Annemarie von Gabain

This material is held atRoyal Asiatic Society Archives

Scope and Content

It was first suggested that Annemarie von Gabain be awarded the Denis SInor Medal. She died before acknowledging the award and before the medal could be presented. The material in this series consists of correspondence and administrative documents concerned with the potential award:
* Letter from Denis Sinor, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, to David Morgan to suggest that the medal be awarded to Annemarie von Gabain. Typed, 1 piece, dated 22 September 1992.
* Letter from Denis Sinor to David Morgan to give an address for Annemarie von Gabain. Typed, 1 piece dated 19 October 1992.
* Letter from Lydia Collins, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to Annemarie von Gabain to inform her of being awarded the Denis Sinor Medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated 10 November 1992.
* Letter from A.D.H. Bivar, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to Denis Sinor to inform that they had written to Professor von Gabain and that the Royal Mint will not have the medals ready until January 1993. He also writes of the practicalities for Von Gabain receiving the medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated 12 November 1992.
* Letter from Denis Sinor to A.D.H.Bivar to express his doubt that Annemarie von Gabain would be able to come to England to receive her medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated 23 November 1992.
* 'Sinor Gold Medal for Inner Asian Studies' - signed notification by Denis SInor, David Morgan and Nicholas Sims-Williams to declare Professor Annemarie von Gabain as the recipient of the first award. Typed with handwritten signatures, dated 30 November 1992.
* Letter from Lydia Collins, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to Dr Lore Sander, Museum für Indische Kunst, to ask whether they are in touch with Annemarie von Gabain as the Society hadn't be able to make contact with her. Typed, 1 piece, dated 5 January 1993.
* Letter from Lore Sander to Lydia Collins to inform that Annemarie von Gabain had died on 15th January 1993. Typed, 1 piece, dated 25 January 1993.
* Letter to Lydia Collins to inform that Professor von Gabain did know of her award before she died but her relatives took no action. Handwritten, 1 piece, dated 25 January 1993.
* Letter from Lydia Collins to Lore Sanders to express her regret that the medal was not awarded before von Gabain's death. The matter will be discussed at the next Council meeting. Typed, 1 piece, dated 3 February 1993.
* Letter from Lore Sander to Lydia Collins to give the name of Mr Hansjürgen von Kries for information about Annemarie von Gabain. Typed, 1 piece, dated 11 February 1993.
* Letter from Lydia Collins to Lore Sander to inform that the Council has decided that since Professor von Gabain had not formally accepted the medal another scholar would be nominated. Typed, 1 piece, dated 18 February 1993.

Administrative / Biographical History

Annemarie von Gabain (7 April 1901—15 January 1993) was a German scholar who dealt with Turkic studies, both as a linguist and as an art historian. She was born in Morhang and received primary and secondary education in Mainz and Brandenburg. She went to Berlin for university education. She took courses on mathematics, sciences, Sinology and Turcology, completing her dissertation in Sinology. Von Gabain then studied Turcology with Johann Wilhelm Bang Kaup who was the founder of the Berlin school of Turkic studies. Later, she began to work on the Old Turkic materials kept at the Academy of Sciences in Berlin.
Von Gabain was particularly interested in the question of the extent to which the religious ideas of the Central Asian peoples had been influenced by Zoroastrianism or other Iranian beliefs, and this perspective is reflected in several of her publications but she was also interested in more general Turkic-Iranian contacts and interactions.

Note

Annemarie von Gabain (7 April 1901—15 January 1993) was a German scholar who dealt with Turkic studies, both as a linguist and as an art historian. She was born in Morhang and received primary and secondary education in Mainz and Brandenburg. She went to Berlin for university education. She took courses on mathematics, sciences, Sinology and Turcology, completing her dissertation in Sinology. Von Gabain then studied Turcology with Johann Wilhelm Bang Kaup who was the founder of the Berlin school of Turkic studies. Later, she began to work on the Old Turkic materials kept at the Academy of Sciences in Berlin.
Von Gabain was particularly interested in the question of the extent to which the religious ideas of the Central Asian peoples had been influenced by Zoroastrianism or other Iranian beliefs, and this perspective is reflected in several of her publications but she was also interested in more general Turkic-Iranian contacts and interactions.

Additional Information

Published