Karl Wessely (philologist)

Karl Johann Joseph Wessely (born June 27, 1860 in Vienna , † November 21, 1931 in Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge ; also: Carl Franz Joseph Wessely ) was an Austrian philologist , papyrologist and head of the papyrus collection of the K. u. K. Court Library , from 1920 Austrian National Library .

Life

Karl Wessely was the son of Anton Wessely, an engineer in the service of the state railway , and Karolina Morawek. The marriage with his wife Marie († July 27, 1918) remained childless.

From 1870 to 1878 Wessely attended the grammar school of the KK Theresianische Akademie in Vienna , where he passed his Matura on July 6, 1878 . In October 1878 he began his studies at the philosophical faculty of the KK University of Vienna . The Absolutorium he received on April 15, 1882. In 1885 he received the philosophical at the same university doctorate .

From 1886 to 1904 he was a member of the teaching staff at the KK Staatsgymnasium in the 3rd district of Vienna , where he was given leave of absence from 1900 "for the purpose of use at the court library". From 1904 to 1922 he was curator of the papyrus collection of the K. u. K. Court Library . In 1918 Wessely completed his habilitation as a private lecturer at the University of Vienna , but continued to work at the court library until he retired in 1922.

On November 21, 1931, Karl Wessely “died of a heart condition”. On November 25, 1931, his blessing took place at the Vienna Central Cemetery .

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During his studies he published his first papers on papyrus studies . From 1881 onwards, several articles appeared almost annually in the Vienna Studies . Right from the start, he played a key role in the processing of the papyri of the first Fayyum find acquired by Archduke Rainer in 1883 .

“He edited the“ Greek Department ”of the guide published by the undersigned [ Karabacek ] in 1894 through the exhibition (p. 61–130), a large number of contributions in the also edited by the undersigned: Communications from the Archduke Papyrus Collection Rainer , as well as a number of articles in the reports from the meetings of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna and in numerous specialist journals. Prof. Dr. With the abundance of his solid work, Wessely has attracted general attention and is a recognized authority in the field of Greek papyrus studies. "

In addition to the extensive contributions for the Philosophical-Historical Class of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna and the communications from the Archduke Rainer Papyrus Collection, from 1901 he published almost annual contributions in the studies of palaeography and papyrus studies. Further articles appear in the annual reports of the Vienna KK Franz-Josef-Gymnasium and the KK Staatsgymnasien in III. District and in Hernals .

Outside of his academic activities, his interests were diverse. He was an avid collector of minerals and fossils and steadily expanded his collection in his native Leithagebirge . This collection, but also various folklore objects that he had compiled , went to the Dr. Karl Wessely local and school museum, which was destroyed during the war years . His intensive scientific work did not prevent him from making his knowledge accessible to broad sections of the population. This is supported by his articles published in Urania from 1908, such as:

• Mineralogical walks of a Viennese, 23.1, Vienna 1908, 205–208.
• Where did the cat come from ?, 6.2, Vienna 1909, 69–71.
• Our oldest known fish, 15.2, Vienna 1909, 230–232.
• A newly found speech ascribed to the prophet Jeremias, 39.2, Vienna 1909, 616–618.

His private papyrus collection was sold to Prague after his death .

honors and awards

• 1908: Knight's Cross of the Franz Joseph Order
• 1918: Order of the Iron Crown III. Class (but without elevation to the nobility)

He was a corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna .

Fonts in selection

• Prolegomena ad papyrorum graecorum novam collectionem edendam , Vienna 1883.
• The Greek Department of Papyri Archduke Rainer , in: Papyrus Archduke Rainer, Guide through the Exhibition, Vienna 1891, 61–130.
• Corpus Papyrorum Raineri (CPR) , Volume I, Greek texts I, legal documents, Vienna 1895.
• From the world of papyri , with a bibliographical appendix, Leipzig 1914.

Gazette of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna, Philosophical-Historical Class

• The time of writing the correspondence of Heroninos , in: Anz.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 43.8, Vienna 1906, 35–42.
• A new Libellus from the persecution of Christians by Emperor Decius , in: Anz.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 44.25, Vienna 1907, 152–157.

Memoranda of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, Philosophical-Historical Class

• Greek magic papyrus [!] From Paris and London , in: Denkschr.d.kaiserl.Akad.d.Wiss., Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 36.2, Vienna 1888, 27-108.
• The Paris papyri of the El-Faijûm find, in: Denkschr.d.kaiserl.Akad.d.Wiss., Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 37.2, Vienna 1889, 97–256.
• New Greek Magic Papyri , in: Denkschr.d.kaiserl.Akad.d.Wiss., Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 42.2, Vienna 1893, 1-96.
• A system of ancient Greek tachygraphy , in: Denkschr.d.kaiserl.Akad.d.Wiss., Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 44.4, Vienna 1896, 1-44.
• Karanis and Soknopaiu Nesos  : Studies on the history of ancient civil and personal relationships, in: Denkschr.d.kaiserl.Akad.d.Wiss., Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 47.4, Vienna 1902, 1–171.
• Topography of Faijûm (Arsinoites Nomus) in Greek times , Vienna, in: Denkschr.d.kaiserl.Akad.d.Wiss., Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 50.1, Vienna 1904, 1–182.
• The Greek loanwords of the Sahidic and Boheir Psalm versions , in: Denkschr.d.kaiserl.Akad.d.Wiss., Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 54.3, Vienna 1910.

