STEPANOV, Gurij (Aleksej Ivanovič St.). Čeboksary 3.10.1880 — Gorkij (Nižni Novgorod) 1.11.1937. Russian Ecclesiastic, Mongolian and Tibetan Scholar. Archimandrit, then Archbishop of Russian Orthodox Church. Son of a minor official. After Kazan Seminary studied 1902-06 at Kazan Spiritual Academy (cand. theol.). Intending to become missionary he concentrated on Mongolian language…
STEIN, Rolf Alfred. Schwetz (now Świecie in Kujavia-Pomerania, Poland) 13.6.1911 — Paris 9.10.1999. French (born German Jew) Sinologist and Tibetan Scholar. Professor in Paris. In 1919 when their home town was ceded to Poland, the family moved to Berlin. Youthful interest in occultism led him to Tibetology. Studied Chinese at…
SIMON, Ernst Julius Walter (Ximen Xuade). Berlin 10.6.1893 — London 22.2.1981. German Sinologist and Sino-Tibetan Scholar in the U.K. Professor in London. Son of mathematician Heinrich Simon (1859–1930) and Cläre Abraham (murdered in Ghetto Theresienstadt). Studies of classical and Romance philology in 1911-14 at Berlin, 1915-18 in army. Employed in…
SILVERSTONE, Marilyn (Bhikshuni Ngawang Chödrön). London 9.3.1929 — near Kathmandu 28.9.1999. U.S. Photojournalist and Buddhist Nun. Daughter of Murray Silverstone (1895–1965), a film director and the son of a Polish immigrant to the U.S.A., for a while working in London, and his wife Dorothy. Grew up in Scarsdale, NY, graduated…
POTT, Pieter Hendrik. Groningen 3.10.1918 — Driebergen-Rijsenburg, prov. Utrecht 29.7.1989. Dutch Archaeologist, Indologist, Tibetologist and South-East Asian Scholar. In 1938-46 studies of Indonesian languages at Utrecht (with interruptions caused by war) intending to serve in colonial administration. Ph.D. 1946 Leiden (under Bosch). In 1945-60 conservator (part-time) of the Kern Institute…
POELMEIJER, Ronald Herman. Amsterdam 12.7.1946 — Amsterdam 30.6.1993. Dutch Tibetologist. Son of Hermanus Poelmeijer (1913–1993) and Lena Cornelia Hund. Studied Indology and Tibetan at Amsterdam, then Lecturer of Tibetan at Leiden. Never completed his doctorate. Publications: Reviews and popular articles, e.g. “Geneeskunde in Tibet”, Yoga 25:1, 1983, 20-27, 25:2, 1983,…
PETER, Friedrich A. Leh, Ladakh 1904 — 1988. Swiss Priest and Tibetan Scholar. Son of Friedrich E. Peter (d. 1945), who was Herrnhutian Bishop in Ladakh. Himself originally an architect, but soon turned to theology and became a priest. In 1930 returned to Ladakh and worked at the mission station…
PELLIOT, Paul. Paris 28.5.1878 — Paris 26.10.1945. French Sinologist and Central Asian Scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of Charles Théodore Pelliot (1847–1935), an industrial chemist, and Marie Renault, educated in Paris (collège Massillon, lycée Charlemagne and collège Stanislas). Studied in Paris for diplomatic career at École des sciences politiques and…
MAYERS, William Frederick. Hobart, Tasmania 7.1.1831 — Shanghai 24.3.1878. British Diplomat and Sinologist in China. Son of Rev. Michael John Mayers (1801–1881), colonial chaplain in Tasmania, in 1842 back to the U.K. Grew up in Marseille, where his father was now consulate chaplain. After a few years as journalist in…
MCGOVERN, William Montgomery. New York 28.12.1897 — Evanston, Ill. 12.12.1964. U.S.Anthropologist and Journalist. Professor in Evanston. Son of Janet Blair (née Montgomery) and Felix Daniel McGovern, an army officer. Grew up in Japan, then studied at Sorbonne and Berlin. D.Phil. 1922 Oxford (Christ Church). Taught Chinese at S.O.A.S. as Lecturer…