Jan Kornelis de Cock

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1867 – 1941

Indian culture and history

Curriculum vitae

1867born in Vierhuizen (Groningen) on October 23
HBS in Sappemeer and the gymnasium in Groningen
1886studied Dutch languages and Sanskrit (with C.C. Uhlenbeck) at the University of Amsterdam
1899PhD under supervision of C.C. Uhlenbeck, University of Amsterdam
1899-1914teaching Dutch language at the Maastricht gymnasium
1909-1910journey through British India and Ceylon (from October 1909 to April 1910)
1914resigned as a teacher in order to devote himself to Indian studies, in cooperation with the German Sanskritist Hermann Jacobi, Bonn. As he was soon diagnosed with tuberculosis, rather successfully treated, he couldn’t take a job anymore because of poor health conditions during the rest of his life.
1924-1941retired in Davos
1941died in Davos on April 6.

Special activities and positions

  • Maintained a diary of his journey through India and made some 650 photographs during this travel. This travel report is published January 2015.
  • From his legacy the Jan Kornelis de Cock Foundation was set up supporting medical research at the Groningen university. The ‘Dr. de Cock-Fundatie’ is a second fund (for Indological research) administered by the Friends of the Kern Institute (VVIK) Leiden.

Sources

  • Vogel, J.Ph., “Jan Kornelis de Cock (obituary notice).” Handelingen en Levensberichten van de MNL 1941-1942: 68-71.

Publications

1899Eene oudindische stad volgens het epos, Groningen 1899. – PhD thesis [Amsterdam].
1913“Anoerádhapoerá, Ceylon’s heilige stede.” Elsevier’s Geïllustreerd Maandschrift 23/2: 111-117.
1915“Zuid-Indische tempelbouwwerken.” Elsevier’s Geïlllustreerd Maandschrift 25/2: 190-200.
2015‘Mijn Reis in India’, de dagboeken en foto’s van Jan Kornelis de Cock in India en Sri Lanka, 1909-1910, met een inleiding door Bhaswati Bhattacharya, redactieteam Bhaswati Bhattacharya, Alied de Cock, Hanneke ’t Hart, Dory Heilijgers, Leiden-Groningen (Kern Institute Miscellanea 14).