{"id":4187,"date":"2023-05-08T13:23:13","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T11:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/?post_type=reflexicon&p=4187"},"modified":"2025-01-14T13:39:03","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T12:39:03","slug":"bengali-society-of-german-culture","status":"publish","type":"reflexicon","link":"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/en\/reflexicon\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bengali Society of German Culture (Bangiya Jarman Vidya Samsad<\/em>) in German Archives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Bai\u00adjayan\u00adti Roy<\/strong>
Pub\u00adlished in 2023<\/strong>
DOI<\/span> 10.25360\/01\u20132023-00029<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pho\u00adto: Bangiya Jar\u00adman Vidya Sam\u00adsad at Home on Jan\u00adu\u00adary 10, 1938<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Table of Con\u00adtents<\/strong>
Intro\u00adduc\u00adtion<\/a>  | Archival Sources<\/a>  | Back\u00adground<\/a>  | Ear\u00adly years (1933\u20131936)<\/a>  | Eugen\u00adics, Hin\u00addu revival\u00adism, Nazi pol\u00adi\u00adtics (1936\u20131939)<\/a>  | Con\u00adclu\u00adsion<\/a>  | Bib\u00adli\u00adog\u00adra\u00adphy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture (Bangiya Jar\u00adman Vidya Sam\u00adsad<\/em>) was estab\u00adlished by the Ger\u00admanophile and poly\u00admath intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal Benoy Kumar Sarkar (1887\u20131949) in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta in 1933. The aim of this Soci\u00adety, as stat\u00aded in its pro\u00adgrammes, was \u201cto car\u00adry on and pro\u00admote among our coun\u00adtry\u00admen stud\u00adies and inves\u00adti\u00adga\u00adtions relat\u00ading to Ger\u00adman insti\u00adtu\u00adtions, sci\u00adences and arts.\u201d The main activ\u00adi\u00adty of this soci\u00adety was to orga\u00adnize pub\u00adlic lec\u00adtures on var\u00adi\u00adous sub\u00adjects relat\u00aded to Ger\u00admany. Its activ\u00adi\u00adties end\u00aded with the onset of WWII<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 In its aims and objec\u00adtives, the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety was sim\u00adi\u00adlar to the \u201cGer\u00adman Soci\u00adety\u201d of the Ali\u00adgarh Mus\u00adlim Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty (AMU<\/span>), which was estab\u00adlished in 1932 by the Ger\u00adman ori\u00aden\u00adtal\u00adist schol\u00adar Otto Spies, who joined the Ara\u00adbic Depart\u00adment of the AMU<\/span> in the same year, and Sat\u00adtar Kheiri, the Ger\u00adman lec\u00adtor at the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty. All the mem\u00adbers of the Ger\u00adman Soci\u00adety belonged to dif\u00adfer\u00adent fac\u00adul\u00adties of the AMU<\/span> (Roy forth\u00adcom\u00ading 2023). Unlike the Ger\u00adman Soci\u00adety of the AMU<\/span>, how\u00adev\u00ader, the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety was not for\u00admal\u00adly affil\u00adi\u00adat\u00aded to any Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty though its founder Benoy Kumar Sarkar was a pro\u00adfes\u00adsor of Eco\u00adnom\u00adics at the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Cal\u00adcut\u00adta. The mem\u00adbers of this Soci\u00adety were also not lim\u00adit\u00aded to academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the fol\u00adlow\u00ading sec\u00adtion, I will briefly trace Sarkar\u2019s role as an inter\u00adme\u00addi\u00adary between an expand\u00ading Nazi net\u00adwork that evolved in India and the indige\u00adnous edu\u00adcat\u00aded elite in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta. The core of this Nazi net\u00adwork com\u00adprised a unit of the Nazi par\u00adty that exist\u00aded in India from 1932. Most mem\u00adbers of this unit were the Ger\u00adman employ\u00adees of the Ger\u00adman com\u00admer\u00adcial firms oper\u00adat\u00ading in India. After 1933, the Ger\u00adman Con\u00adsulates in India also joined the Nazi net\u00adwork, as the tra\u00addi\u00adtion\u00adal diplo\u00admats were increas\u00ading\u00adly replaced with Nazi par\u00adty mem\u00adbers. There were also a num\u00adber of Indi\u00adan and Ger\u00adman indi\u00advid\u00adu\u00adals in India who belonged to the Nazi net\u00adwork with\u00adout offi\u00adcial\u00adly join\u00ading the Nazi par\u00adty. Benoy Sarkar was one such indi\u00advid\u00adual (Roy forth\u00adcom\u00ading 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This