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., where…
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. Nyrup, Ørsted Sogn, 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 Latin school, matriculated 1776 and went to Copenhagen. Studies of philology and theology at Copenhagen University, M.A. 1784. In 1784-1803…
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…
NOVIKOV, Nikolaj Ivanovič. Tihvinskoje-Avdotjino near Bronnicky (SE of Moscow) 8.5.(27.4.)1744 — ibid. 12.8.(31.7.)1818. Russian Literate, one of the leading representatives of Enlightenment in Russia. Born in a noble family, son of Ivan Vasil’evič Novikov (1699–1763), educated in Moscow. After military service in 1762-67 worked in the committee for the renovation…
NORSA, Umberto. Mantua 16.12.1866 — Mantua 5.4.1943. Italian Polyglot Author and Translator. Born in a Jewish family, educated in Mantua, already then (1881) translated Catull’s poems, in 1884 Heine and W. von Humboldt. Law studies at Bologna, following his father’s wishes, but he also attended the classes of Giosuè Carducci.…
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 Elizabeth Campbell, educated in Edinburgh. From 1896 studies at Edinburgh of Greek (under Butcher), Latin (Hardie) and Sanskrit (Eggeling). After M.A. in Classics moved in…
NOBEL, Julius Adolf Johannes. Forst, Lausitz 25.6.1887 — Wehrda bei Marburg 22.10.1960. German Indologist and Buddhist Scholar. Professor in Marburg. Son of a clerc, Oskar Nobel, and Elisabeth Teichert. Educated in Fulda, became early interested in Latin, Greek and Hebrew. The parents wished of him a Roman Catholic priest, but…
NÈVE, Félix-Jean-Baptiste-Joseph. Ath 13.6.1816 — Leuven 23.5.1893. Belgian Indologist and Oriental Scholar. Professor in Louvain (Leuven). Son of merchant Auguste Nève and Marie Delwarde, the family moved early to Lille where he went to school. From 1834 among the first students at Louvain, just reestablished as a Catholic French-speaking university…
NESSELMANN, Georg Heinrich Ferdinand. Fürstenau, Kr. Elbing (now Kmiecin in Poland) 24.2.1811 — Königsberg 1.7.1881. German Indo-Iranian, Baltic and IE Linguist. Professor in Königsberg. Son of Rev. George Ferdinand Nesselmann, and Eleonore Gericke. Taught by father at home until 16, then at Elbing Gymnasium. From 1831 he studied mathematics at…