BLONAY, Godefroy Jean Henry Louis de, baron. Niederschoenthal, Füllingsdorf (Basel-Land) 25.7.1869 — Biskra, Algeria 14.2.1937. Swiss Indologist. Born in his father’s (baron Gustave Louis de Blonay, 1830–1900) castle, Château de Grandson, in an old Vaudian family, whose ancestor had founded the castle of Blonay in Vaud in c. 1175, his…
BLOCHMANN, Henry (Heinrich) Ferdinand. Dresden 8.1.1838 — Calcutta 13.7.1878. German Oriental Scholar in India, Specialist of Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. Son of a printer, Ernest Ehrenfried Blochmann (1789–1862), educated at Kreuzschule in Dresden, from 1855 studies at Leipzig (Arabic and Persian under Fleischer) and 1857 in Paris (Hase). In order…
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…
BLOCH, Ernst Theodor. Christiansfeld, Schleswig (now Slesvig, Denmark) 8.5.1867 — Calcutta 20.10.1909. German Indologist. Born as the son of a dyer master, Bernhard Bloch, in the Herrnhutian colony of Christiansfeld in the then German North Schleswig, went there to school. In 1880-82 at Unitätsanstalt and 1882-87 at Pädagogium of the…
BLOCH, Jules. Paris 1.5.1880 — Sèvres (Seine-et-Oise) 29.11.1953. French Indologist and Linguist. Professor in Paris. Son of a Jewish merchant, Salomon Bloch and Caroline Bernheimer, a modest unreligious family originating in Southern Alsace. After Lycée Charlemagne, studied in Paris (Fac. des lettres, etc.) under Lévi and Meillet (also Gauthiot, Foucher…
BLOCH, Alfred. Basel 18.4.1915 — Basel 11.7.1983. Swiss Indologist, IE and Semitic Scholar. Professor in Basel. Born in Jewish family, son of engineer Max Bloch (d. 1826) and Suzanne Weil. Studies of comparative linguistics, Greek, and Semitics at Basel in 1933-39. Ph.D. 1939 Basel. From 1942 PD at Basel, then…
BLEICHSTEINER, Robert. Vienna 6.1.1891 — Vienna 10.4.1954. Austrian Anthropologist and Linguist, Scholar of Iranian and Caucasian Languages and Ethnology, later also of Mongolian and Tibetan. Son of Josef Ludwig Bleichsteiner (1859–1914) and Josefine Klinger. School and studies in Vienna (M. Bittner, L. von Schroeder, B. Geiger). Ph.D. 1913 Vienna, then…
BLEEKER, Claas Jouco. Beneden Knijpe (now De Knijpe), Schoterland, Friesland 12.9.1898 — Amsterdam 5.5.1983. Dutch Historian of Religion. Son of Rev. Johannes Jakob Bleeker (1869–1946) and Jantje (Tine) Zuur. School in Leeuwarden, studies of theology at Leiden, also studies of Egyptology and religion at Berlin. Reformed priest 1925. Th.Dr. 1929…
BLEECK, Arthur Henry. Westbury, Wiltshire 18.5.1829 — Kensington, London 27.1.1877. British Orientalist, said to be known of his remarkable linguistic talent (but translating Spiegel’s German Avesta is not so remarkable). Son of William Bleak (1801/2–1873), a school director, and Charlotte Goodman. Studies at University College, London. First employed in British…
BLAU, Ernst Otto Friedrich August. Nordhausen, Thüringen 21.4.1828 — Odessa 26.2.1879. German Diplomat and Oriental Scholar. Son of Christian Friedrich Blau (teacher, later superintendent). After school in Pforta studies of theology at Halle, soon Oriental languages at Leipzig. Ph.D. Leipzig 1855. Entered early diplomatic career: from 1852 in Constantinople (in…