GUMILËV, Lev Nikolaevič. Carskoe Selo 18.9.(1.10.)1912 — St.Petersburg 15.6.1992. Russian Historian of Central Asia, Archaeologist and geographer, also writer and translator. Son of Nikolaj Stepanovič Gumilëv (1886–1921) and Anna Ahmatova (1889–1966), both well-known poets who divorced when he was still a child. Because of his parents he was not allowed…
GUIGNES, Joseph de. Pontoise (Seine-et-Oise) 19.10.1721 — Paris 19.3.1800. French Oriental Scholar, a Pioneer of Sinology and Precursor of Indology. Professor in Paris. Son of Jean Louis de Guignes and Françoise Vaillant. Recommended by his cousin, Professor Le Vaillant, he was accepted as a student by the Sinologist Etienne Fourmont…
GRÜNWEDEL, Albert. Munich 31.7.1856 — Lenggries bei Bad Tölz, Bavaria 28.10. (or 7.11.?) 1935. German Indologist, Tibetologist, Archaeologist and Art Historian. Museum Director in Berlin. Son of Karl Grünwedel (1815–1895), a painter and lithograph, and Franziska (Fanny) La Roch, educated at Maximilians-Gymnasium in Munich. In 1876-79 studied at Munich classical…
GROUSSET, René Jean François Marie. Aubais (Gard) 5.9.1885 — Paris 12.11(9?).1952. French Historian of Asia. Lost his father before birth (Louis-Xavier-René Grousset 1860–1885, historian and poet). After history studies at Montpellier moved to Paris and started Museum work. Participated in the WW I as sergeant and was seriously wounded in…
GRAY, Basil. South Kensington, London 21.7.1904 — Oxford 10.6.1989. British Art Historian specialized in Indian, Iranian, and Chinese Art. Son of Charles Gray (1834–1915), an army surgeon, and Florence Elworthy Cowell (1867–1956), educated at Bradfield School. Graduated 1927 from Oxford (New College), then studied briefly under Strzygowski at Vienna. In…
GIRARD DE RIALLE, Julien. Paris 27.9.1841 — Santiago (Chile) 23.11.1904. French Civil Servant and Diplomat interested in Indology and Ethnology. Graduated in 1861, travelled anonymously in the Balkans and wrote travel accounts. In 1865-66 by the order of French government in Syria. Privately he studied Sanskrit, Avestan and linguistics (also…
GABAIN, Annemarie von. Mörchingen (Morhange in Lorraine) 4.7.1901 — Berlin 15.1.1993. German Central Asian (Turcic) Scholar. Professor in Hamburg. Daughter of Arthur von Gabain (1860–1939), an officer (later General) with Huguenot background and Catholic mother, Maria Plewig, herself educated as Catholic. School in Mainz and Brandenburg. Studied first from 1920…
FRANKE, Alwin Wilhelm Otto. Gernrode, Harz 27.9.1863 — Berlin 5.8.1946. German Sinologist (started with Indology). Son of the Burgermeister Friedrich F. (1831–1889; from 1876 director of a prison in Coswig) and Henriette Ziegler (1832–1917). In 1882-87 studies of history, soon also of Indology and law at Freiburg, Berlin, Göttingen and…
ERDMANN, Friedrich Franz Ludwig von (Russian Fëdor Ivanovič Èrdman, born Friedrich Franz Ludwig Erdmann). Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg 15.3.1793 (or 1795?) — Kazan 2/14.2.1862. German Historian of Asia in Russia. Son of Johann Ernst Friedrich Erdmann (1759–1814), a vicar, and Luise Adel. Educated in Lübeck, studies at Rostock (O. G. Tychsen) and Göttingen.…
ELIAS, Ney. Widmore, Bromley, Kent 10.2.1844 — London 31.5.1897. British Diplomat and Explorer. Son of Ney Elias (d. 1891), a merchant with Jewish background, and his wife Sophia, educated in London, Paris and Dresden. “Went to Shanghai in a merchant’s firm in 1866, led an expedition in 1868 to examine…