Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Tischbein, Johann Heinrich Wilhelm yōˈhän hīnˈrĭkh vĭlˈhĕlm tĭshˈbīn [key], 1751–1829, German classical painter and etcher. He was a popular portrait painter of the German royalty. He al...

(Encyclopedia) Leichhardt, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig frēˈdrĭkh vĭlˈhĕlm lo͞odˈvĭkh līkhˈhärt [key], 1813–1848?, Prussian explorer of Australia. He led (1844–45) an expedition from Moreton Bay to Port ...

(Encyclopedia) Schmidt, Wilhelm, 1868–1954, German linguist and anthropologist, a Roman Catholic priest. Educated at the universities of Berlin and Vienna, he entered the Society of the Divine Word in 1890. Residi...

(Encyclopedia) Debye, Peter Joseph Wilhelm dēbīˈ [key], 1884–1966, American physicist, b. the Netherlands. He was professor at the universities of Zürich, Utrecht, Göttingen, Leipzig, and Berlin. In 1940 he c...

(Encyclopedia) Vorster, Balthazar Johannes yōhänˈəs bältäzärˈ fôrˈstər [key], 1915–83, South African political leader. A lawyer, John Vorster became involved in the Afrikaner nationalist movement and he...

(Encyclopedia) Humboldt, Wilhelm, Freiherr von frīˈhĕr fən ho͝omˈbôlt [key], 1767–1835, German statesman and philologist; brother of Alexander von Humboldt. As Prussian minister of education (1809–10) he...

(Encyclopedia) Nägeli or Naegeli, Karl Wilhelm von both: kärl vĭlˈhĕlm fən nāˈgəlē [key], 1817–91, Swiss botanist. He was professor at the Univ. of Munich from 1858 and was noted especially for his work ...

(Encyclopedia) Argelander, Friedrich Wilhelm August frēˈdrĭkh vĭlˈhĕlm ouˈgo͝ost ärˈgəländər [key], 1799–1875, German astronomer. He became director of the observatory at the Univ. of Bonn in 1837 and...

(Encyclopedia) Brahms, Johannes brämz, Ger. yōhänˈnĕs bräms [key], 1833–97, German composer, b. Hamburg. Brahms ranks among the greatest masters of the romantic period. The son of a musician, he early showed...

(Encyclopedia) Hofmann, August Wilhelm von ouˈgo͝ost vĭlˈhĕlm fən hôfˈmän [key], 1818–92, German organic chemist. He was professor at the Univ. of Berlin from 1865 and was a founder (1868) of the German C...