BROCKHAUS, Hermann. Amsterdam 28.1.1806 — Leipzig 5.1.1877. German Indologist and Iranian Scholar. Professor in Leipzig. Born in Amsterdam in a German family, son of the famous publisher Friedrich Arnold Br. (1772–1823) and Sophie Beurhaus (d. 1809). In 1810 the family returned to Germany after mother’s death. School in Dresden, Berlin and finally at Friedrichsgymnasium in Altenburg, where —> H. C. v. d. Gabelentz was his classmate. Studies of Oriental (Semitic) languages at the universities of Leipzig, Göttingen and Bonn (now Sanskrit under v. Schlegel and Lassen, also Persian). Further studies in 1829-30 in Copenhagen, in 1831-33 in Paris (Burnouf), also visited London and Oxford. Ph.D. 1838 Leipzig. In 1835-39 private scholar in Dresden, in 1839-41 ao. Professor für orientalische Sprachen at Jena, taught Sanskrit there (but also Hebrew). From 1841 to his death Professor für altindische Sprache und Literatur at Leipzig (ord. 1848 as Prof. für ostasiatische Sprachen). In 1872-73 Rector of the University. Full member of Saxonian Academy (S.A.W.) 1846. In 1845 he was one of the founders of the D.M.G. Popular as a teacher. He married 1836 Ottilie Wagner (1811-1883), the sister of Richard Wagner, who became his close friend, and had two sons (Friedrich became Professor of Law) and two daughters.
Brockhaus campaigned eagerly on behalf of the Roman transliteration for Sanskrit and Avesta, which he himself used in his editions of the Kathāsaritsāgara and the Vīdēvdat ( Vendidad), but found few supporters in this (at least Weber’s Taittirīyasaṁhitā and Aufrechts Ṛgveda). He was a many-sided Indologist and notable Iranian scholar (including Modern Persian). The idea of editing the Kathāsaritsāgara came in London in 1835. As teacher he did not neglect the Vedas. He also taught Hindustani, Armenian and Chinese. He knew and even taught Finnish, but the planned translation of the Kalevala remained unfinished. Among his students were R. Fritzsche, H. Kellgren (who taught him Finnish in exchange for Sanskrit), H. C. Kellner, Max Müller (1841-44), E. Sachau, F. Spiegel, H. Uhle, and E. Windisch, who became his successor at Leipzig.
Publications: Diss. Gründung der Stadt Pataliputra und Geschichte der Upakosa. Fragmente aus dem Katha Sarit Sagara des Somadeva. Sanskrit und Deutsch. 16+16 p. Lp. 1835.
– Edited and transl. into Latin: Prabodha Chandrodaya Krishna Misri Comoedia ed. scholiisque instruxit. 8+118+ 136 p. Lp. 1835-45.
– Edited and translated: Katha Sarit Sagara. Die Märchensammlung des Sri Somadeva Bhatta aus Kaschmir. Erstes bis fünftes Buch. 469+157 p. Lp. 1839 (transl. also separately, Lp. 1843); Books 6ff. in AKM 2:5 & 4. 4+236, 4+628 p. Lp. 1862-66 without translation.
– Über den Druck Sanskritischer Werke mit Lat. Buchstaben. 92 p. Lp. 1841 (with specimens).
– Translated from Persian, with text: Die sieben weisen Meister von Nachschabi. 12+15 p. Lp. 1845.
– Edited: Vendidad Sade. Die heiligen Schriften Zoroasters … mit Glossar. 415 p. Lp. 1850; Lieder des Hafis. 1-3. Lp. 1854-60.
– “Bemerkungen I. Zur Geschichte des Indischen Ziffersystems”, ZKM 4, 1842, 74-83;“Über die Algebra des Bhāskara”, Ber.Verh.S.G.W. 4, 1852, 1-46; “Über Somadevas Bearbeitung der Vetâla-pancavinçati”, ibid. 5, 1853, 181-206; “Über die Chandomañjarī (der Blüthenzweig der Metra) von Gaṅgādāsa”, ibid. 6, 1854, 209-242 (with text); “Analyse der sechsten Buches von Somadeva”, ibid. 12, 1860, 101-162; “Analyse der siebenten Buches von Somadeva”, ibid. 13, 1861, 203-250; brief articles and reviews in various journals.
– Editor of ZDMG 1852-65.
Sources: Windisch 211-214; H.C. Kellner, A.D.B. 47, 1903, 263-272; W. Kirfel, N.D.B. 2, 1955, 626f.; Mylius, WZULeipzig 28:1, 1979, 47-50 (with photo); F. Neubert in McGetchin et al. 2004, 175-177; *v. Prentl, SBaAW 1877, 61-64; Stache-Rosen 1990, 28f.; Windisch 211-214; JRAS Proc. 1877, vi-viii (perhaps = *Max Müller, Biogr. Essays. 2nd ed. Chips. 2. 1895, 451-453); German Wikipedia (with photo); photo in Sardesai and in Rau 151.