dis\u00adcus\u00adsion is nec\u00ades\u00adsary to sit\u00adu\u00adate the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture in its prop\u00ader polit\u00adi\u00adcal con\u00adtext. Fol\u00adlow\u00ading this, I will enu\u00admer\u00adate on the archival sources relat\u00ading to the Soci\u00adety that I have found in Ger\u00admany. Final\u00adly, I will pro\u00advide a short account of the activ\u00adi\u00adties of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety, which, to my knowl\u00adedge, oper\u00adat\u00aded only in Calcutta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An impor\u00adtant com\u00adpo\u00adnent of the Nazi net\u00adwork was the India Insti\u00adtute of the Deutsche Akademie<\/em> (DA<\/span>), a sup\u00adpos\u00aded\u00adly non-polit\u00adi\u00adcal organ\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtion estab\u00adlished in Munich in 1925.  The declared aim of the DA<\/span> was to dis\u00adsem\u00adi\u00adnate Ger\u00adman lan\u00adguage and cul\u00adture in for\u00adeign lands. How\u00adev\u00ader, it increas\u00ading\u00adly con\u00adduct\u00aded cul\u00adtur\u00adal pol\u00adi\u00adtics in the form of pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00adda and espi\u00adonage for the Nazi regime in dif\u00adfer\u00adent coun\u00adtries includ\u00ading India, South-East Europe, Great Britain, Amer\u00adi\u00adca, South Africa, Chi\u00adna, Japan, and Thai\u00adland, as the jour\u00adnals of the DA<\/span> stat\u00aded. Benoy Kumar Sarkar\u2019s col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtion with the Nazi net\u00adwork, par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly with the DA<\/span>, formed the back\u00addrop to the foun\u00adda\u00adtion of the Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archival Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Main Archives of the Bavarian State (Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv or BayHsta) Munich<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The jour\u00adnals of the DA<\/span>, which are avail\u00adable at the Bay\u00aderisches Haupt\u00adstaat\u00adsarchiv<\/em> (BayH\u00ads\u00adta), occa\u00adsion\u00adal\u00adly report\u00aded on the activ\u00adi\u00adties of the Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Federal Archives (Bundesarchiv or BArch) Berlin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A num\u00adber of bul\u00adletins con\u00adtain\u00ading details like the list of mem\u00adbers and advi\u00adsors, pro\u00adgrammes organ\u00adised by the Soci\u00adety as well as reports on them are housed in the Fed\u00ader\u00adal Archives (Bun\u00adde\u00adsarchiv <\/em>or BArch) inBer\u00adlin under the sig\u00adna\u00adture R57<\/span>\/10712.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political Archive of the German Foreign Ministry (Politisches Archiv des Ausw\u00e4rtigen Amts or PA<\/span> AA<\/span>) Berlin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This archive has mate\u00adri\u00adals relat\u00ading to a pro\u00adgramme from 1938 as well as an announce\u00adment of the Society\u2019s plans in the sec\u00adtion Poli\u00adtis\u00adche Beziehun\u00adgen Indi\u00adens zu Deutsch\u00adland<\/em>, Pol VII<\/span>, sig\u00adna\u00adture R10477<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This list of archives does not claim to be exhaus\u00adtive. For the pur\u00adpose of pre\u00adsent\u00ading a coher\u00adent and com\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsive nar\u00adra\u00adtive, I have used rel\u00ade\u00advant infor\u00adma\u00adtion from colo\u00adnial sur\u00adveil\u00adlance records held by the Nation\u00adal Archives of India, New Del\u00adhi (NAI<\/span>), and West Ben\u00adgal State Archives, Kolkata (WBSA<\/span>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Benoy Kumar Sarkar belonged to an elite group of nation\u00adal\u00adist intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adals of Ben\u00adgal who were par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly recep\u00adtive towards cer\u00adtain ideas asso\u00adci\u00adat\u00aded with Ger\u00adman phi\u00adlos\u00ado\u00adphy and Ger\u00adman nation\u00adal\u00adism. These ideas were fil\u00adtered to them through cul\u00adtur\u00adal exchanges with Britain (Sar\u00adtori 2010: 79). Sarkar and oth\u00aders of his ilk saw Ger\u00admany as a vic\u00adtim of the British Empire, which nev\u00ader\u00adthe\u00adless suc\u00adceed\u00aded in reju\u00adve\u00adnat\u00ading under Hitler\u2019s lead\u00ader\u00adship. To Sarkar, Ger\u00admany