Georg Graf
Encyclopedia
Georg Graf was a German Orientalist
. He was one of the most important scholars of the study of the Christian orient, and his 5 volume Geschichte der christlichen arabischen Literatur remains the basis of all subsequent work.
, in 1875.
He entered the seminary of Dillingen, where he learned Greek, Latin and Hebrew. During this period he also learned Syriac and Arabic privately. In 1902-1903 he finished his studies at Munich
, learning ancient Egyptian, Coptic and modern Greek. He also learned Georgian.
In 1903 he obtained a doctorate of philology with a study on Arabic Christian literature up to the 11th century.
His doctoral thesis was published in 1905. This brought him into contact with the journal al-Machriq
, which had been founded by Louis Cheikhô
, and for whom he showed a great regard all his life. In 1910 and 1911 he lived in Jerusalem and studied Christian literature in the monasteries there, with a short stay in Beirut
.
In 1918 he obtained a doctorate of theology at the University of Freiburg with a work on Marqus Ibn al-Qunbar (Ein Reformversuch innerhalb der Koptischen Kirche im zwölften Jahrhundert), published in 1923. Further research visits to Egypt
, Syria
and Palestine
followed. In 1930 he was named Honorary Professor for Christian Oriental literature at the theology faculty of the university of Munich. In 1946 he was appointed a papal chaplain.
He died in Dillingen an der Donau in 1955.
His work is continued today by the Centre for Christian Arabic Literature and Research in Beirut CEDRAC
.
Georg is a distant relative of tennis
star Steffi Graf
.
In this work he sought to complement and complete the work of Carl Brockelmann, whose Geschichte der arabischen Literatur (History of Arabic Literature) had appeared in 1908-1912 but excluded Christian Arabic literature.
The five volumes comprise 2,384 pages.
The work lists all literature produced in Arabic concerned with Christianity. Works by Arabic Christians on medicine, philosophy, or history are excluded, as also translations into Arabic of similar works.
Each entry begins with a brief overview of the author and his life followed by a detailed and exhaustive general bibliography. Then each of the author's works is described, with a bibliography of editions, translations and studies, and finally a list of manuscripts in which the work appears. The last section is essential as many of the works listed have never been published or translated.
and the journal Oriens Christianus
.
A number of his works consist of Arabic texts and German translations of the works of Theodore Abu-Qurrah
.
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
. He was one of the most important scholars of the study of the Christian orient, and his 5 volume Geschichte der christlichen arabischen Literatur remains the basis of all subsequent work.
Life
Georg Graf was born in Munzingen, GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, in 1875.
He entered the seminary of Dillingen, where he learned Greek, Latin and Hebrew. During this period he also learned Syriac and Arabic privately. In 1902-1903 he finished his studies at Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, learning ancient Egyptian, Coptic and modern Greek. He also learned Georgian.
In 1903 he obtained a doctorate of philology with a study on Arabic Christian literature up to the 11th century.
His doctoral thesis was published in 1905. This brought him into contact with the journal al-Machriq
Al-Machriq
Al-Machriq is a journal edited by the Catholic fathers of St. Joseph University in Beirut. Subtitle is Revue Catholique Orientale. Sciences, Lettres, Arts. It was founded in 1898 by Louis Cheikhô, and had run through 72 volumes by 1998....
, which had been founded by Louis Cheikhô
Louis Cheikhô
Louis Cheikhô, or Sheikho, , born Rizqallâh Cheikhô was an ethnic Assyrian Orientalist and Theologian. He is considered as a major contributor and pioneer of the rediscovery of the Eastern Rite Christian heritage.-Biography:...
, and for whom he showed a great regard all his life. In 1910 and 1911 he lived in Jerusalem and studied Christian literature in the monasteries there, with a short stay in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
.
In 1918 he obtained a doctorate of theology at the University of Freiburg with a work on Marqus Ibn al-Qunbar (Ein Reformversuch innerhalb der Koptischen Kirche im zwölften Jahrhundert), published in 1923. Further research visits to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
followed. In 1930 he was named Honorary Professor for Christian Oriental literature at the theology faculty of the university of Munich. In 1946 he was appointed a papal chaplain.
He died in Dillingen an der Donau in 1955.
His work is continued today by the Centre for Christian Arabic Literature and Research in Beirut CEDRAC
CEDRAC
CEDRAC is the abbreviated name of the research and documentation center for Arabic Christianity....
.
Georg is a distant relative of tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
star Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf is a former World No. 1 German tennis player.In total, Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, second among male and female players only to Margaret Court's 24...
.
Geschichte der christlichen arabischen Literatur
His most important work was the Geschichte der christlichen arabischen Literatur (History of Christian Arabic Literature), sometimes abbreviated as GCAL. This appeared in 5 volumes (Vatican City 1944-53). It covers all Arabic Christian literature to the end of the 19th century.In this work he sought to complement and complete the work of Carl Brockelmann, whose Geschichte der arabischen Literatur (History of Arabic Literature) had appeared in 1908-1912 but excluded Christian Arabic literature.
The five volumes comprise 2,384 pages.
- Vol. 1 contains the translations into Arabic, including the bible.
- Vol. 2 contains "Writers to the middle of the 15th century".
- Vol. 3 contains "Writers from the middle of the 15th century to the end of the 19th century", and covers the Melchites and Maronites.
- Vol. 4 continues volume 3 and includes Copts, Jacobites, Nestorians, and Armenians.
- Vol. 5 is an index.
The work lists all literature produced in Arabic concerned with Christianity. Works by Arabic Christians on medicine, philosophy, or history are excluded, as also translations into Arabic of similar works.
Each entry begins with a brief overview of the author and his life followed by a detailed and exhaustive general bibliography. Then each of the author's works is described, with a bibliography of editions, translations and studies, and finally a list of manuscripts in which the work appears. The last section is essential as many of the works listed have never been published or translated.
Other works
Graf published altogether more than 270 books, articles and other publications on the Christian orient. Much of this was on Arabic works which had not been published at that date. He was a long-term contributor to the Arabic series of the Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum OrientaliumCorpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium
The Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium is an important multilingual collection of Eastern Christian texts with over 600 volumes published since its foundation in 1903 by Louvain Catholic University in Belgium and The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C....
and the journal Oriens Christianus
Oriens Christianus
Oriens Christianus is an academic journal established in 1901 by Otto Harrassowitz with Asian and Oriental Studies as the major focus. It was edited by Anton Baumstark .* First Series 1901-1911* New Series 1911-1924* Third Series 1921-1939...
.
A number of his works consist of Arabic texts and German translations of the works of Theodore Abu-Qurrah
Theodore Abu-Qurrah
Theodore Abū Qurrah was a 9th century Christian Arab theologian who lived in the early Islamic period.Biography=He was born around 750 AD in the city of Edessa, in northern Mesopotamia, and was the Chalcedonian or Melkite bishop of the nearby city of Harran between 795 and 812...
.
Literature
- Samir Khalil SamirSamir Khalil SamirSamir Khalil Samir is an Islamic scholar, Semitologist, Orientalist, Syriacist and Catholic theologian based in Lebanon.-Life:...
: Georg Graf (1875-1955), sa bibliographie et son rôle dans le renouveau des études arabes chrétiennes, in: Oriens Christianus 84 (2000) 77-100. - A related title, which supplements the entries on Maronites, is Michael Breydey, Geschichte der syro-arabischen Literatur der Maroniten vom VII. bis XVI. Jahrhundert. Oplanden, Westdeutscher Verlag, 1985.