SCHMIDT, Johann Wilhelm Richard. Aschersleben, Sachsen-Anhalt 29.1.1866 — Münster, Westfalen 15.11.1939. German Indologist. Professor in Münster. Son of a teacher. After school in Eisleben studied in 1886-90 at Halle (Pischel, Geldner). Ph.D. 1890 Halle. Eight years in Eisleben, probably as teacher. PD 1898 Halle, in 1904-10 also Librarian of D.M.G. In 1910 moved to Münster, from 1912 ao. and 1919 ord. Professor there. Joined NSDAP in 1933.
Schmidt was a taciturn and retiring scholar, who never had many students (E. & H. Kreyenborg, Schöhl). At Halle he taught classical Sanskrit, but also Vedic, Pāli and even Marathi. Although his literary work is important, especially on Kathā, Kāmaśāstra and lexicography, nobody seems to have deemed him worthy of an obituary.
Publications: Diss. Vier Erzählungen aus der Śukasaptati. 52 p. Halle 1890.
– Das Kathākautukam des Çrīvara verglichen mit Dschāmis Jusuf und Zuleikha. 10+210 p. Kiel 1893.
– Edited: “Specimen der Dinālāpanikāçukasaptati”, ZDMG 45, 1891, 629-681 & 46, 1892, 664-683 (with transl.); Śukasaptati. Textus simplicior. 223 p. A.K.M. 10:1. Lp. 1893; “Der Textus ornatior der Śukasaptati”, ABaAW 21:2. 1896, 317-416; “Der Textus simplicior der Śukasaptati in der Recension des Handschrift A”, ZDMG 54, 1900, 515-547 & 55, 1901, 1-44; “Anmerkungen zu dem Textus simplicior der Śukasaptati”, ZDMG 48, 1894, 580-628.
– Translated: Die Çukasaptati (textus simplicior). 3+102 p. Kiel 1894; Die Śukasaptati (textus ornatior). 4+149 p. St. 1899; Das Pañcatantra (textus ornatior). 326 p. Lp. 1901; Appaya Dīkṣitas Kompendium der Redefiguren Kuvalayānandakārikās. 156 p. Berlin 1907; Das indische Papageienbuch. 14+120 p. Meisterwerke Orient. Lit. 3. Munich 1913.
– Translated (in German & Latin): Das Kāmasūtram des Vātsyāyana. Die indische Ars amatoria mit dem vollständigen Kommentare (Jayamaṅgalā) des Yaśodhara. 5+478 p. Lp. 1897, 5th ed. 9+500 p. B. 1915.
– Edited & transl.: Çrî-Râmacandra: Rasikarañjanam (Râmacandra’s Ergötzen der Kenner). 60 p. St. 1896; Sukabahattari. Die Marathi-Uebersetzung der Sukasaptati. 8+175 p. A.K.M. 10:4. Lp. 1897; Śrīvaras Kathākautukam, die Geschichte von Joseph in persisch-indischem Gewand. 10+210 p. Kiel 1898.
– Edited: “Harihara’s Śṛṅgāradīpikā”, ZDMG 57, 1903, 705-739; “Revaṇārādhyas Smaratattvaprakāśikā”, WZKM 18, 1904, 261-179; “Rāma’s Manmathonmanthana”, ZDMG 63, 1909, 409-437 & 629-654; “Das Ratiśāstra von Nāgārjuna”, WZKM 23, 1909, 180-190; Bāṇas Pārvatīpariṇayanāṭakam. A.K.M. 13:4. 1917.
– Liebe und Ehe im alten und modernen Indien. 571 p. B. 1904; Beiträge zur indischen Erotik. 984 p. Lp. 1902, 2nd ed. 1911.
– With J. Hertel, edited & transl.: “Amitagati’s Subhāṣitasaṁdoha”, ZDMG 59, 1905, 265-340, 523-577 & 61, 1907, 88-137, 298-341, 542-582, 875-908.
– “Die Tanjore Handschriften von Harihara’s Śṛṅgārabandhapradīpikā”, WZKM 19, 1905, 24-28; “Neue oder im pw. noch nicht belegte Wörter aus Ratnākaras Haravijaya”, WZKM 29, 1915, 259-308; “Beiträge zum Sanskrit-Wörterbuch”, ZDMG 71, 1917, 1-49.
– Fakire und Fakirtum im alten und modernen Indien. 5+229 p. 87 ill. B. 1908, 2nd ed. 1921.
– Translated: “Kṣemendra’s Kalāvilāsa I–IV”, Festgabe ehemaliger Schüler zum 70. Geburtstag des Professors Ernst Nehliss in Eisleben. 1914, 1-33; “Kṣemendra’s Kalāvilāsa V–X”, WZKM. 28, 1914, 406-435; “Kṣemendra’s Darpadanam (“Dünkelsprengung”)”, ZDMG 69, 1915, 1-51; Buddhas Leben: Aśvaghoṣas Buddhacaritam. 126 p. Hannover 1923; Der Eintritt in den Wandel in Erleuchtung (Bodhicaryāvatāra). Von Śāntideva. 16+144 p. Paderborn 1923.
– Das alte und moderne Indien. 6+279 p. Bonn 1920.
– Edited with J. Jolly: Kauṭilya, Arthaśāstra. 1-2. 53+272+??? p. Punjab Or. Ser. 4. Lahore 1923-24.
– Elementarbuch der Śaurasenī mit Vergleichung der Mahārāṣṭrī und Magadhī. 46 p. Hannover 1924.
– Nachträge zum Sanskrit-Wörterbuch in kürzeren Fassung von Böhtlingk. 398 p. 1924-28.
– “Bhānudatta’s Alaṁkāratilaka”, Festgabe H. Jacobi 1926, 180-186; “Über die Kucumāra-Upaniṣad”, Festgabe R. Garbe 1927, 72f.
Sources: J. Mehlig, WZHalle 7:4, 897; www.catalogus-professorum-halensis.de/schmidtrichard.html; German Wikipedia (rather uninformative); photo in Rau 85, another in Sardesai.
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