George Ostrogorsky
Encyclopedia
George Alexandrovič Ostrogorsky was a Russia
n-born Yugoslavia
n historian and Byzantinist
who acquired worldwide reputations in Byzantine studies
.
, Russia
, the son of a secondary school principal and a writer on pedagogical subjects.
He completed his secondary education in a St. Petersburg classical gymnasium and thus acquired knowledge of Greek early in life. He began his university studies in Heidelberg
, Germany
(1921), where he devoted himself initially to philosophy, economics, and sociology, though he also took classes in classical archeology. His teachers included Karl Jaspers
, Heinrich Rickert
, Alfred Weber
and Ludwig Curtius
. His interest in history, especially Byzantine history, was awakened by a young Dozent by the name of Percy Ernst Schramm
. After studying various aspects of Byzantinology in Paris (1924–1925), Ostrogorsky received his doctorate from the University of Heidelberg (1925) with a dissertation in which he combined his interests in economics and Byzantine history. He then taught as Privatdozent in Breslau from 1928 and moved to Belgrade
in 1933, after the establishment of the Nazi regime. Ostrogorsky taught at the University of Belgrade
's Faculty of Philosophy
, where he was the Chair for Byzantinology.
Ostrogorsky made Yugoslavia his permanent home and taught at Belgrade for 40 years until his retirement in 1973. He was made a corresponding Member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
in 1946 and a Regular Member two years later. An Institute of Byzantinology was created within the Academy in 1948 with himself as director, a post he held until his death. He was chief editor of the Institute's house organ, the Zbornik Radova Vizantološkog Instituta, through its 16th volume which appeared in 1975. He also supervised the monograph series of the Institute of which the choice items were his own study Pronija (1951) and the multivolume collection of Byzantine Sources for the History of the Nations of Yugoslavia.
Ostrogorsky repaid in more than one way the hospitality he met with in his new country; he created a new generation of Yugoslav Byzantinists, broadened the horizons of Yugoslav historians by the example of his personal research, and provided for them closer contacts with the world scholarly community. Under his guidance the Belgrade Institute became, along with Munich
, Paris
, and Dumbarton Oaks
, a leading center of research in the field of Byzantinology. Ostrogorsky remained faithful to Belgrade to the very end, although over the years suggestions were made that he take up residence in an American or Soviet center of Byzantine studies.
His best known work was the standard History of the Byzantine State , a work which saw 3 German editions (1940, 1952, 1963) and 2 English editions (1957, 1968) and translations into more than 10 other languages.
Ostrogorsky died at Belgrade
in 1976.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n-born Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n historian and Byzantinist
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
who acquired worldwide reputations in Byzantine studies
Byzantine studies
Byzantine studies is an interdisciplinary branch of the humanities that addresses the history, culture, costumes, religion, art, such as literature and music, science, economy, and politics of the Byzantine Empire. The discipline's founder in Germany is considered to be the philologist Hieronymus...
.
Biography
Ostrogorsky was born at Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the son of a secondary school principal and a writer on pedagogical subjects.
He completed his secondary education in a St. Petersburg classical gymnasium and thus acquired knowledge of Greek early in life. He began his university studies in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Germany
Germany
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...
(1921), where he devoted himself initially to philosophy, economics, and sociology, though he also took classes in classical archeology. His teachers included Karl Jaspers
Karl Jaspers
Karl Theodor Jaspers was a German psychiatrist and philosopher who had a strong influence on modern theology, psychiatry and philosophy. After being trained in and practicing psychiatry, Jaspers turned to philosophical inquiry and attempted to discover an innovative philosophical system...
, Heinrich Rickert
Heinrich Rickert
Heinrich John Rickert was a German philosopher, one of the leading Neo-Kantians.-Life:He was born in Danzig, Prussia and died in Heidelberg, Germany.-Thought:...
, Alfred Weber
Alfred Weber
Alfred Weber was a German economist, sociologist and theoretician of culture whose work was influential in the development of modern economic geography.-Life:...
and Ludwig Curtius
Ludwig Curtius
Ludwig Curtius was a German archaeologist born in Augsburg. He is remembered for his investigations involving the development of ancient Greek and Roman art....
. His interest in history, especially Byzantine history, was awakened by a young Dozent by the name of Percy Ernst Schramm
Percy Ernst Schramm
Percy Ernst Schramm was a German historian of medieval political symbolism and ritual. His research focused primarily on the ideology of the medieval state, particularly the ways in which the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages represented their authority through images and rituals,...
. After studying various aspects of Byzantinology in Paris (1924–1925), Ostrogorsky received his doctorate from the University of Heidelberg (1925) with a dissertation in which he combined his interests in economics and Byzantine history. He then taught as Privatdozent in Breslau from 1928 and moved to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in 1933, after the establishment of the Nazi regime. Ostrogorsky taught at the University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
's Faculty of Philosophy
University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy
The University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Serbia, founded in the early 19th century within the Belgrade Higher School...
, where he was the Chair for Byzantinology.
Ostrogorsky made Yugoslavia his permanent home and taught at Belgrade for 40 years until his retirement in 1973. He was made a corresponding Member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the most prominent academic institution in Serbia today...
in 1946 and a Regular Member two years later. An Institute of Byzantinology was created within the Academy in 1948 with himself as director, a post he held until his death. He was chief editor of the Institute's house organ, the Zbornik Radova Vizantološkog Instituta, through its 16th volume which appeared in 1975. He also supervised the monograph series of the Institute of which the choice items were his own study Pronija (1951) and the multivolume collection of Byzantine Sources for the History of the Nations of Yugoslavia.
Ostrogorsky repaid in more than one way the hospitality he met with in his new country; he created a new generation of Yugoslav Byzantinists, broadened the horizons of Yugoslav historians by the example of his personal research, and provided for them closer contacts with the world scholarly community. Under his guidance the Belgrade Institute became, along with 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...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and Dumbarton Oaks
Dumbarton Oaks
Dumbarton Oaks is the conventional name for the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, situated on a historic property in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The institution is administered by the Trustees for Harvard University. Its founders, Robert Woods Bliss and his wife...
, a leading center of research in the field of Byzantinology. Ostrogorsky remained faithful to Belgrade to the very end, although over the years suggestions were made that he take up residence in an American or Soviet center of Byzantine studies.
His best known work was the standard History of the Byzantine State , a work which saw 3 German editions (1940, 1952, 1963) and 2 English editions (1957, 1968) and translations into more than 10 other languages.
Ostrogorsky died at Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in 1976.