At the Gate of Modernism: Qajar Iran [antikvár]

Foreword Professor Bert Fragner is a scholar of great distinction, who in the spring of 2010 was elected honoraiy member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. On 14th October 2010, at the award ceremony to accept his membership diploma, (which took place in the Hall of the Hungarian Academy) he marked the occasion by giving his inaugural address entitled Individuality and Self in nineteenth century Iran: Some reflections concerning the process of modernization in Iranian societies. In attendance paying tribute to Professor Fragner, were members of the Department of Iranian Studies (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest), who, in collaboration with Avicenna Institute of Middle Eastern Studies (Piliscsaba), had recently organized (14-15 October, 2010) a conference entitled At the Gate of Modernism: Qajar Iran in the nineteenth century. It was not a coincidence that all participants who were involved in this colloquium had been in one way or another associated with Professor Fragner in differing capacities: usually, first, as a student, later, either a colleague or a researcher and finally, but most importantly, as a dear friend. These relationships primarily occurred when he was professor at various German institutions for higher learning (mostly the University at Bamberg) later in Vienna as the first director of the Institut für Iranistik der ÖAW. For the past few decades, we Hungarian Iranists, have profited immensely and been immeasurably enriched by his prodigious erudition, his refreshingly original approach to history, his profound insights into the study of cultural phenomena and above all, his great generosity, a generosity that was particularly manifest in his unflinching willingness to devote time and give counsel to students and professionals in their various research endeavours. With the organization of the tribute to honour Professor Fragner's membership to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and now upon the publication of the conference volume, we wish to express our appreciation and gratitude in recognition of his scholarly achievements and compassionate humanism. Éva M. Jeremiás Budapest, 2012