Closs , August , 1898-1990 , Professor of German, University of Bristol Closs , Hannah Margaret Mary , d 1953 , art critic and novelist Priebsch , Robert , 1866-1935 , Professor of German, University of London Traugott , Elizabeth Closs- , English scholar

Closs , August , 1898-1990 , Professor of German, University of Bristol Closs , Hannah Margaret Mary , d 1953 , art critic and novelist Priebsch , Robert , 1866-1935 , Professor of German, University of London Traugott , Elizabeth Closs- , English scholar

August Closs was born in Upper Austria in 1898, and received his education in Berlin, Vienna, Graz and University College London (UCL), where he studied under the medievalist and palaeographer Robert Priebsch. Under Priebsch's tuition Closs developed his skills in palaeography and a love of medieval literature. In 1929 Closs became a lecturer at the University of Sheffield, and in 1930 he returned to UCL as a lecturer in the Department of German. In 1932 he was appointed Reader in German at Bristol University as successor to James Boyd. He held the post of Professor and Head of Department until his retirement in 1964.

His particular research interest was in poetry, especially the German love lyrik, where his studies included Gottfried's Tristan and Isolt and the poetry of Goethe and Hölderlin. His first important piece of research was on the theme of Dame World "Weltlohn", published in 1934. Closs played a leading role in the post World War Two twinning of Bristol and Hannover.

In 1931 Closs married Hannah Priebsch, only child of his former mentor, Robert Priebsch, an eminent art critic and successful novelist. Their daughter Elizabeth took a PhD at Berkley, California, in 1964, married an American, Professor Traugott, and is now Professor of Linguistics and English at Stanford University

Closs continued to research and publish right up to his death in 1990. Like his father-in-law he was a great collector. He and Hannah inherited Robert Priebsch's library of rare and first editions, and added to it. Closs also collected manuscripts and autograph letters. The Library is housed at the IGS under the title 'The Priebsch-Closs Collection'.

Robert Priebsch: Born Tannwald, Bohemia, June 1866; educated at the Gymnasium, Prague, the Universities of Leipzig, Prague, Berlin, Strasbourg and Graz; Lecturer in English Language, University College Liverpool, 1896; Professor of German, University College London, 1898; Professor of German Language and Literature, University of London, 1902-1931, Emeritus Professor from 1931; died May 1935
Publications: Diu Vrône Botschaft ze der Christenheit, [Graz: Styria, 1895]; Deutsche handschriften in England , (Erlangen: F. Junge, 1896-1901); Die Heilige Regel für ein vollkommenes Leben: eine Cisterzienserarbeit des XIII. Jahrhunderts (Berlin: Weidmann, 1909); The Heliand manuscript : Cotton Caligula A. VII in the British museum, (Oxford: The Clarendon press, 1925); Johan ûz dem virgiere : eine spätmhd. ritterdichtung nach flämischer quelle, nebst dem faksimileabdruck des flämischen volksbuches Joncker Jan wt den vergiere ; herausgegeben und eingeleitet von dr. Robert Priebsch ... mit einer tafel in manuldruck , (Heidelberg: C. Winter, 1931); The German language (with W E Collinson), (London: Faber, 1934).