Justus Olshausen
Encyclopedia
Justus Olshausen was a German
orientalist
who made contributions to Semitic and Iranian philology.
, and studied at Kiel
, Berlin
and Paris
, where he was a student of Silvestre de Sacy
(1758-1838). From 1830 to 1852 he was a professor at the University of Kiel
, where he was appointed curator
in 1848. In 1852 he was removed from his position by the Danish government, which he had energetically opposed, and he subsequently became a professor of oriental languages at the University of Königsberg
. In 1860, he became a full member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences
, and in 1874 was appointed Counsellor to the Ministry of Education in Berlin.
Olshausen specialized in Semitic and Persian
philology, and was a pioneer in Pahlavi studies. Among his written works was an 1861 textbook of Hebrew language
, and a critical examination of the Avesta
, which is a collection of sacred Zoroastrian texts. Other publications by Olshausen include:
and politician
Theodor Olshausen
, and father to gynecologist Robert Michaelis von Olshausen
.
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...
orientalist
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...
who made contributions to Semitic and Iranian philology.
Biography
Olshausen was born in HohenfeldeHohenfelde
Hohenfelde may refer to the following places in Germany:*in Schleswig-Holstein:**Hohenfelde, Steinburg, in the district of Steinburg**Hohenfelde, Plön, in the district of Plön**Hohenfelde, Stormarn, in the district of Stormarn...
, and studied at Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and 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...
, where he was a student of Silvestre de Sacy
Silvestre de Sacy
Antoine Isaac, Baron Silvestre de Sacy , was a French linguist and orientalist. His son, Ustazade Silvestre de Sacy, became a journalist.-Early life:...
(1758-1838). From 1830 to 1852 he was a professor at the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
, where he was appointed curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
in 1848. In 1852 he was removed from his position by the Danish government, which he had energetically opposed, and he subsequently became a professor of oriental languages at the University of Königsberg
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
. In 1860, he became a full member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences
Prussian Academy of Sciences
The Prussian Academy of Sciences was an academy established in Berlin on 11 July 1700, four years after the Akademie der Künste or "Arts Academy", to which "Berlin Academy" may also refer.-Origins:...
, and in 1874 was appointed Counsellor to the Ministry of Education in Berlin.
Olshausen specialized in Semitic and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
philology, and was a pioneer in Pahlavi studies. Among his written works was an 1861 textbook of Hebrew language
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, and a critical examination of the Avesta
Avesta
The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...
, which is a collection of sacred Zoroastrian texts. Other publications by Olshausen include:
- Emendationen zum Alten Testament (Emendation of the Old TestamentOld TestamentThe Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
), 1826 - Fragments relatifs de la religion de Zoroastre, Paris 1829; (with Julius von MohlJulius von MohlJulius von Mohl , German Orientalist, brother of Hugo von Mohl and Robert von Mohl was born at Stuttgart.He abandoned the idea of entering the Lutheran ministry, and in 1823 went to Paris, at that time, under Silvestre de Sacy, the great European school of Eastern letters...
1800-1876). - Catalogue of Arabic and Persian manuscripts of the Royal Library in CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, 1851 - Erklärung der Psalmen (Declaration of PsalmsPsalmsThe Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
), 1853 - Prüfung des Charakters der in den assyrischen Keilschriften enthaltenen semitischen Sprache (Examination of AssyriaAssyriaAssyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n cuneiformCuneiformCuneiform can refer to:*Cuneiform script, an ancient writing system originating in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC*Cuneiform , three bones in the human foot*Cuneiform Records, a music record label...
writings containing Semitic language), 1865
Family
He was the brother of theologian Hermann OlshausenHermann Olshausen
Hermann Olshausen was a German theologian.-Biography:Olshausen was born at Oldeslohe in Holstein. He was educated at the universities of Kiel and Berlin , where he was influenced by Schleiermacher and Neander...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
Theodor Olshausen
Theodor Olshausen
Theodor Olshausen was a German author, journalist and politician, prominent in the Patriotic Party in Schleswig-Holstein. He lived and worked for over a decade in the United States.-Biography:...
, and father to gynecologist Robert Michaelis von Olshausen
Robert Michaelis von Olshausen
Robert Michaelis von Olshausen was a German obstetrician and gynecologist who was a native of Kiel. In 1857 he earned his doctorate from Königsberg, and subsequently was a medical assistant in Berlin and Halle an der Saale...
.