STRAUSS, Otto. Berlin 18.10.1881 — Bloemendaal, Netherlands 20.10.1940. German Indologist. Professor in Breslau. Son of banker Moritz Strauss and Hermine Massenbach. After gymnasium in Berlin studied from 1899 Indology, philosophy and art history at Munich, Berlin and especially Kiel (Oldenberg, Deussen). From Deussen he got the interest in Indian philosophy.…
SPRENGEL, Matthias Christian. Rostock 24.8.1746 — Halle 7.1.1803. German Historian and Geographer. Professor at Halle. Son of a merchant. After school in Rostock studied law at Rostock and Bützow, then English and history at Göttingen (under A. L. von Schlözer). From 1778 ao. Professor für Geschichte at Göttigen, from 1779…
SPIES, Otto. Bad Kreuznach near Mainz 5.4.1901 — Bonn 29.10.1981. German Semitist (Turkish and Arabic Scholar) also interested in Hindi. Professor in Bonn. Studies at Bonn and Tübingen: Oriental languages (Ph.D. 1923 Tübingen, under E. Littmann) and law (Dr. juris 1924 Bonn). Then Assistant at Bonn under P. Kahle in…
SPIEGEL, Ludwig Friedrich Ernst (1880 von Sp.). Kitzingen near Würzburg 11.7.1820 — Munich 15.12.1905. German Indo-Iranian Scholar. Professor in Erlangen. N.D.B. does not know the first names of his parents, but his father was a Rentamtmann living in 1759–1830, mother née Dorsch. Matriculated from Ansbach, began 1839 studies of theology…
SPECHT, Franz. Rosslau an der Elbe, Anhalt 1.11.1888 — Mainz 13.11.1949. German IE Scholar. Professor in Halle, Breslau, Berlin and Mainz. Son of an industrialist, the elder Franz Specht. Gymnasium in Dessau. Studies of Classics, Germanistics and IE in 1909-13 at Berlin and Leipzig (under Windisch, Leskien, Brugmann, Schulze). Participated…
SONTHEIMER, Günther-Dietz. Ulm 21.4.1934 — Dossenheim bei Heidelberg 2.6.1992. German Indologist, Specialist of Law, Popular Religion and Marathi. Professor in Heidelberg. Son of Dr. Walther Sontheimer (1890–1984), a teacher and schooldirector, and Herma Dietz. During the war living in mother’s home area, in the former Prussian Posen (Poznań). In 1945-53…
SONNE, Wilhelm Günther Heinrich. Ilfeld am Harz 22.2.1820 — Wismar 3.5.1873. German IE Scholar. Schoolteacher in Wismar. Son of Heinrich Daniel Andreas Sonne (1780–1832) a teacher and Director of Ilfeld Gymnasium, himself educated at Göttingen Gymnasium 1831-32 and Hannover Lyceum (with G. F. Grotefend as Director). From 1839 studies of…
SOMMER, Johann Ferdinand. Trier 4.5.1875 — Munich 3.4.1962. German classical,IE and Hittite Scholar. Professor in Jena and Munich. Son of Philipp Sommer (1845–1911), a Rechnungsrat, and Johanna Saur. Educated in Trier and Kassel, from 1893 studies at Marburg and Freiburg (Thurneysen). Ph.D. 1896 Freiburg (diss. on Celtology). Further studies at…
SOLMSEN, Felix. Schneidemühl, Hinterpommern (now Piła, Poland) 11.7.1865 — Mehlem near Bonn 13.6.1911. German Classical and IE Linguist. Professor in Bonn. Son of Heinrich Solmsen (1835–1914) and Cäcilie Leszczynski (1842–1899). Studies of Classics and Comparative Linguistics at Berlin (J. Schmidt) and Leipzig (Brugmann and Leskien). Ph.D. 1886 Leipzig. After an…
SOLF, Wilhelm Heinrich. Berlin 5.10.1862 — Berlin 6.2.1936. German Indologist and Diplomat. Born in a wealthy family, son of Hermann Solf (1826–1894), a merchant and industrialist, and Augusta Peters, who was the cousin of —> J. Wackernagel. Educated in Anklam and Mannheim. From 1881 studies of Indology and philology at…