WEISSBACH, Franz Heinrich (until 1890 Weisbach). Chemnitz 25.11.1865 — Markkleeberg near Leipzig 20.2.1944. German Assyriologist. Librarian in Leipzig. Son of Franz Robert Weissbach, a hat maker, and Clara Auguste Leonhardt. Gymnasium in Chemnitz and Zwickau. From 1885 studies of classical and Oriental (F. Delitzsch) philology and theology at Leipzig. Ph.D. 1889 Leipzig. From 1888 working in Leipzig University Library, first Hilfsarbeiter, from 1900 Librarian, from 1917 Head Librarian (Oberbibliothekar), retired in 1929. PD 1898 Leipzig, für Keilschriftforschung und Alte Geschichte, from 1905 ao. Professor (without salary), from 1930 ord. Honorarprofessor of Cuneiform studies, until 1935. In 1933 he applied for the membership of NSDAP, but was rejected as a freemason and later forced to retire. Died in a bombardment. Married Carola Unger (b. 1871), one daughter and one son.
Weissbach was a many-sided Assyriologist, who also worked on Iranian (Old Persian). He was one of the best scholars of Elamite in his times. He wrote on Mesopotamian history, chronology and metrology, even on Sumerian. He participated in German excavations in Babylon in 1901-03 and afterwards published Babylonian inscriptions, Arabic texts of Iraq and studies on Babylonian topography.
Publications: Diss. Achämenideninschriften zweiter Art. 6+126 p. 16 pl. Lp. 1889 (Elamite); hab.diss. Die sumerische Frage. 4+184 p. Lp. 1898; other studies on Assyriology.
– Altpersische Keilinschriften in Umschrift. 1. 16+48 p. 4 pl. Assyriologische Bibliothek 10. Lp. 1893; Die Keilinschriften der Achämeniden. 74+160 p. Vorderasiatische Bibl. 3. Lp. 1911.
– “Die altpersischen Inschriften”, Grundriss der iranischen Philologie. 2. Strassburg 1895-1904, 54-74.
– “Zur Kritik der Achämenideninschriften”, ZDMG 67, 1913, 271-341; Die Keilinschriften am Grabe des Darius Hystaspis. 53 p. 8 pl. A.S.G.W. 61, Ph.-h.Kl. 29:1, 1911 (1913); long articles about Mesopotamian and Iranian metrology.
– “Die dreisprachige Inschrift Darius Susa e”, Z. für Assyriol. 44, 1938, 150-169; “Die fünfte Kolumn der grossen Bīsutūn-Inschrift”, Z. f. Assyriol. 46, 1940, 53-82.
Sources: M. Müller, WZLeipzig 1971:1, 74f.; W. von Soden, Z. f. Assyriol. 48, 1944, 2 unnumbered pages (with a poor photo); *E. Weidner, AfO 15, 1945-51, 176-178; ancestry.com; German Wikipedia.
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