STEINSCHNEIDER, Moritz. Prossnitz, Moravia (now Prostějov in Czech) 30.3.1816 — Berlin 24.1.1907. Moravian Jewish Rabbi and Semitic Scholar. Son of Jacob St. (1782–1856), a Talmud scholar, and Hani Zadek-Weizenkern (1792–1859). After school Talmudic studies in Prague (1833-36) and Vienna, now also other Semitic languages. Pressed by anti-Jewish laws of Austria…
ST. ANDREW ST. JOHN, Richard Fleming. Ealing (?) 12.9.1839 — Brentford, Middlesex 6.2.1919. British Officer and Burmese Scholar. Son of Henry St.Andrew St.John and Emily Murray Belcher. Lieutenant. Deputy Commissioner in Burma. In the 1890s he taught Burmese at Oxford and at University College in London (1894), at least at…
SORLEY, Herbert Tower. 12.4.1892 — 7.8.1968. British Civil Servant in India, Sindhi Scholar. Son of John T. Sorley, City Chamberlain of Aberdeen. M.A. 1914 Aberdeen. Served in I.C.S., apparently until 1947. In 1939 he was Collector of Bombay, then Chief Secretary to Government, Political and Services Department, Bombay. D.Litt. C.I.E.…
SOMS (Y) CASTELÍN, Enrique. 1860 — 1913. Spanish Linguist. Ph.D. Professor of Greek at Salamanca, from 1891 at Madrid. After Gelabert y Gordiola’s death (1894) taught Sanskrit classes at Madrid University until Daza de Campos was nominated in 1897. Friend of Miguel de Unamuno. Publications: Translated G. Curtius’ Gramática griega…
SMITH, Ray Caldwell. 20.7.1872 — India 1922. Rev. U.S. Presbyterian Missionary in India. Son of Rev. George B. Smith (1841–1941) and Anna Elizabeth Caldwell (1842–1906). Studies at San Francisco Theological Seminary. Soon after marriage to India. In 1914 in Fatehpur, then at Landour Language School in Mussoorie. Married 1900 Huetta…
SMIRNOV, Vasilij Ivanovič. Tver gub. 1898 — 19??. Russian Indologist, specialist of Bengali. Son of a farmer. Graduated from teacher college 1918, worked as schoolteacher until 1928. Now studies at Moscow Oriental Institute, soon moved to Leningrad, graduated there 1932. Further studies under Barannikov. From September 1936 Docent at Leningrad…
SITTIG, Ernst. Berlin 1.2.1887 — Tübingen 25.12.1955. German Linguist and Classical Scholar. Professor in Tübingen. Educated in Berlin, studies at Jena, Berlin and Halle. Ph.D. 1911 Halle. In WW I served in the decipherment department of the army and in 1919-24 continued same work in Foreign Ministry. PD 1923 Berlin,…
SIMON, Ernst Julius Walter (Ximen Xuade). Berlin 10.6.1893 — London 22.2.1981. German Sinologist and Sino-Tibetan Scholar in the U.K. Professor in London. Son of mathematician Heinrich Simon (1859–1930) and Cläre Abraham (murdered in Ghetto Theresienstadt). Studies of classical and Romance philology in 1911-14 at Berlin, 1915-18 in army. Employed in…
SILVESTRE DE SACY, Antoine Isaac (baron 1814). Paris 21.9.1758 — Paris 21.2.1838. French Oriental (Arabic and Persian) Scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of Abraham Jacques Silvestre (1722–1765), a notary, and Marie Marguerite Judde, a Jansenist Jewish family, lost early his father. Privately educated, studied law. In 1781-92 worked in financial…
SHIRT, George. Cawthorne, Yorkshire 1843 — Quetta 16.6.1886. Rev. British Missionary in India. Son of the elder George Shirt (1813–1896) and his wife Sarah (1811–1848). Educated at C. M. S. College in London, studies at Cambridge (B.A. 1864). Left for India in 1866 and worked for Church Missionary Society in…