LA VALLÉE POUSSIN, Louis Étienne Marie de. Liège 1.1.1869 — Brussels 18.2.1938. Belgian Indologist, a specialist of Buddhism and History. Professor in Ghent. Son of a French father, Gustave de La Vallée Poussin (1829–1910), and Belgian mother, Marie Pauline de Monge de Franeau (1845–1876), both of families with great scholarly…
LAUFER, Berthold. Köln 11.10.1874 — Chicago 13.9.1934. German Sinologist and Anthropologist in the U.S.A. Son of Max Laufer (of Jewish background) and Eugenie Schlesinger, a wealthy family. His younger brother was —> Heinrich Laufer (1877–1925). After gymnasium in Cologne studied at Berlin 1893-95, first law, but soon ethnology and Oriental…
KRESSLER, August Eduard Oscar. Konstanz 16.4.1876 — Hongkong 1970. German Japanologist, began as Indologist. Son of a postal officer, educated in Aachen, Colmar (Alsace) and Wernigerode. From 1896 studies of Sanskrit, Latin and Oriental philology at Leipzig (Windisch, et al.), one term at Geneva, then at Strassburg (E. Leumann). Ph.D.…
KLAPROTH, Heinrich Julius von. Berlin 11.10.1783 — Paris 28.8.1835. German Oriental Scholar in Russia and France. Son of the mineralogist and chemist (discoverer of uranium) Martin-Heinrich Klaproth (1743–1817) and Christine Sophie Lehmann (1748–1803). Gymnasium in Berlin. As a fifteen years old schoolboy he started the study of Chinese from Bayer’s…
KIRCHER, Athanasius. Geisa near Fulda 2.5.1602 (or 1601) — Rome 27.11.1680. Father. S.J. German Polyhistor and Oriental Scholar, a Pioneer of Coptology, a Precursor of Egyptology, a Sinologist, etc. Son of Johann Kircher, Doctor of Divinity and teacher of Benedictines, and Anna Gansek. Novice of S.J. 1618 in Paderborn, took…
KINGSMILL, Thomas William. Dublin 8.1.1837 — Shanghai 26.7.1910. British civil engineer (architect) and geologist, from end 1862 until his death in Shanghai. Son of Henry Kingsmill (1798?–1868) and Sarah Stone. “Was chiefly engaged in exploration and surveying work in China, especially geological work.” Active member of the North China Branch…
KAROW, Otto. Magdeburg 29.9.1913 — Bad Homburg 6.8.1992. German Sino-Japanologist. After school in Magdeburg started studies of Theology in 1932 at Giessen, soon became interested in Asian languages and moved to Leipzig and then Berlin. Beside Chinese and Japanese also studied Tibetan and Mongolian. Graduated 1935. Married 1936 and in…
HURVITZ, Leon Nahum. Cambridge, MA 4.8.1923 — Vancouver 28.9.1992. U.S. Sinologist and Buddhist Scholar. Son of Benjamin S. Hurvitz (1893–1971) and Rachel Rose Marcus, educated in Boston. Studies of Classics at Chicago, then war service in U.S. Army. After the WW II worked as interpreter in Japan, also studies there.…
HIRTH, Friedrich. Gräfentonna, Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha 16.4.1845 — Munich 9.1.1927. German Sinologist in the U.S.A. Spent 25 years in China, then Professor in New York. Son of Georg Hirth (1807–1857), a lawyer, and Louise Drevelle du Frênes (1819–1860). Educated at Gotha Gymnasium, in 1865-68 studies of classical philology at Leipzig, Berlin and…
HERRMANN, Albert Ludwig. Hannover 20.1.1886 — Pilsen (Plzeň in Czech) 19.4.1945. German Scholar of Historical Geography. Son of school director Konrad Herrmann (1844–1910) and Bertha Engelnord. After school in Lingen/Ems studied from 1904 at Berlin and Göttingen. Ph.D. Göttingen 1910 (under H. Wagner). Worked as school-teacher until 1933. From 1923…