Donald Frederick Lach (pronounced "Lach, as in Bach") (24 September 1917 – 26 October 2000) was an American historian based as a professor in the Department of History at the University of Chicago. He was an authority on Asian influence in the European civilization during the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries.
Lach was born in 1917 in Pittsburgh to parents of German descent. He lived in Carrick, where he spoke German in the home. He had one sister, Elizabeth, nine years his junior. The family moved from Pittsburgh to Morgantown WV when Lach’s father became an accountant and obtained jobs in the fine glass industry. After completing elementary education in public schools, he received a B.A. degree from West Virginia University in 1937 and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Chicago in 1941.[1]
Careeredit
Lach began his teaching career at Elmira College (1941-1948), then returned to the University of Chicago where he remained throughout his career. He received a Fulbright Scholarship to study in France (1949—1950) and a Social Science Research grant to continue his European research (1952—1953). He returned to Paris for several months in 1956. He co–authored two books in the early 1950s: Modern Far Eastern International Relations (with University of Chicago professor Harley Farnsworth MacNair (1950); and Europe and the Modern World (published in two volumes, 1951 & 1954; with University of Chicago professor Louis Gottschalk). In 1957, Lach published a translation, with commentary, of the preface to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz' Novissima Sinica.
Lach taught in Taiwan (1955—1956) at the National Chengchi University and National Taiwan University. In 1967—1968 he taught in India, at the University of Delhi. In 1965, he co–edited with Carol Flaumenhaft Asia on the Eve of Europe's Expansion. Also in 1965 the University of Chicago Press published the first volume of his magnum opus, Asia in the Making of Europe – A Century of Discovery for which he was awarded the 1967 Gordon J. Laing Award.[citation needed]
In 1969, Lach was named the first Bernadotte E. Schmitt Professor in History at the University of Chicago. The following year, the first book of the second volume of Asia in the Making of Europe was published as part of a continuing series from the University of Chicago Press. Books two and three, of Volume II, subtitled "A Century of Advance", followed in 1977.
Lach was the principal researcher and author of the three volume series with the joint title Asia in the Making of Europe, about European interchanges with Asia in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.[2] A 1994 article in Commentary described the series as "a masterwork of scholarship."[citation needed] Lach was the sole author of the first volume in two books (The Century of Discovery, 1965) and of the second volume which was published in three books (A Century of Wonder, 1970, 1977, 1977). The third volume was published in 1993 in four books (A Century of Advance); it was co–written with a colleague and former student, Edwin J. Van Kley.
Lach had a continuing interest in German culture and history, and developed a secondary interest in the political situation in East Asia in the mid-20th century. In 1975, Lach and Edmund S. Wehrle's International Politics in East Asia since World War II, Praeger special studies in international politics and government, was released.
Lach was elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1984.[3] He retired from teaching in 1988, but continued researching and writing Volume 3 of Asia in the Making of Europe.
Personal lifeedit
In 1939, Lach married Alma Elizabeth Satorius, who became a chef and cookbook author. They had one child, a daughter Sandra Lach Arlinghaus.[4] After his retirement, Lach and his wife continued living in Chicago. He died in a Chicago hospital in 2000.[5]
In 2001 his colleagues, friends, former students, and family established The Donald F. Lach Memorial Book Fund at the University of Chicago Library.[4]
Worksedit
(with Harley F. MacNair) Modern Far Eastern International Relations. New York et al.: Van Nostrand, 1951.
The Preface to Leibniz’ Novissima Sinica. Commentary, Translation, Text. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1957.
Asia in the Making of Europe.
volume 1: The Century of Discovery.
Book 1: Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1965; ISBN0-226-46731-7.
Book 2: Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1965; ISBN0-226-46732-5.
volume 2: A Century of Wonder.
Book 1: The Visual Arts. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1970; ISBN0-226-46730-9.
Book 2: The Literary Arts. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1977; ISBN0-226-46733-3.
Book 3: The Scholarly Disciplines. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1977; ISBN0-226-46734-1.
volume 3: A Century of Advance.
Book 1: Trade, Missions, Literature. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1993; ISBN0226467570.
Book 2: South Asia. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1993; ISBN0226467570.
Book 3: Southeast Asia. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1993; ISBN0226467570.
Book 4: East Asia. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 1993; ISBN0226467570.
(with Edmund S. Wehrle) International Politics in East Asia since World War II. New York: Praeger, 1975; ISBN0275054209.
Southeast Asia in the Eyes of Europe. The Sixteenth Century. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991; ISBN0943056144.
Referencesedit
^Directory of American Scholars, 6th ed. (Bowker, 1974), Vol. I, p. 356.
^Originally envisioned to span six volumes but the last three volumes (discussing the 18th century) were never published. Cf. further M.N. Pearson, ""Objects Ridiculous and August": Early Modern European Perceptions of Asia", The Journal of Modern History, 68 (1996), 382–397 JSTOR link.
