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Joseph Freiherr von Hammer-Purgstall

1774 born in Graz
Studied Turkish and Farsi (the Persian Language) at the Royal Imperial Middle Eastern Academy in Vienna
1799 first stay in Istanbul
1802 Secretary at the Austrian Embassy in Istanbul
From 1807 Translator at the Imperial Court in Vienna
1847-49 President of the Science Academy in Vienna which was founded on his suggestion
1856 died in Vienna

The following belong to his most famous works, which today are regarded as being very controversial, not only in content ( orientalism ) but also in a formal respect.

" Geschichte des osmanischen Reiches/ History of the Ottoman Empire," 10 volumes
" Geschichte der osmanischen Dichtkunst/ History of the Ottoman Art of Poetry," 4 volumes
" Geschichte der arabischen Wissenschaft u. Literatur/ History of Arabian Science and Literature," 7 volumes
Translation of " Divan des Hafis/ Hafis's Divan" a collection of poems by the Persian poet Hafis ( really: Mohammed Semsettin) from the 14th century. This translation is supposed also to have stimulated Goethe to write " West-Östlichen Divan/Middle- Eastern Divan."