Notes from Getahun Solomon Addis

From: "Getahun, Solomon Addis"
List Editor: Jonathan Reynolds
Editor's Subject: Obit: Dr. Berhanou Abebe
Author's Subject: Obit: Dr. Berhanou Abebe
Date Written: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:50:07 -0400
Date Posted: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:50:07 -0400

Central Michigan University


I have a sad news. Dr Berhanou Abebe, a polyglot (he spoke Amharic, Geez,
Tigrigna, Oromifa, French, English, Italian, Latin, Classic Greek, and
Arabic) and the most distinguished Ethiopian French scholar (He obtained
le Doctorat d'Etat es Lettres in France from the University of Sorbonne),
passed away on July 1, 2008.

Dr. Brihanou has numerious publications including The Rise of Land Tenure
in Ethiopia (1971), The History of Monasticism in Ancient Ethiopia (1981),
and History of Ethiopia (2002). He was also winner of several national and
international awards such as Commandeur de l'Ordre de Hailesellassie
(Ethiopie), Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (France), Chevealier de
l'Ordre du Merite (France), Commandeur des Arts et lettres (France), and
Officer des Palmes Academiques (France).

Prof. Berhanou, in addition to teaching at the Haile Silassie I, the now
Addis Ababa University, has served his country and Africa in various
capacities. He died while on assignment to monitor the elections in
Zimbabwe as a representative of the African Union. His death is a great
loss to Ethiopia/Africa. May God rest his soul.