MUNK, Salomon. Gross-Glogau, Silesia (now Glogów, Poland) 2.5.1802 — Paris 5/6.2.(14.5.?)1867. German Oriental Scholar in France. Professor in Paris. Born in a Jewish family in Prussian Silesia, son of a poor synagogue servant, educated at Rabbinical school in Gross-Glogau and in Berlin. Despite of poverty succeeded to start studies at…
MOHL, Jules (Julius von Mohl). Stuttgart 25.10.1800 — Paris 4/5.1.1876. French (German-born) Oriental Scholar in Paris. French citizen. Professor of Persian at Collège de France. Son of a high civil servant in Württemberg, Benjamin Ferdinand von Mohl and Louisa Friederica Autenrieth, his brothers were Robert (1799–1875, scholar of law and…
MAUSS, Marcel. Épinal (Vosges) 10.5.1872 — Paris 10.2.1950. French Sociologist and Anthropologist. Born in an Alsatian Jewish family, son of Gerson M. and Rosine Durkheim. Studied philosophy at Bordeaux under his famous uncle É. Durkheim. After agregation (1895) studied Sanskrit (S. Lévi) and comparative religion in Paris. He had leftist…
BRÉAL, Michel-Jules-Alfred. Landau (Pfalz) 26.3.1832 — Paris 25.11.1915. French IE scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of Auguste Bréal (d. 1839), a lawyer, and Caroline Worms. Educated in Wissembourg, Metz and Paris (Lycée Louis-le-Grand), then 1852-55 at École normale. Teacher in Strasbourg (1855) and Paris (Louis-le-Grand, 1856). Studied in 1857-60 Sanskrit…
BLOCH, Jules. Paris 1.5.1880 — Sèvres (Seine-et-Oise) 29.11.1953. French Indologist and Linguist. Professor in Paris. Son of a Jewish merchant, Salomon Bloch and Caroline Bernheimer. After Lycée Charlemagne, studied in Paris (Fac. des lettres, etc.) under Lévi and Meillet (also Gauthiot, Foucher and M. Mauss). Licencié ès lettres 1900, 1903…
BIOT, Jean Baptiste. Paris 21.4.1774 — Paris 3.2.1862. French Historian of Science, especially Astronomy. Son of a treasury official, Joseph B., joined the army in 1792, but sent to home because of failing health in 1794. Graduated as an engineer and taught Mathematics from 1797 in Beauvais, from 1799 at…
BERTHELOT, Pierre-Eugène-Marcellin. Paris 25.10.1827 — Paris 18.3.1907. French Chemist, famous for his work on Organic Chemistry. Also a Scholar of the History of Chemistry and Alchemy. Son of a physician, Jacques-Martin B., educated at Lycée Henri IV (classsmate of Renan). Studies in Paris, dr. ès sciences 1854. From 1859 Professor…
BENVENISTE, Émile (born Ezra B.). Aleppo, Syria 25.2. or 27.4.1902 — Paris 3.10.1976. French Iranian scholar and Linguist. Professor in Paris, naturalized as Frenchman in 1924. Son of Mathieu (Mathatias) B., of a well known Sephardim family of Turkey (originally of Spain), and Marie Malkenson, both teachers. Educated privately, in…
BAREAU, André. Saint Maudé (Seine) 31.12.1921 — Paris 2.3.1993. French Buddhologist. Professor in Paris. Son of an accountant. After undergraduate studies at E.N.S. worked as schoolteacher and now also began studies under Filliozat and Demiéville. Licence de philosophie 1946, diplom of É.P.H.É. Dr. ès lettres 1951. Worked at C.N.R.S.: 1942…
AMPÈRE, Jean-Jacques-Antoine. Lyon 12.8.1800 — Pau 26/27.3.1864. French Scholar of History and Literature interested in India. Son of the famous scientist André Marie A. (1775-1836) and Antoinette Carron, lost early his mother. Educated at Collège Henri IV. Travelled in Europe and wrote himself poetry. In 1830 taught at Athénée de…