Annual reports of the KK Franz-Josef-Gymnasium in Vienna:

• The Greek papyri in the Imperial Collections of Vienna , Vienna 1885, 3–28.
• E phesia Grammata collected from papyrus rolls, inscriptions, gems, etc. , Vienna 1886, 3–38.

Annual reports of the KK Staatsgymnasium in the III. Districts in Vienna:

• Some documents from the Berlin Royal Egyptian Museum , Vienna 1891, 1–16.
• Ancient remains of Greek music , Vienna 1891, 16–26.
• Remarks on some publications in the field of older Greek palaeography , Vienna 1892, 1–20.
• A Greek marriage contract dated 136 AD , Vienna 1893, 1–17.
• The bookmarks of the Iliashhandschrift IIh , Vienna 1897, 7–22.
• How did the ancient Romans write? (Explanations of the tablets on the older Latin palaeography), Vienna 1898, 1–18.

Annual reports of the KK Staatsgymnasium in Hernals:

• Zythos and Zythera , Vienna 1887, 38–48.
• A bilingual request for majesty from the year 291/2 AD , Vienna 1888, 39–48.
• On the Greek papyri of the Louvre and the Bibliothèque Nationale , Vienna 1889, 3–48.

Messages from the collection of the Archduke Rainer Papyrus (MPER)

• On the Nile Indiction , in: MPER I, Vienna 1886, 26–29.
• Obolen and chalcus calculations , in: MPER I, Vienna 1886, 30–37.
• Literary fragments from El-Faijum, I. Hesiod , in: MPER I, Vienna 1886, 73–83.
• The number of ninety-nine , in: MPER I, Vienna 1886, 113–116.
• The dates of Greek papyrus from the Roman Empire (1st to 3rd centuries) , in: MPER II / III, Vienna 1887, 1–36.
• Literary fragments from El-Faijum: II. Isocrates; III. Plato, Georgia; IV. Theocritus; V. Fragments of a polemical speech against Isokrates , in: MPER II / III, Vienna 1887, 74–82.
• A papyrus from the time of Aurelianus and Vaballathus , in: MPER IV, Vienna 1888, 51–62.
• Literary fragments from el-Faiyum: VI. Isokrates pros Nikoklea , in: MPER IV, Vienna 1888, 136-139.
• Wooden tablets from the collection of the Archduke Rainer Papyrus , in: MPER V, Vienna 1892, 11–20.
• Papyrus fragment of the choral singing by Euripides Orest 330ff with score , in: MPER V, Vienna 1892, 65–73.
• The Egyptian Agoranomen as Notaries , in: MPER V, Vienna 1892, 83–114.
• Two Xenophon papyri , in: MPER VI, Vienna 1897, 81–113.

Session reports of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna, Philosophical-Historical Class

• Studies on the relationship between Greek and Egyptian law in the Lagiden Empire, in particular on personal execution following Varro de RR I, 17.2 , in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist. Kl. 124.9, Vienna 1891, 1-72.
• Fragments of an ancient script about weather signs, in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 142.1, Vienna 1900, 1-41.
• Epikrisis, an investigation into the Hellenistic official language , in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 142.9, Vienna 1900, 1-40.
• The city of Arsinoë (Krokodilopolis) in Greek times , in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 145.4, Vienna 1902, 1-58.
• An age index in the Philogelos , in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 149.5, Vienna 1905, 1-47.
• Sahidic-Greek psalm fragments, in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 155.1, Vienna 1907, 195.
• A language monument of the Middle Egyptian (Bashmur) dialect , in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 158.1, Vienna 1908, 1-46.
• The Viennese manuscript of the Sahidic Acta Apostolorum , in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 172.2, Vienna 1913.
• New materials on the textual criticism of the Ignatius letters , in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 172.4, Vienna 1913.
• Sahidic papyrus fragments of the Pauline letters , in: Sitzungsber.d.Kais.Akad.d.Wissensch.i.Wien, Philosoph.-Hist.Kl. 174.5, Vienna 1914.

