BRANDES, Carl Edvard Cohen. Copenhagen 21.10.1847 — Copenhagen 20.12.1931. Danish Journalist and Politician, started as an Indologist. Son of a Herman B. (1816-1904), a wholesale dealer, and Emilie Bendix (1818-98), brother of author and critic Georg B. (1842-1927). School at Copenhagen, matriculated 1865. Studied at Copenhagen University many languages (Sanskrit, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Slavic languages, later also Arabic and Persian), mainly Sanskrit under Westergaard. M.A. in Oriental Philology 1872, Ph.D. 1879. He had even earlier interested in theatre and without success tried to become an actor. After his doctorate left Indology in order to be a journalist and author. Editor of the Politiken from 1875. Dramatist author and critic. Interested in politics, 1880ff. (from Langeland) and 1906-27 (now for Radikale Venstre) member of the Landsting, 1909–10 & 1913–20 Minister of Finance. Three times married: 1873 with Harriet Salomonsen (1856-79), 1887 with Ingeborg Thaulow (née Gad; 1852-1908; divorced), and 1900 with sculptress Elise Rustad (1873-1918), children.

Publications: Many dramas, articles, criticism, and reviews.

– Diss. Ushas og Ushashymnerne i Rigveda. En mytologisk Monografi. 119 p. Copenhagen 1879; translated: Sudraka: Lervognen. Et indisk skuespil. 228 p. Copenhagen 1870, 2nd ed. 1919 (Mṛcchakaṭika); Kalidasa: Kongen og Danserinden. Lystspil i fem Akter. 88 p. Copenhagen 1874 (Mālavikāgnimitra).

Sources: H. Larsen, Dansk Biogr. Lex. 3rd ed. 3, 1979, 449-453; Danish Theses for the Doctorate 1836–1926. A Bio-Bibliography. 197f.; Pauly, Københ. Univ. 8, 1992, 537; Wikipedia (with photo, more details in Danish version).

M. Borup (ed.): Georg og Edvard Brandes: Brevveksling med nordiske forfattere og videnskabsmaend. 1-8. Copenhagen 1939-42.