “Beiträge zur Sprachenkunde Hinterindiens”, SBaAW 1889, 189-236; brief articles in KZ, ZDMG, LC, various Festschrifts, etc.
– Barlaam und Ioasaph. Eine bibliographisch-literaturgeschichtliche Studie. 88 p. ABaAW 20:1. 1893; “Buddhistisches in den apokryphen Evangelien”, Gurupūjākaumudī. Festgabe … Albrecht Weber. 1896, 116–119.
– Edited with W. Geiger: Grundriß der iranischen Philologie. 1-2. Strassburg 1896-1904.
– Der Einfluss des arischen Indiens auf die Nachbarländer im Süden und Osten. Rektoratsrede. 28 p. Munich 1903.
– “Zu den arischen Anschauungen vom Königtum”, Fs. Thomsen 1912, 214-221 (Kuhn was also the editor of this Festschrift).
– Edited many Festschrifts, bibliographies and other works.
– Nachrichten über die Familie Kuhn. 1-2. Munich 1890-1903.
Sources: D. Drüll, Heidelberger Gelehrtenlexikon 1803–1932. 1986; W. Geiger, Jb. Bayer. Ak Wiss. 1921, 23-26 and Kleine Schriften. 1973, 641ff..; H. Oertel, Aufsätze zur Kultur- und Sprachgeschichte vornehmlich des Orients.Breslau 1916 (Fs. E.K.), ix-xi, bibliography by K. G. Zistl, ibid. xii-xxv; *Stache-Rosen 1990, 103; Stache-Weiske 2017, 538; F. Wilhelm, N.D.B. 13; German Wikipedia; photo in Rau 49 (from Fs.), another in Sardesaiand in Pedersen 1959, 129.
R. Schmitt, Ernst Kuhn und Vilhelms Thomsen. Aspekte ihres Forschens in Spiegel ihrer Korrespondenz. Hist.-filol. Medd. 61. Copenhagen 1990 (8 letters by E.K. and 4 by V.T., with intr. and notes)
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