Studies in Palaeography and Papyrus Studies (SPP) :

• The Greek papyrus documents of the Theresianum in Vienna (SPP I), Leipzig 1901.
• The most recent censuses and the oldest indications in Egypt (SPP II), Leipzig 1902.
• Greek papyrus documents of smaller format (SPP III), Leipzig 1904.
• Arsinoitic administrative documents from the year 72/3 AD (SPP IV), Leipzig 1905, 58–83.
• The papyri of the public collections in Graz (SPP IV), Leipzig 1905, 114–121.
• Corpus Papyrorum Hermopolitanorum I (SPP V), Leipzig 1905.
• Greek papyrus documents of smaller format (SPP VIII), Leipzig 1908.
• Greek and Coptic texts of theological content I (SPP IX), Leipzig 1909.
• Greek texts on the topography of Egypt (SPP X), Leipzig 1910.
• Greek and Coptic texts of theological content II (SPP XI), Leipzig 1911.
• Greek and Coptic texts of theological content III (SPP XII), Leipzig 1912.
• Prosangelie for slaves at the Enkteseon Library (SPP XIII), Leipzig 1913, 1–3.
• A document from the 6th Consulate of Emperor Licinius (SPP XIII), Leipzig 1913, 6-7.
• The ghetto of Apollinopolis Magna (SPP XIII), Leipzig 1913, 8-10.
• The oldest Latin and Greek papyri in Vienna (SPP XIV), Leipzig 1914.
• Greek and Coptic texts of theological content IV (SPP XV), Leipzig 1914.
• Duodecim prophetarum minorum versionis Achmimicae Codex Rainerianus (SPP XVI), Leipzig 1915.
• Greek and Coptic texts of theological content V (SPP XVIII), Leipzig 1917.
• Catalogus Papyrorum Raineri . Series Graeca. Pars I. Textus Graeci papyrorum, qui in libro “Papyrus Archduke Rainer Guide through the Exhibition Vienna 1894” (SPP XX), Leipzig 1921.
• Catalogus papyrorum Raineri . Series Graeca. Pars II. Papyri N.24858-25024, aliique in Socnopaei Insula scripti (SPP XXII), Leipzig 1922.

Vienna Studies (WS)

• The Vienna Papyrus No. 26 , WS 3 (1881), 1–21.
• Two Viennese Plutarch manuscripts , WS 3 (1881), 291–294.
• The Vienna Papyrus No. 31 , WS 4 (1882), 175–197.
• Gospel fragments on papyrus , WS 4 (1882), 198–214.
• A parchment roll of the VI. Century , WS 4 (1882), 214–223.
• An inscription on clay no. 5591 , WS 4 (1882), 314–317.
• Dated manuscripts , WS 5 (1883), 170–171.
• On the coinage of the later Roman Empire , WS 5 (1883), 299–312.
• Analects. 1. New fragments of the Gospels on papyrus; 2. Papyrus Parisinus 17; 3. Inscriptions from Elephantine; 4. istes ?; 5. esou; 6. On the fragments of an Egyptian epic; 7. Two supposed anecdotes; 8. To the so-called Arcadius; 9. On Tryphon , WS 7 (1885), 69–81.
• The remains of a Thucydides manuscript from Faijum , WS 7 (1885), 116–122.
• New Greek papyri from This and Panopolis , WS 7 (1885), 122-139.
• Comments on the texts of the Greek papyri in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin , WS 8 (1886), 109–115.
• New Greek Ostraka , WS 8 (1886), 116–124.
• Report on Greek papyri in Paris and London , WS 8 (1886), 175–230.
• Greek papyri from the British Museum , WS 9/2 (1887), 235–278.
• Litterary fragments of the papyri from El-Faijum , WS 11 (1889), 175–191.
• Chrysography , WS 12 (1890), 259-279.
• Fragments of an optical script from antiquity , WS 13 (1891), 312–323.
• Alexandrine coins of the Emperor Pescennius Niger , WS 13 (1891), 332.
• On Cato's writing on agriculture , WS 20 (1898), 135–140.
• The Latin elements in the greatness of the Egyptian papyrus documents , WS 24 (1902), 99–151.
• The first year of Tiberius in Egypt , WS 24 (1902), 391–393.
• A new system of Greek ciphers , WS 26 (1904), 185–189.

literature

• Hermann Harrauer : Carl Wessely (1860-1931) . In: Mario Capasso (Ed.): Hermae. Scholars and Scholarship in Papyrology . Pisa 2007, pp. 71–75 (with picture)

Web links

• Papyrus collection of the Austrian National Library
• Works by and about Karl Wessely  in the German Digital Library
• Works by Wessely in the Internet Archive

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Archive of the Austrian National Library ( Memento of the original from April 24, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , File number 362/1918. 
2. ↑ Kleine Volks-Zeitung v. Wednesday November 25, 1931.
3. ↑ Josef von Karabacek , Archive of the Austrian National Library ( Memento of the original from April 24, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , File number 633/1904