Late Prof. Bert Fragner Proved Role of Persian in Spread of Islam
Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour expressed condolences in a letter to Anton Zeilinger, President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
Fragner was a prominent scholar in the field of Iran’s history, culture, and art, and a major part of the current understanding that European countries, especially Germany, have about the Iranian culture is because of his efforts, Imanipour said.
One of his theories about the Persian language, the official continued, proves the role that the Persian language played in spreading Islam in the eastern regions as well as enhancing relations between Muslim nations.
Imanipour went on to condole the Franger’s demise to his family and members of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
Born in Nov 1941, Fragner was a professor of Iranology. He was a lecturer on Iranian studies at the University of Bamberg from 1984 to 2003 before directing the Institute of Iranian Studies of the Austrian Academy of Sciences from 2003 – 2010.
He is one of the authors of Encyclopedia Iranica in the field of history of economics.
On 16 July 2010, Fragner was awarded the Dr. Mahmud Afshar Prize at the Academy of Sciences in Vienna, for helping to promote Persian and Iranian culture and history.
He passed away on December 16, 2021, at 80.
