Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft
The Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft (DMG), in English the German Oriental Society, is a scholarly organization dedicated to studies of Asia and the broader Orient.
The DMG was established on 2 October 1845 in Leipzig by leading Oriental scholars from Germany, as well as members of other Orientalist societies such as the Asiatic Societies in Paris, London, and Calcutta. It was founded "to promote all aspects of the knowledge of Asia and of the countries closely related to it in every aspect, and to propagate participation of this in wider circles. Hence the Society will deal not only with oriental literature (morgenländische Literatur) but also with the history of these countries and the research of their situation both earlier and more recent times."
For many years the DMG concentrated on traditional scholarly pursuits, namely, the "knowledge of languages, literatures, history, religions and philosophies, forms of law and society, archaeology, and the art and material culture of the people living in these areas". In recent years, however, its emphasis has shifted to sociology and political science. Since 1847, the DMG publishes the journal Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft (ZDMG), since 1857 the Abhandlungen für die Kunde des Morgenlandes (AKM) and since 1964 the Beiruter Texte und Studien (BTS).
The DMG currently operates from the Südasien-Institut der Universität Heidelberg (South Asia Institute of the University of Heidelberg).
References
- Holger Preissler: Die Anfänge der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft. In: Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft 145/2, Hubert, Göttingen 1995.