became a pro\u00adjec\u00adtion of what India should have aspired to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarkar\u2019s attempts to coa\u00adlesce ele\u00adments of Ger\u00adman intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal tra\u00addi\u00adtions and Nazi pol\u00adi\u00adtics with his vision of India\u2019s past, present and future are best known through his (in)famous book The Hitler State: A Polit\u00adi\u00adcal, Eco\u00adnom\u00adic and Social Remak\u00ading of the Ger\u00adman peo\u00adple<\/em>, pub\u00adlished in 1934. The book remains par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly mem\u00ado\u00adrable for the oft-quot\u00aded phrase that Hitler com\u00adbined \u201cthe moral ide\u00adal\u00adism of a Vivekanan\u00adda mul\u00adti\u00adplied by the iron stren\u00adu\u00adous\u00adness of a Bis\u00admar\u00adck\u201d (Sarkar 1934:8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This quote rep\u00adre\u00adsents Sarkar\u2019s attempt to link the \u201creju\u00adve\u00adna\u00adtion\u201d of Ger\u00admany with Hin\u00addu revival\u00adism embod\u00adied by the ascetic Ramkr\u00adish\u00adna (1836\u20131886) and his west\u00adern edu\u00adcat\u00aded dis\u00adci\u00adple, Vivekanan\u00adda (1863\u20131902). Sarkar also tried to estab\u00adlish that the \u201cRamkr\u00adish\u00adna Vivekanan\u00adda com\u00adplex\u201d was car\u00adry\u00ading on the intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal lega\u00adcy of Johann Got\u00adtlieb Fichte\u2019s ide\u00adal of \u201cthe mind\u2019s dom\u00adi\u00adna\u00adtion over the world\u201d (Sar\u00adtori 2010:80). The Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety was a fur\u00adther man\u00adi\u00adfes\u00adta\u00adtion of Sarkar\u2019s attempts to inter\u00adpret aspects of (Nazi) Ger\u00admany and con\u00adnect them to his views of India\u2019s \u201cglo\u00adri\u00adous\u201d (Hin\u00addu) past and to the pos\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty of its future resuscitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture was, how\u00adev\u00ader, not just an expres\u00adsion of Sarkar\u00b4s per\u00adson\u00adal quest. Sarkar who was flu\u00adent in Ger\u00adman, had vis\u00adit\u00aded Ger\u00admany sev\u00ader\u00adal times and formed friend\u00adships with influ\u00aden\u00adtial Ger\u00adman intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adals, like the geo-politi\u00adcian Karl Haushofer (1869\u20131946). The lat\u00adter was a con\u00adser\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive nation\u00adal\u00adist who enjoyed some respect among lead\u00ading Nazi politi\u00adcians. Haushofer was also one of the founders of the DA<\/span>\u2019s India Insti\u00adtute, estab\u00adlished in 1928 in Munich. The India Insti\u00adtute pro\u00advid\u00aded stipends to Indi\u00adan stu\u00addents and pro\u00adfes\u00adsion\u00adals to study and work in Ger\u00admany (Roy 2021). The aim was to influ\u00adence them enough to con\u00adduct pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00adda for Ger\u00admany in India, or at least to remain sym\u00adpa\u00adthet\u00adic to the coun\u00adtry. Through Haushofer\u00b4s medi\u00ada\u00adtion, the India Insti\u00adtute invit\u00aded Sarkar to be a guest pro\u00adfes\u00adsor at the Tech\u00adni\u00adcal Acad\u00ade\u00admy, Munich, in 1930\u201331 (Thier\u00adfelder 1937:9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the Nazis assumed pow\u00ader in 1933, the DA<\/span> (and the India Insti\u00adtute) embarked on the ven\u00adture to con\u00adform to the new regime\u2019s expec\u00adta\u00adtions. Sarkar took upon him\u00adself the task of pro\u00admot\u00ading the DA<\/span> and the \u201cNew Ger\u00admany\u201d in India in dif\u00adfer\u00adent ways (Roy 2021). The estab\u00adlish\u00adment of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta was a part of such efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DA<\/span> dis\u00adplayed sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant inter\u00adest in the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety. In Octo\u00adber 1933, Mit\u00adteilun\u00adgen,<\/em> the jour\u00adnal of the DA<\/span>, announced the estab\u00adlish\u00adment of the Soci\u00adety in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta, adding that its main objec\u00adtive was to orga\u00adnize lec\u00adtures on Ger\u00admany and \u201cGer\u00adman intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal life\u201d. The jour\u00adnal fur\u00adther announced that Indi\u00adan