OL’DENBURG, Sergej Fëdorovič (Serge d’Oldenbourg). Bjankino, Zabajkal’skoj obl. (now Tšita obl., Nerčinskij raion) 14.(26.)9.1863 — Leningrad 28.2.1934. Russian Indologist and Art Historian. Professor and Academician in St.Petersburg/Leningrad. Son of Fëdor Fëdorovič O. (1827–1877), an officer, of Livonian nobility, and Nadežda Fëdorovna Berg (von Berg, 1833–1909). Matriculated in 1881, he was…
OLDENBERG, Hermann. Hamburg 31.10.1854 — Göttingen 18.3.1920. German Indologist. Professor in Kiel and Göttingen. Son of Friedrich O. (1820–1894), a minister, and Eleonore Sieveking (d. 1854). Gymnasium in Berlin. Began his studies at Göttingen, soonat Berlin: classical philology and Indology (under Weber). Ph.D. 1875 Berlin. From 1878 PD at Berlin.…
OGDEN, Charles Jones. 10.12.1880 — 10.12.1955. U.S. Indologist. Son of Herbert J. Ogden and Mary M. Jones. A.B. 1900, A.M. 1903, Ph.D. 1909 Columbia University, New York, in classical philology. Being wealthy he did not enter academic career (and never published much), although he was active in American Oriental Society.…
OESTERLEY, Hermann. Göttingen 14.6.1833 — Breslau 2.2.1891. German Librarian and Scholar of Literature. Son of Ferdinand Oesterley, the mayor of Göttingen, and Mathilde Scharlach. Studies of philosophy and music at Göttingen, Ph.D. 1855 in Philosophy. In 1858-61 PD für theoretische Musik at Kiel. In 1862-72 worked at Göttingen University Library.…
OERTEL, Hanns. Geithain, Sachsen 20.4.1868 — Munich 7.2.1952. German Indologist, for a while in the U.S.A. Professor in New Haven and Munich. Son of Colonel Philipp Julius Oe. (1821–86) and Evelyn Lassnitzer. Gymnasium in Plauen and Meissen. After father’s death in 1886 moved with the family to the U.S.A., studied…
OBRY, Jean-Baptiste-François. Villers-Bretonneux (Somme) 17.9.1793 — 1871. French Literate interested in Indology and Religions. Son of wool merchant Firmin Obry and Marie Floride Debrie. Worked as attorney and judge in Amiens. “Juge honoraire, membre de l’académie d’Amiens”. He was much interested in Hebrew and in the 1830s he invented a…
NYERUP, Rasmus. Syrup, Funen 12.3.1759 — Copenhagen 28.6.1829. Danish Scholar interested in India. Son of Christen Rasmussen, a poor villain, and Karen Simonsdatter. In 1773 came to Odense school, matriculated 1776. Studies of philology and theology at Copenhagen University, M.A. 1784. In 1784-1803 worked in Royal Library, 1796-1829 eo. Professor…
NURMEKUND, Pent (until 1936 Arthur Roosman). Kilingi near Pärnu 16.12.1906 — Tartu 26.12.1996. Estonian Linguist, Polyglot and Oriental Scholar, specialized in Chinese and Indian languages and literatures. Born in a poor family as the son of an agrarian worker, Peet Roosman, and Julie Rüütel, he could only proceed slowly with…
NORSA, Umberto. Mantova 16.12.1866 — Mantova 5.4.1943. Italian Polyglot Author and Translator. Born in a Jewish family, educated in Mantova, already then (1881) translated Catull’s poems. Law studies at Bologna, where he also attended the classes of Giosuè Carducci. Beside classical languages and German, learned now Spanish, Polish and English,…
NORMAN, Harry Campbell. Winkleigh, Devonshire 19.12.1878 — Benares (Varanasi) 11.4.1913. British Indologist (Pāli Scholar) in India. Son of James Norman (d. 1910), a physician, and his wife Elizabeth Campbell, educated in Edinburgh. From 1896 studies at Edinburgh of Greek (under Butcher), Latin (Hardie) and Sanskrit (Eggeling). After M.A. in Classics…