FRANK, Othmar (born Johann Georg Frank). Bamberg 8.5.1770 — Vienna 16.9.1840. German Pioneer of Indology. Professor in Munich. Son of Konrad Frank, a master tailor, and Maria-Anna Köberlein. After school he entered the Benedictine monastery of Banz near Bamberg (now taking the new name Othmar Frank), and was ordained there…
FRACHTENBERG, Leo Joachim. Czernowitz (now Chernivtsi in Ukraina) 24.2.1883 — Waterloo, Iowa 26.11.1930. U.S. (Austrian-born) Linguist and Anthropologist. Son of Abraham Fr. and Jeanette Rottenstreich, a Jewish family. Gymnasium in Przemyśl (now in Poland), in 1904 immigrated to the U.S.A. Studies at Cornell, then at Columbia University (M.A. 1906, Ph.D.…
FOHALLE, René François Joseph. Verviers near Liège 12.5.1899 — 1984. Belgian Linguist. Professor in Liège. Obtained classical education at Athénée royal de Verviers in 1910-17, then studies of classical philology, linguistics and Indology at Liège in 1919-22 and 1924-26, in 1922-24 Sanskrit and linguistics in Paris (Meillet, Benveniste). Doctor en…
FIRTH, John Rupert. Keighley, Yorkshire 17.6.1890 — Linfield, Sussex 14.12.1960. British Linguist and Phonetician. Professor in London. Educated at Keighley. Studied history at Leeds University (M.A. 1913). A brief time Lecturer in History at City of Leeds Training College, then joined Indian Educational Service in 1914, just before the war.…
ESTELLER Y MELIÀ, Adolfo. Alcanar (Montsià) near Valencia 10.1.1899 — 18.3.1984. S.J. Spanish Indologist in India. Professor in Bombay. Son of estate manager Hermengildo E. and Elisa Melia. Joined the S.J. 1914. Educated in Castellon and Zaragoza, then studies of philosophy at Pontificia Universitá Gregoriana in Rome (Ph.D. there 1921).…
EDGERTON, Franklin. Lemars, Iowa 24.7.1885 — Laramie, Wyoming 7.12.1963. U.S. Indologist. Professor in New Haven. Son of a civil servant, Charles Eugene E., and Annie Benedict White, his younger brothers were the lawyer Henry White E. (1888–1970) and the Egyptologist William Franklin E. (1893–1970). Though born in the West, the…
DRESDEN, Mark Jan. Amsterdam 26.4.1911 — Philadelphia 16.8.1986. Dutch Indologist and Iranian scholar in the U.S.A. Citizen of the U.S.A., Professor in Philadelphia. Son of the composer Sem Dr. (1881–1957) and Jacoba Dhont, educated in Amsterdam. Studies of classical and especially Indo-Iranian philology at Amsterdam, B.A. 1933, M.A. 1937 (under…
DONNER, Otto. Kokkola 15.12.1835 — Helsinki 17.9.1909. Finnish Indologist and Finno-Ugrian Linguist. Professor in Helsinki. Son of Andreas D., a wealthy businessman and shipowner in Kokkola in the west coast of Finland, and Olivia Matilda Dahlström. Matriculated in 1857 from Vaasa, then studied Finnish at Helsinki and passed his M.A.…
DE GUBERNATIS, Angelo. Turin 7.4.1840 — Rome 26.12.1913. Count. Italian Indologist. Professor in Florence and Rome. Born in a noble family, son of Giambattista De G., a revenue official, and Maria Cleofe Turchetti; his brother was the diplomat and geographer Enrico De G. (1836–1914), his sister the educator Teresia De…
DEBRUNNER-RUDIN, Johann Albert. Basel 8.2.1884 — Bern 2.2.1958. Swiss Linguist. Professor in Bern and Jena. Son of Albert D., a potter, and Elisabeth Schaub, educated in Basel. From 1902 studies of classical philology and comparative linguistics at Basel (Sommer) and Göttingen (Wackernagel). Ph.D. 1907 Basel. In 1907-18 schoolteacher in Schiers,…