^Members of the American Academy. Listed by election year, 1950-1999
^ ab"Guide to the Donald F. Lach Papers, 1925—1994". University of Chicago. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
^"Donald F. Lach, 83, Historian and Author". New York Times. 6 November 2000. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
April 07, 2024
donald, lach, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, c. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Donald F Lach news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message This biographical article is written like a resume Please help improve it by revising it to be neutral and encyclopedic May 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Donald Frederick Lach pronounced Lach as in Bach 24 September 1917 26 October 2000 was an American historian based as a professor in the Department of History at the University of Chicago He was an authority on Asian influence in the European civilization during the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Works 5 ReferencesEarly life and education editLach was born in 1917 in Pittsburgh to parents of German descent He lived in Carrick where he spoke German in the home He had one sister Elizabeth nine years his junior The family moved from Pittsburgh to Morgantown WV when Lach s father became an accountant and obtained jobs in the fine glass industry After completing elementary education in public schools he received a B A degree from West Virginia University in 1937 and a Ph D in History from the University of Chicago in 1941 1 Career editLach began his teaching career at Elmira College 1941 1948 then returned to the University of Chicago where he remained throughout his career He received a Fulbright Scholarship to study in France 1949 1950 and a Social Science Research grant to continue his European research 1952 1953 He returned to Paris for several months in 1956 He co authored two books in the early 1950s Modern Far Eastern International Relations with University of Chicago professor Harley Farnsworth MacNair 1950 and Europe and the Modern World published in two volumes 1951 amp 1954 with University of Chicago professor Louis Gottschalk In 1957 Lach published a translation with commentary of the preface to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Novissima Sinica Lach taught in Taiwan 1955 1956 at the National Chengchi University and National Taiwan University In 1967 1968 he taught in India at the University of Delhi In 1965 he co edited with Carol Flaumenhaft Asia on the Eve of Europe s Expansion Also in 1965 the University of Chicago Press published the first volume of his magnum opus Asia in the Making of Europe A Century of Discovery for which he was awarded the 1967 Gordon J Laing Award citation needed In 1969 Lach was named the first Bernadotte E Schmitt Professor in History at the University of Chicago The following year the first book of the second volume of Asia in the Making of Europe was published as part of a continuing series from the University of Chicago Press Books two and three of Volume II subtitled A Century of Advance followed in 1977 Lach was the principal researcher and author of the three volume series with the joint title Asia in the Making of Europe about European interchanges with Asia in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries 2 A 1994 article in Commentary described the series as a masterwork of scholarship citation needed Lach was the sole author of the first volume in two books The Century of Discovery 1965 and of the second volume which was published in three books A Century of Wonder 1970 1977 1977 The third volume was published in 1993 in four books A Century of Advance it was co written with a colleague and former student Edwin J Van Kley Lach had a continuing interest in German culture and history and developed a secondary interest in the political situation in East Asia in the mid 20th century In 1975 Lach and Edmund S Wehrle s International Politics in East Asia since World War II Praeger special studies in international politics and government was released Lach was elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1984 3 He retired from teaching in 1988 but continued researching and writing Volume 3 of Asia in the Making of Europe Personal life editIn 1939 Lach married Alma Elizabeth Satorius who became a chef and cookbook author They had one child a daughter Sandra Lach Arlinghaus 4 After his retirement Lach and his wife continued living in Chicago He died in a Chicago hospital in 2000 5 In 2001 his colleagues friends former students and family established The Donald F Lach Memorial Book Fund at the University of Chicago Library 4 Works edit with Harley F MacNair Modern Far Eastern International Relations New York et al Van Nostrand 1951 The Preface to Leibniz Novissima Sinica Commentary Translation Text Honolulu University of Hawaii Press 1957 Asia in the Making of Europe volume 1 The Century of Discovery Book 1 Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1965 ISBN 0 226 46731 7 Book 2 Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1965 ISBN 0 226 46732 5 volume 2 A Century of Wonder Book 1 The Visual Arts Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1970 ISBN 0 226 46730 9 Book 2 The Literary Arts Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1977 ISBN 0 226 46733 3 Book 3 The Scholarly Disciplines Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1977 ISBN 0 226 46734 1 volume 3 A Century of Advance Book 1 Trade Missions Literature Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1993 ISBN 0226467570 Book 2 South Asia Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1993 ISBN 0226467570 Book 3 Southeast Asia Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1993 ISBN 0226467570 Book 4 East Asia Chicago London University of Chicago Press 1993 ISBN 0226467570 with Edmund S Wehrle International Politics in East Asia since World War II New York Praeger 1975 ISBN 0275054209 Southeast Asia in the Eyes of Europe The Sixteenth Century Chicago University of Chicago Press 1991 ISBN 0943056144 References edit Directory of American Scholars 6th ed Bowker 1974 Vol I p 356 Originally envisioned to span six volumes but the last three volumes discussing the 18th century were never published Cf further M N Pearson Objects Ridiculous and August Early Modern European Perceptions of Asia The Journal of Modern History 68 1996 382 397 JSTOR link Members of the American Academy Listed by election year 1950 1999 a b Guide to the Donald F Lach Papers 1925 1994 University of Chicago Retrieved 15 July 2018 Donald F Lach 83 Historian and Author New York Times 6 November 2000 Retrieved 15 July 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Donald F Lach amp oldid 1185434838, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
