WILKEN, Friedrich. Ratzeburg, Holstein 23.5.1777 — Berlin 24.12.1840. German Historian and Oriental Scholar. Professor in Heidelberg and Berlin. Of modest origin, son of Christian Erich Wilken, a valet, and his wife Sophie. After Domschule of Ratzeburg from 1795 studies of theology and history at Göttingen, also Oriental languages under J.…
WILHELM, Erdmann Eugen. Neustadt an der Orla, Thüringen 5.6.1842 — 1923. German Iranian Scholar. Professor in Jena. Son of a Superintendent, educated in Weimar. Studies at Jena and Halle. Ph.D. 1864. In 1864 tutor in Holstein, from 1865 Oberlehrer at Eisenach Gymnasium. From 1876 Professor and acting Director at Jena Gymnasium. From…
WIDENGREN, Geo. Stockholm 24.4.1907 — Stockholm 28.1.1996. Swedish Scholar of Comparative Religion and of Iranian and Semitic Philology. Professor in Uppsala. Son of Georg Hugo Wilhelm Jakobsson (1875–1927), a soldier, and Anna Matilda Leontina née Widengren (1883–1969), grew up in Stockholm. After parents’ divorce in 1917 took his mother’s surname.…
WEISSBACH, Franz Heinrich (until 1890 Weisbach). Chemnitz 25.11.1865 — Markkleeberg near Leipzig 20.2.1944. German Assyriologist. Librarian in Leipzig. Son of Franz Robert Weissbach, a hat maker, and Clara Auguste Leonhardt. Gymnasium in Chemnitz and Zwickau. From 1885 studies of classical and Oriental (F. Delitzsch) philology and theology at Leipzig. Ph.D.…
WATHEN, William Henry. Gloucestershire 31.12.1794 — Cape Town 28.6.1866, when 71. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Samuel Wathen (d. 1818) and Elizabeth Sheppard. In Bombay as early as 1810. In the 1820s and early 1830s Persian secretary to Bombay Government, in 1837/38 Chief Secretary to it. Introduced to…
WALLENIUS, Ivar Ulrik. Akaa 30.1.1793 — Helsinki 23.5.1874. Finnish Orientalist (originally Arabic Scholar). Son of Rev. Johan Wallenius (1758–1829) and Anna Lovisa Favorin 1755–1798), both of old clerical families. School (from 1804) and studies (from 1811) in Turku. M.A. 1815, Docent of Arabic 1817, Associate Professor (Adjunkt) of Oriental Literature…
RUTGERS, Antonie. Groningen 8.3.1805 — the Hague 18.10.1884. Dutch Oriental Scholar and Reformed Theologian interested in Sanskrit. Professor in Leiden. Son of Rev. Johannes Rutgers (1758–1834) and Eva Justina Brugmans. School and studies at Groningen: cand.litt. 1823, cand.theol. 1825, dr.theol. 1830. Also studies under Hamaker at Leiden. From 1829 pastor…
RUNDALL, Frank Montagu (“Montie”). Madras 18.5.1851 — Tynemouth, Northumberland 25.4.1930. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of General Francis Hornblow Rundall (1823–1908), an irrigation engineer in India, and Fanny Ada Seton Burn. “Educated at Marlborough; joined the Berkshire regt., and Indian Staff Corps. Served in Upper Burma on Staff of…
ROST, Ernst Reinhold. Eisenberg, Sachsen-Altenburg 2.2.1822 — Canterbury 7.2.1896 (thus Wikipedia, Weise & Wollaston; Stache-Weiske 2007 d. London 15.2.1896). German Indologist and South-East Asian Scholar in the U.K. Son of Christian Friedrich Rost, a Lutheran minister. After school in Altenburg studies of theology and Oriental languages at Jena (under Gildemeister). Ph.D. 1847…
ROSS, Edward Denison. London 6.6.1871 — Istanbul 23.9.1940. Sir. British Oriental (Persian) Scholar in India. Professor in London. Son of Rev. Alexander J. Ross, D.D., the vicar of St.Philip’s in Stepney, educated in Marlborough, studies at University College, London. Further studies of Arabic and Persian in Paris (under Scheferand Renan)…