OLSCHAK, Blanche Christine. Vienna 24.7.1913 — Zürich 25.6.1989. Austrian Journalist and Tibetan Scholar in Switzerland. Daughter of Joseph O., an officer, and Lilly Helene Bücheler. Studied Political Science at Graz (Ph.D. 1937), then Tibetan and Buddhism, a follower of A. David-Neel. From 1946 living in Zürich (after her husband had died as war prisoner). Now further studies under Regamey and Thupten Wangyal. Travels in the Himalayas, Indonesia, Mongolia and East Asia in the late 1940s. Worked as author and journalist. Active on behalf of Tibetan refugees in Switzerland. In 1981 Austrian title of Professor. A feminist. Married 1938 engineer Robert Schneider (d. 1946).
Publications: Tibet: Erde der Götter. 13+137 p. 8 pl. Zürich & St. 1960.
– Die Heiterkeit der Seele; Motive tibetischer Lebensphilosophie. 152 p. Schwarzenberg 1961.
– Religion und Kunst im alten Tibet. 108 p. 32 pl. Zürich 1962.
– Sikkim; Himalajastaat zwischen Gletschern und Dschungeln. 219 p. Zürich 1965.
– Translated: Perlen alttibetischer Literatur. Eine kleine Anthologie. 192 p. Basel 1967.
– Les empreintes du pied et les signes de la main du Bouddha. Basel 1968.
– With Thupten Wangyal: Mystik und Kunst Alttibets. 224 p. Bern 1972.
– Edited & transl. with Thupten Wangyal: Konchog Tänpä Dönmé, Spiritual Guide to the jewel island / Geistiger Führer zur Juweleninsel. 232 p. UNESCO Collection. Zürich 1973.
– Ancient Bhutan: a study on early Buddhism in the Himalayas. 222 p. Zürich 1979.
– Himalaya wachsende Berge, lebendige Mythen, wandernde Menschen. 288 p. ill. Köln 1987.
– Die Heiterkeit der Seele: jenseits von Leid: Wege der tibetischen Lebensphilosophie und Alltagspsychologie. 149 p. Frauenfeld 1988.
– Other works and articles, also unrelated with Tibet; text to several collections of photographs by U. Markus and A. Gansser.
Sources: An advertisement of her two posthumously issued books (P.at Lit. & Hk. d. S.), with photo; A. Bigger, Hist. Lex. d. Schweiz online version 2009; Wikipedia.
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