WILLMAN-GRABOWSKA, Helena Antonina Maria. Warsaw 4.1.1870 — Cracow 31.10.1957. Polish Indologist. Professor in Krakow. Daughter of Józef Wojciech Grabowski (1818–1892) and Elżbieta Lipińska (1848–1908). After school in Warsaw she became a schoolteacher in 1887 (when 17). Soon active in anti-Russian movement. Women were then not allowed to the university, but…
WILKINS, Charles. Frome, Somerset bapt. 21.6.1749 (not 1750!) — London 13.5.1833. Sir. British Pioneer of Indology. In India 1770-86. Son of Hugh Wilkins (Sengupta Walter Wilkins) and Mary Wray, a modest family. Trained as a printer. Joining the E.I.C.’s service he came to India as a Writer in July 1770…
WIKANDER, Oscar Stig. Norrtälje 27.8.1908 — Uppsala 20.12.1983. Swedish Indo-Iranian Scholar. Professor in Uppsala. Son of Åke Magnus Wikander, a pharmacist with classical education and literary activity, and Gerda Holmberg, educated in Uppsala. Studies in 1925-38 at Uppsala, of classics, Semitic (Zetterstéen), Iranian (Nyberg) and Indology (Charpentier), then alsoat Copenhagen…
WEYRAUCH, August Heinrich von. Riga 30.4.1788 — Dresden 8.3.1865. German (of Livonia) Poet (nom-de-plume Heinrich von der Myrrhen) and Composer. Born in a Livonian German family as the son of a post master, Friedrich Wilhelm von Weyrauch and Sophie Albertina Österlein. Educated in Riga and St.Petersburg. Studied law at Dorpat…
WEST, Hans. Mesinge, Fyn 6.7.1758 — Kassel 6.7.1811. Danish Scholar interested in India. Son of a minister, Hans Zacharias Danchel West (1719–1771) and Maren Hetting (1722–1778). Educated at Odense school. From 1788 rector of the Danish School in Christiansted, St. Croix (now of Virgin Islands). There he translated Jones’ English…
WELLER, Hermann Anton(ius) (nom-de-plume Hans Lindach). Schwäbisch-Gmünd 4.2.1878 — Tübingen 9.12.1956. German Indologist and Poet. Born in a Roman Catholic family, son of merchant Leonhard Weller (1850–1890) and Johanna Leins (1849–1890), lost early his both parents. Educated in Gmünd, Mergentheim and Ehingen. Studied at Tübingen and Berlin law, classics, Hebrew…
WEBER, Friedrich Albrecht. Breslau 17.2.1825 — Berlin 30.11.1901. German Indologist. Professor in Berlin. Son of Friedrich Benedikt Weber (1774–1848), a Professor of Economics (Cameralist). Educated at monastery school in Rossleben, learned there Greek and Hebrew. In 1842-45 studied classical and Oriental philology at Breslau (Sanskrit under Stenzler), for a while…
WALTER, Otto. Goseck, Sachsen-Anhalt 28.12.1868 (1878?) — 1941?. German Indologist. Son of Bruno Walter, a Lutheran minister, educated at Naumburg Gymnasium. From 1888 studied Indology, theology, history, English and philosophy at several universities. Ph.D. 1903 Strassburg (under E. Leumann). In the 1910s/1920s editor of the series Religiöse Stimmen der Völker…
WAGENER, Auguste. Roermund (Netherlands) 8.6.1829 — Gand (Ghent) 14.5.1896. Belgian Classical Philologist. Professor in Ghent. Born in the Netherlands, son of Jan-Baptist Wagener, a teacher of Luxemburgian origin, and Catherine Reuter, educated in Roermund. In 1845-49 studied at Bonn Classics (Ritschl) and Sanskrit (Lassen). Ph.D. 1849 Bonn. A second doctorate,…
WAALS, Henrik Gerardus van der. Leiden 29.11.18?? — Laren, North Holland 1.8.1931. Dutch Schoolteacher interested in Indology, Translator of Indian classics into Dutch. Son of carpenter Jacobus van der Waals (1812–1898) and Elisabeth van den Burg (1816–1896). Schoolteacher of French in Amsterdam. Publications: Translated: Pañcatantra, arische levenswijsheid uit het oude…