KOEPPEN, Carl Friedrich (Karl Fr. Köppen). Seehausen, Altmark 26.4.1808 — Berlin 19.7.1863. German Philosopher interested in Buddhism. Son of a minister. After gymnasium in Stendal studies of theology at Berlin. Military service in artillery, then worked as schoolteacher in Königstädt. He was a Linkshegelian and a close friend of Marx, Max Stirner, et al.and published anonymously rash criticism of the then eminent historians such as Ranke. After 1848 turned to Buddhist studies.In his book on Buddhism he discussed both Theravāda (vol. 1) and Lamaism (2). Especially for the first he necessarily could not find good sources and thus his negative interpretation has been long time antiquitated. According to Walravens & Stache-Weiske 2015, 293, nt. 854 born in Nieder-Görne bei Arneburg (thus also German Wikipedia).
Publications: “Die Berliner Historiker”, Hallesche Jahrbücher 4, 1841; “Fichte und die Revolution”, Ruge (ed.), Anekdote zur neuesten deutschen Philosophie und Publicistik 1, Zürich 1843, 153-196; and other philosophical and political articles.
– “Einige Worte über den Buddhismus”, Jahresbericht über die Dorotheenstädtische Realschule 1850-51, 3-31.
– Die Religion des Buddha und ihre Entstehung. 1-2. 8+614, 11+407 p. B. 1857-59.
Sources: **H. Hirsch, “K.F.K. der intimste Berliner Freund Marxens”, Intern. Review for Social History 1, 1936, 311-370 (my thanks to P. Vycihl who in 1998 mentioned this article to me); A. Stern, “Wer war der Verfasser des Aufsatzes ‘Berliner Historiker’ in den Halleschen Jahrbüchern 1841?”, Historische Zeitschrift 143, 1931, 512-517; briefly mentioned in Schumann, Buddhismus, 11; Wikipedia.
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