Arthur Leist (8 July 1852 – 22 March 1927) was a German writer, journalist and translator of Georgian and

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

literature. He was born and educated at Breslau. During the

Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) The Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) was a conflict between the Ottoman Empire and a coalition led by the Russian Empire which included United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, Romania, Principality of Serbia, Serbia, and Principality of ...

, he got interested in the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

. After his three visits to

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

between 1884 and 1892, Leist decided to permanently settle in

Tiflis Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...

. He regularly wrote on the history, ethnography and culture of Georgia, and translated many pieces of classic Georgian and Armenian literature. He compiled the first anthology of Georgian poetry in

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

in 1887 and, with the help of the Georgian writer

Ilia Chavchavadze Tavadi, Tavadi (Prince) Ilia Chavchavadze ( ka, ილია ჭავჭავაძე; 27 October 1837 – 12 September 1907) was a Georgians, Georgian journalist, publisher, writer and poet who spearheaded the revival of Georgian nationalism ...

, published the complete German translation of the medieval Georgian epic poem ''

The Knight in the Panther's Skin ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' by

Shota Rustaveli Shota Rustaveli ( ka, შოთა რუსთაველი, – after c. 1220), mononymously known simply as Rustaveli, was a medieval Georgian poet. He is considered to be the pre-eminent poet of the Georgian Golden Age and one of the g ...

in 1889. From 1906 to 1922, he edited '' Kaukasische Post'', the only newspaper of the Caucasian German community. He died in Tiflis and was buried at the Didube Pantheon.

Works

*''Georgien: Natur, Sitten und Bewohner''. W. Friedrich, Leipzig 1885 *''Litterarische Skizzen''. W. Friedrich, Leipzig 1886 (Hrsg. Abgar Johannissiany) *''Drei Erzählungen von Raphael Patkanian''. W. Friedrich, Leipzig 1886 *''Georgische Dichter''. W. Friedrich, Leipzig, 1887 *''Armenische Dichter''. E. Pierson, Dresden 1898 *''Schota Rustaweli: Der Mann Im Tigerfelle'' (translation) E. Pierson, Dresden 1898 *''Das Georgische Volk''. E. Pierson, Dresden, 1903 *''Kacheti''. Tiflis, 1927 *''Sakartvelos guli'', Tbilisi 1963 *''Das Bildungsstreben der Georgier und Armenier''. In: ''Gazeta Polska'', Nr. 66, 1882 *''Eine vergessene Literatur''. In: ''Magazin für die Literatur des In- und Auslandes'', 20.1.1883 *''Kolchidaschi'', In: ''Iveria'', Nr. IV-V, 1885, S. 164-211 *''Georgische Sprichwörter''. In: ''Aus fremden Zungen'', Nr. 9, 1900

References

* Schota Rewischwili: ''Arthur Leist und die georgischen Schriftsteller''. Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift / Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Gesellschafts- und sprachwissenschaftliche Reihe, 26(1977)1, S. 97-103 {{DEFAULTSORT:Leist, Arthur 1852 births 1927 deaths Burials at Didube Pantheon German journalists German male journalists German emigrants to the Russian Empire Armenian studies scholars Kartvelian studies scholars 19th-century German translators Translators from Armenian Translators from Georgian Translators to German German male writers