BOLLENSEN, Georg Friedrich (in Russia known as Fëdor Fëdorovič Bolenzen). Rossdorf, Kreis Göttingen 12.1.1809 — Wiesbaden 29.2.1896. German Indologist in Russia. The only child of a farmer, Johann Friedrich Bollensen and Christiane Sophia Behrens. Gymnasium in Göttingen. Then studied theology at Göttingen, where Ewald prompted him to take Oriental languages.…
BLOCHET, Gabriel Joseph Edgard. Bourges (Cher) 12.12.1870 — Paris 5.9.1937. French Oriental (Arabic and Iranian) Scholar and Historian of Religions. Son of a cavalry officer. After studies in Paris, i.al. ancient Iranian under Darmesteter at É.P.H.É. and Arabic (diploma), Persian, Turkish and Urdu at É.L.O.V., from 1895 Assistant, then Librarian…
BIANCHI, Ugo. Cavriglia, Arezzo 13.10.1922 — Firenzuola, Florence 14.4.1995. Italian Scholar of Iranian Religion. Son of a parastatal employee, grew up in Rome. Studies of classical philology, ancient history and especially History of Religions at Sapienza in Rome under Pettazzoni. Ph.D. 1944. In 1952-56 member of Istituto italiano per la…
BENVENISTE, Émile (born Ezra B.). Aleppo, Syria 25.2. or 27.4.1902 — Versailles 3.10.1976. French Iranian scholar and Linguist. Professor in Paris, naturalized as Frenchman in 1924. Son of Mathieu (Mathatias) Benveniste, of a well known Sephardim family of Turkey (originally of Spain), and Marie Malkenson (an Ashkenazi from Lithuania), both…
BENFEY, Theodor. Nörten bei Göttingen 28.1.1809 — Göttingen 26.6.1881. German Indologist and IE Scholar. Professor in Göttingen. Born in a Jewish family, son of Isaak Benfey (1763–1832), a merchant and Talmud scholar, who also taught Hebrew to his son, and Caroline Salomon (1774–1838). School and from 1824 studies in Göttingen…
BENDER, Harold Herman. Martinsburg, W.Va. 20.4.1882 — Princeton 15.8.1951. U.S. IE, Indo-Iranian, and Lithuanian Scholar. Professor in Princeton. Born in an old American family, son of Isaac Lewis Bender (1850–1908) and Margaret (Maggie) Eleanore Kline (1852–1940). A.B. 1903 Lafayette College, then studied Sanskrit and IE at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore…
BEER, Eduard Friedrich Ferdinand. Bautzen, Upper Lusatia 15.6.1805 — Leipzig 5.4.1841. German Epigraphist and Semitic Scholar, a Pioneer of Cuneiform Studies. Son of a master tailor, Leonhard Beer (1775–1827) and Erdmuthe Eleonora Dorothea Apelt. Gymnasium in Bautzen. Studied Oriental languages at Leipzig from 1824-33. Father’s death in 1827 brought financial…
BAUNACK, Paul Theodor. Trebsen bei Grimma (east of Leipzig) 21.2.1861 — Leipzig 3.9.1932. German Philologist and Indo-Iranian Scholar. Teacher in Leipzig. Son of school inspector Gottlob Franz Baunack (1825–1892), brother of —> Johannes Baunack (1854–1928). After school in Leipzig studied from 1880 at Leipzig classics, linguistics and Sanskrit (under Curtius,…
BARTHOLOMAE, Friedrich Christian Leonhard. Forsthaus in Forstleithen bei Limmersdorf, Landkreis Kulmbach 21.1.1855 — Langeoog, Ostfriesland 9.8.1925. German IE and Iranian Scholar. Professor in Münster, Giessen, and Heidelberg. Son of a forester (Oberforster) Leonhard Bartholomae (d. 1859) and Maria Friederike Aichinger. Gymnasium in Bayreuth. From 1872 studied IE, Indian and Iranian…
BARTHÉLEMY, Adrien Léon Nicolas. Paris 24.8.1859 — Emancé (Rambouillet) 18.12.1949. French Iranian and Arabic Scholar. Son of a confectioner, lost early his father. After Lycée Charlemagne studied at É.L.O.V. Arabic, Turkish, and Persian, at É.P.H.É. Sanskrit and Avestan (under Darmesteter), graduated 1884 with a thesis on the Pehlevi Gujastak Abalish.…