VODSKOV, Hans Sofus (born Hans Sophus Wodschou). Limensgade, Åker, Bornholm 16.9.1846 — Copenhagen 16.3.1910. Danish Scholar of Comparative Religion. Born in modest family, son of Frederik Christian Rubeck Wodschou (d. 1847) and Ivare Sofie Caroline Saabye. Lost early his father and grew up with his mother in Randers. Participated in 1864 Danish-Prussian war, then studies at Copenhagen, concentrating on philosophy, mythology and aesthetics. Worked as literary critic and translator. Applied for the chair of Aesthetics at Copenhagen, but when G. Brandes got it, lived as private scholar in Copenhagen, last years until 1908 in solitary life in an island in Småland, Sweden. Unmarried. He was a sharp critic of S. Bugge’s Nordic mythology as well as of the Vedic theories of Max Müller and of Bergaigne’s way in emphasizing the technical ritualistic function of the hymns of the Ṛgveda. Published very little.

Publications: Spredte Studier. 377 p. Copenhagen 1884 (literary criticism).

– Sjæledyrkelse og Naturdyrkelse. Bidrag til Bestemmelsen af den mytologiske Metode. 1. Rig-Veda og Edda. Fasc. 1. Inledning og Rig-Veda. 150+80 p. Copenhagen 1890, then continued until 1897.

Sources: *Th.A. Müller, D.B.L. online 2011 (long article in Danish); *Køb. Univ. 11; Swedish and Danish Wikipedia.           

*E. Reitzel-Nielsen (ed.), Breve fra og til Hans Vodskov. 1-2. Copenhagen 1972.