SCHLAGINTWEIT-SAKÜNLÜNSKI, Hermann von. Munich 13.5.1826 — Munich 19.1.1882. German Traveller in India and Central Asia. Son of oculist physician Joseph Schl. (1792–1854) and Rosalia Seidl (1805–1839), brother of —> Adolf, Emil and Robert Schl. A fifth brother was Eduard Schl. (1831–1866), an officer and explorer of Morocco. After the early death of their mother the boys were in charge of tutors.  Studied medicine and science at Munich. Ph.D. 1848. In 1849 moved to Berlin, in 1851 in England. PD 1851 Berlin, in physical geography. In 1851 ascended Mount Rosa with his brothers. Through the mediation of A. von Humboldt and Bunsen he was employed in magnetic survey of the Himalayas and Kashmir, financed by the E.I.C and Prussian state, and together with his two brothers left England for India in 1854. At fall 1854 the three brothers travelled on differet routes from Bombay to Madras, then with ship to Calcutta. Now Hermann proceeded alone to Assam and, after a serious fever, explored the Eastern Himalayas and Khasi Hills and their inhabitants in 1855. He obtained a collection of cult utensils from British Sikkim and visited Nepal in February-March 1856. In April 1856 all three met in Simla, but parted again, and Hermann followed the Sutlej to east and Ladakh. In July he met Robert in Leh. In disguise the two proceeded to Central Asia, crossed the Kunlun, and returned via Leh to Kashmir. Parting again from his brothers in Rawalpindi Hermann travelled via Lahore, Agra ad Patna to Calcutta and soon left for Europe. Robert and Hermann were received enthusiastically and conferred the title of Bavarian nobility in 1859, Hermann was further given the name Sakünlünski in 1864. After his return he was often ill. Unmarried.

The scientific results of the Schlagintweit brothers were collected into 106 folio volumes, including 46 of personal travel notes, 38 of magnetic and meteorological observations, and 22 of illustrations with explanations (749 pictures including 484 watercolours). The collections included 14,777 numbers, of which 9577 geology, 1800 plants, 650 wood samples and seeds, 750 zoological preparations, 400 human skeletons, skulls and measured face masks of living people, 1400 ethographical objects and 200 Indian and Tibetan manuscripts and xylographs (these now mainly in Oxford).

Publications: Diss. on goniometry 1848; studies on the Alps.

– With R.Schl.: Results of a Scientific Mission to India and High Asia, with an Atlas of Panoramas, Views, Mats, etc. 1. Astronomical Determinations and Magnetic Observations. 1861; 2. Hypsometry. 1862; 3. Glossary and Route-Book. 1863; 4. Meteorology. 1866 (vols. 5-9 never appeared).

– Reisen in Indien und Hochasien. 1-4. Jena 1869-80.

– Neue Daten über den Todestag von Adolph v. Schlagintweit, nebst Bemerkungen über mussălmán’sche Zeitrechnung. Munich 1869.

Sources: H. Mayr, N.D.B. 23, 2007, 24f.; E. Schlagintweit, “Adolf, Hermann und Robert Schl.”, A.D.B. 31, 1890, 336-347; Wikipedia with two photos.

*M. v. Brescius, Fr. Kaiser & St. Kleidt (eds.), Über den Himalaya. Die Expedition der Brüder Schl. nach Indien und Zentralasien 1854 bis 1858. 2015.