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…
KAUFMANN, Walter. Karlsbad (now Karlovy Vary in Czechia) 1.4.1907 — Bloomington 9.9.1984. Czech German composer, conductor and Musicologist in the U.S.A. Born in the then Austro-Hungarian Empire of Jewish parents, Julius Jakob Kaufmann (d. 1938) and Josefine Antonia Wagner (d. 1954). After gymnasium studied music in Prague and Berlin, started…
HUTH, Georg. Krotoschin, Posen (now Krotoszyn in Poland) 25.2.1867 — Berlin 1.6.1906. German Indologist and Tibetologist. Born in a Jewish family in the then Prussian part of Poland, where his father Aron Huth (d. 1893) was Rector of a Jewish school, mother Keile Pincus (thus Vogel & ancestry.com, Knüppel has…
HUC, Évariste-Régis. Caylus (Tarn-et-Garonne) 1.8.1813 — Paris 31.3.1860. French Lazarist Missionary in China. Son of Jacques-François-Régis Huc and Marie-Rose Maleterre. Seminary in Toulouse. In the age of 24 joined the Vincentian order (C.M.) in Paris, 1838 ordained priest and arrived in China in 1839. Worked in Macao and Peking and…
HOLDICH, Thomas Hungerford. Dingley, Northamptonshire 13.2.1843 — Merrow, Surrey 2.11.1929. Sir. British Colonial Engineer Officer and Geographer in India. Son of Rev. Thomas Peach Holdich (1804–1888) and his wife Susan (1815–1851). Educated at Godolphin Grammar School and Woolwich Military Academy. In 1862 joined the Royal Engineers and came to India…
HOFFMANN, Helmut. Flensburg 24.8.1912 — Holzkirchen (Oberbayern) 8.10.1992. German Indologist and Tibetologist in the U.S.A. Professor in Munich and Bloomington. Son of Erich Hoffmann, a teacher. Gymnasium in Flensburg. From 1931-32 studies of Sanskrit and classics ar Freiburg i.Br., soon Indology, Iranian and Central Asian languages at Berlin, student of…
HOFFMANN, Ernst Lothar (Lama Anagarika B. Govinda). Waldheim, Sachsen 14.1.1898 — Mill Valley, California 14.1.1985. German Bauddha. Son of a German father, the owner of a cigar factory, and Bolivian mother, who died when he was three. Became early interested in Buddhism through Schopenhauer. Matriculated in Hannover, in WW I…
HODGSON, Brian Houghton. Lower Beech near Macclesfield, Cheshire 1.2.1800 (or 1801?) — London 23.5.1894. British Civil Servant, Diplomat and Indologist in India and Nepal (1818-44 & 1845-58), also worked on Anthropology and Natural History. Son of Brian Hodgson (1766–1858), a banker, and his wife Catherine. Educated at Macclesfield and Dr.…