LAUENSTEIN, Diether. Herford 8.4.1914 — Windhoek, Namibia 28.12.1990. German Student of Indology, Anthroposophist. Of modest background. In 1934-38 studied Theology at Tübingen, also Sanskrit under Nobel at Marburg. After one year at seminary of Christengemeinschaft (Christian sect, close to anthroposophy) served in army, but was wounded and lost one leg. Dr.theol. 1943 Marburg, under Nobel. Prepared his Indological habilitation at Greifswald, 1944 taught briefly there, but after the war could no longer complete it. Priest of Christengemeinschaft from 1946, worked as minister in Tübingen, in 1951–65 in Essen and finally in Bochum. In 1975 he moved to Windhoek because of a lung illness. Here he became politically active supporting the South African apartheid politics.
Publications: Diss. Marburg 1943 publ. as Das Erwachen der Gottesmystik in Indien. Die Entwicklung des Bhakti-Begriffes (der gläubigen Hingabe) innerhalb der älteren religiösen Vorstellungen der Inder. 155 p. Christentum und Fremdreligionen 8. München 1943.
– Edited: 2nd edition of H. Beckh’s Der Hymnus an die Erde, aus dem Atharvaveda übersetzt. (1934) 71 p. St. 1960 and of Beckh’s Der Hingang des Vollendeten. Die Erzählung von Buddhas Erdenabschied und Nirvāṇa. 181 p. St. 1960.
– Religious books; G. Kollert (ed.): Gesammelte Aufsätze, Vorträge, Entwürfe. 1-3. 912 p. 2014.
Sources: J. Lens in http://biographien.kulturimpuls.org/detail.php?&id=360 with photo; German Wikipedia.
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