GAEFFKE, Hans Peter Theodor. Breslau 6.12.1927 — Philadelphia 30.3.2005. German Indologist (Hindī scholar) in the U.S.A. Professor in Philadelphia. Son of engineer Albert Gaeffke. School in 1938-44 in Breslau, then military service 1944-45 and time as war prisoner. In 1947-48 studied history and Germanistics at Regensburg Hochschule, from 1948 Linguistics at Mainz (Risch & Porzig). Ph.D. 1952 Mainz in linguistics, 1950-52 E. Risch’s Assistant there. In 1952-55 studied Sanskrit and taught German in Calcutta. In 1955-62 he worked as teacher in Rheinland-Pfalz, also continuing his studies. In 1965-75 he taught Hindī and other modern Indian languages as Professor at Utrecht University. From 1975 Professor of Modern Indian Literature at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, emeritus 2003.
In addition to Hindī Gaffke was also interested in Urdu and Bengali. His main fields were Hindī syntax and history of Hindī novel, but he knew well Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Urdu and Sanskrit, too.
Publications: Diss. Die griechischen Nomina auf -ias. Mainz 1952.
– “The snake-jewel in ancient Indian literature”, IL 14, 1954, 581-594.
– “Die Stellung der indischen Christen im Urteil der Hindu nach der Darstellung Premchands”, WZKS 6, 1962, 15-28; “Zum Menschenbild in den Erzählungen Premcands”, WZKS 10, 1966, 6-65.
– De Hindi literatuur en het indische nationalisme. 16 p. Leiden 1966.
– Hindiromane in der ersten Hälfte des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts. 167 p. HdO Erg.bd. 1. Ld. 1966.
– Untersuchungen zur Syntax des Hindi. 210 p. Disp. Rheno-Traj. 11. the Hague 1967.
– Grundbegriffe moderner indischer Erzählkunst aufgezeigt am Werke Jayaśaṅkara Prasādas (1889–1937). 248 p. HdO Erg.bd. 2. Leiden 1970.
– Tulsīdās: Rāmcaritmānas: Der heilige See der Taten Ramas. Ein indisches Gedicht vom Erdenwandel Gottes aus dem 16. Jh. 120 p. Stuttgart 1975.
– Hindi literature in the 20th century. 118 p. H.I.L. 8:5. Wb. 1978.
– Edited with D. A. Utz: Identity and division in cults and sects in South Asia. 8+194 p. Proceedings of the South Asia seminar 1. Philadelphia 1984; Science and technology in South Asia. 10+171 p. Pr.S.A.Sem. 2. Ph. 1984; The countries of South Asia: boundaries, extensions, and interrelations. 10+167 p. Proc.S.A.Sem. 3. Philadelphia 1984.
– “Karma in North Indian Bhakti Traditions”, JAOS 105, 1985, 265-275; “The Garden of Light in the Forest of Darkness in Dakkinī Sūfī Literature and Painting”, Art. As. 48, 1987, 224-234, 9 pl.
– “German Indology and the Orientalism Debate”, Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics 17, 1994, 1-15.
– “India and the European Pessimistic Tradition”, K. Preisendanz (ed.), Expanding and Merging Horizons … in Commemoration of W. Halbfass.Denkschr. Ö.A.W. 351. Vienna 2007, 99-107; other articles and reviews.
Sources: Short note in German Scholars on India 1973, 416; “een bescheiden onderkomen” 1981, 128f.; Columbia database directory 1994; Durch Indology homepage (bibliography until 1974); German Wikipedia.