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 Apelt. Gymnasium in Bautzen. Studied Oriental languages at Leipzig from 1824-33. Father’s death in 1827 brought financial problems, and…
BECKH, Christoph Eugen Hermann. Nürnberg 4.5.1875 — Stuttgart 1.3.1937. German Indologist and Tibetan Scholar, later turned into Anthroposophist Priest. Son of a factory owner, Eugen Beckh, and Marie Seiler, studied economy and law at the Maximilianeum of Munich until 1896 and worked as assessor, but was soon frustrated with law…
BECHTEL, Fritz (Friedrich). Durlach 2.2.1855 — Halle 9.3.1924. German IE Scholar. Professor in Göttingen and Halle. Son of Johann Friedrich Bechtel, a deacon, and Emilie Harrer. After a brief time of theology in Heidelberg studied at Göttingen IE linguistics under Benfey, Bezzenberger, A. Fick, et al. Ph.D. 1876 Göttingen, then…
BECCARINI-CRESCENZI, Elena. 18?? — 19??. Italian Poet and Translator interested in Sanskrit. Born of (or married to) an old noble family of Siena. A student of Pavolini, graduated 1915. Then lived in Frascati. Still active in the 1950s. Publications: Translated: “Il dramma della Sacra di Rāma (Abhiṣekanāṭaka) composito dal poeta…
BEAMES, John William. Greenwich 21.6.1837 — Clevedon, Somerset 24.5.1902. British Civil servant and Indologist in India, a Pioneer of Comparative NIA Studies. Served in India in 1858-93. The eldest son of the Rev. Thomas Beames (1815–1864) and Susanna Amelia Dewsnap (1811–1868). Educated first at Merchant Taylor’s School, then 1856-57 at…
BEAMAN, George Burnham. Cincinnati, Ohio 1.4.1870 — 12.2.1942. U.S. Teacher and Student of Indology in Germany. Son of Rev. Edmund Addison Beaman (1811–1908), a Swedenborgian minister, and Sarah Parsons (1833–1916). Educated in Cincinnati, studies at University of Cincinnati (B.A. 1893). In August 1893 left for Europe, studied first at Jena,…
BAZIN-FOUCHER, Émile Eugénie Marguerite Virginie (“Éna”). Chesnay (Yvelines) 7.10.1889 — 30.1.1952. French Art Historian. Originally studied English at Sorbonne, then 1915-18 Indology at E.P.H.E. under S. Lévi. She married —> A. Foucher (1865–1952) in 1919 in Colombo, on way to India. Some say that she had apparently met him at…
BAYNES, Herbert Morton Walker. Kensington, Middlesex / Bayswater, Westminster 2.2.1855 — Cumberland / Manly, both in NSW, Australia 1.9.1928. British Scholar of Indian Religions, a Theosophist. In peoplepill briefly called “British Civil Servant and Orientalist”, and werelate.org adds “Translator in the High Court in London. Was fluent in 22 languages”.…
BAUSANI, Alessandro. Rome 29.5.1921 — Rome 11.3.1988. Italian Orientalist (Persian Scholar). Grew up in a stricly religious Catholic family, educated in Rome. Studies in Rome, graduated 1943. Ph.D. From 1944 incaricato di lingua e letteratura persiana, Università di Roma, 1951-56 lettore ordinario; 1956-71 Professor of Persian language and literature, I.U.O.N.…
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, brother of —> Johannes Baunack (1854–1928). After school in Leipzig studied from 1880 at Leipzig classics, linguistics and Sanskrit (under Curtius, Brockhaus,…