VODSKOV, Hans Sofus (born Hans Sophus Wodschou). Limensgade, Åker, Bornholm 16.9.1846 — Copenhagen 16.3.1910. Danish Scholar of Comparative Religion. Born in modest family, son of Frederik Christian Rubeck Wodschou (d. 1847) and Ivare Sofie Caroline Saabye. Lost early his father and grew up with his mother in Randers. Participated in…
VLIET, Joannes van der. Reeuwijk, South Holland 24.4.1847 — Utrecht 17.7.1902. Dutch Classical Scholar and Indologist. Professor in Utrecht. Son of Rev. Frederick van der Vliet and Sara Sophia la Lau. Gymnasium and studies of Classics at Leiden, Ph.D. 1874. In Sanskrit student of Kern. In 1874-91 school-teacher in Zaltbommel,…
VIVIEN DE SAINT-MARTIN, Louis. Saint-Martin-de-Fontenay (Calvados) 22.5.1802 — Versailles 3.1.1897. French Scholar of Historical Geography. Born Louis Vivien, came to Paris in 1814. Worked as author and editor in Paris. Legion d’honneur 1867. He did not know Sanskrit and based his Vedic studies on Langlois’ insufficient translation. Publications: A number…
VASIL’EV, Vasilij Pavlovič (Wassilieff). Nižni-Novgorod 20.2.(4.3.)1818 — St.Petersburg 27.4.1900. Russian Sinologist and Buddhist Scholar. Professor in St.Petersburg. Son of a minor civil servant. After school in Nižnij-Novgorod he studied from 1834 Tatar and Mongolian at Kazan University (under Èrdman, Kowalewski, et al.), Kand. 1837. Now studied Chinese under Archimandrite Daniil. Learned…
VANÍČEK, Alois. Prague 21.6.1825 — Prague 9.5.1883. Czech IE Scholar. Son of a teacher. After school in Prague, in 1843-47 studies of law, but soon also Classics at Prague. In the early 1850s, under Curtius and Schleicher, also learned Sanskrit and IE linguistics. Worked as gymnasium professor in various towns,…
UHLENBECK, Christianus Cornelius. Voorburg, South Holland 18.10.1866 — Lugano, Switzerland 12.8.1951 (or 1959?). Dutch Linguist and IE Scholar. Professor in Leiden. Son of Peter Frederik U., a retired naval officer (serving in Indonesia) with German background, and Julie le Roux, grew up in Haarlem. Studied from 1885 Dutch Literature at…
ZAEHNER, Robert Charles. Sevenoaks, Kent 8.4.1913 — Oxford 24.11.1974. British Scholar of Comparative Religion, especially Iranian and Indian. Professor in Oxford. Son of Swiss-German immigrants to England. Educated at Tonbridge School. From 1932 studied at Christ Church College, Oxford, i.al. classics, Persian and Iranian, also Sanskrit and Arabic, 1936-37 Middle Persian…
OTTO, Rudolf Louis Karl. Peine, Hannover 25.9.1869 — Marburg 6.3.1937. German Lutheran Theologian and Scholar of Religion. Professor in Marburg. Son of Wilhelm Otto (1809–1882), a factory owner, and Katharine Reupke (1818–1911), lost his father in the age of 12. Matriculated 1888 from Hildesheim, studied theology at Erlangen and Göttingen.…
ORANSKIJ, Iosif Mihajlovič. Petrograd 24.4./3.5.1923 — Leningrad 16.5.1977. Russian Iranian Scholar. Son of pharmacist Mihail L’vovič O. and his wife Berta Iosifovna. In 1941-45 in the army, wounded. Graduated 1948 from Leningrad, student of Frejman. Kand. filol. nauk 1951, Docent 1953, Dr. 1967, Professor 1973. In 1948-51 taught at Leningrad…
OLMSTEAD, Albert Ten Eyck. Troy, NY 23.3.1880 — Chicago 11.4.1945. U.S. Oriental Scholar (Assyriologist and Historian). Professor in Chicago. Son of Charles Olmstead and Ella Blanchard. Studies at Cornell University (A.B. 1902, A.M. 1903, Ph.D. 1906). In 1904-05 Fellow in American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem, 1906-07 in American…