stu\u00addents who had com\u00adplet\u00aded their dis\u00adser\u00adta\u00adtions in Ger\u00admany are among the Society\u2019s advi\u00adsors (Mit\u00adteilun\u00adgen<\/em>, Octo\u00adber 1933: 392). How\u00adev\u00ader, a list of mem\u00adbers and advi\u00adsors of the Soci\u00adety found at the Fed\u00ader\u00adal Archives in Berlin shows that the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety includ\u00aded not only schol\u00adars and pro\u00adfes\u00adsion\u00adals who had stud\u00adied in Ger\u00admany, but also oth\u00ader mem\u00adbers of the edu\u00adcat\u00aded elite of Cal\u00adcut\u00adta (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not long after the foun\u00adda\u00adtion of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety, the DA<\/span> made Sarkar an hon\u00adorary mem\u00adber of the India Insti\u00adtute, for \u201chis great achieve\u00adments in cul\u00adtur\u00adal work\u201d (Mit\u00adteilun\u00adgen<\/em> Decem\u00adber 1933: 533). This \u201creward\u00ading\u201d of Sarkar points to an exchange of polit\u00adi\u00adcal, intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal, and cul\u00adtur\u00adal resources between Sarkar and the DA<\/span>, which pro\u00adgres\u00adsive\u00adly became the mouth\u00adpiece of the Nazi state in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early years (1933\u20131936)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Benoy Kumar Sarkar was the direc\u00adtor of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture and Naren\u00addra Nath Law, an entre\u00adpre\u00adneur and the edi\u00adtor of the mag\u00ada\u00adzine The Indi\u00adan His\u00adtor\u00adi\u00adcal Quar\u00adter\u00adly<\/em>, was its Pres\u00adi\u00addent (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ben\u00adgali intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adals with nation\u00adal\u00adist lean\u00adings, who looked towards Ger\u00admany as a mod\u00adel of progress were pre\u00adferred as mem\u00adbers and invit\u00aded guests. One of the vice pres\u00adi\u00addents of the Soci\u00adety was Biren Das Gup\u00adta, the direc\u00adtor of a mul\u00adti-nation\u00adal com\u00adpa\u00adny called Indo-Swiss Trad\u00ading Co. Das Gup\u00adta was known to the British sur\u00adveil\u00adlance as a rad\u00adi\u00adcal anti-colo\u00adnial\u00adist who went to Berlin dur\u00ading WWI<\/span> and became involved in spread\u00ading anti-British pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00adda under the aegis of the Ger\u00adman gov\u00adern\u00adment (WBSA<\/span>: IB<\/span> File 355\u201341).  Notably, most meet\u00adings of the mem\u00adbers of the Soci\u00adety were held at the office of the Indo-Swiss Trad\u00ading Co. The venue of the pub\u00adlic lec\u00adtures, which were held pri\u00admar\u00adi\u00adly in the evenings, was a com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty hall called the Bud\u00addhist Hall in Col\u00adlege Square, cen\u00adtral Cal\u00adcut\u00adta (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anoth\u00ader mem\u00adber of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety was Dr. Suhrit Mitra, who had com\u00adplet\u00aded his PhD in Leipzig in 1926 on exper\u00adi\u00admen\u00adtal psy\u00adchol\u00ado\u00adgy (Hart\u00adnack 2022:193). He deliv\u00adered at least two pub\u00adlic lec\u00adtures, one of which was on cur\u00adrent research in the field of exper\u00adi\u00admen\u00adtal psy\u00adchol\u00ado\u00adgy in Ger\u00admany. It was deliv\u00adered on 21st<\/sup> Novem\u00adber 1933, at the Bud\u00addhist Hall. The oth\u00ader lec\u00adture on \u201cGestalt The\u00ado\u00adry in Ger\u00adman Psy\u00adchol\u00ado\u00adgy\u201d was held on 26th<\/sup> Sep\u00adtem\u00adber 1936, at the Lab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adto\u00adry of Exper\u00adi\u00admen\u00adtal Psy\u00adchol\u00ado\u00adgy of the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Cal\u00adcut\u00adta. The audi\u00adence includ\u00aded Girindrasekhar Bose, the pio\u00adneer of psy\u00adcho\u00adanaly\u00adsis in India, and Bid\u00adhan Chan\u00addra Roy, the renowned physi\u00adcian and nation\u00adal\u00adist politi\u00adcian (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712). This is an indi\u00adca\u00adtion of the pres\u00adtige that the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety enjoyed among the aca\u00add\u00ade\u00adm\u00adic as well as polit\u00adi\u00adcal elite of Calcutta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sec\u00adond lec\u00adture was also attend\u00aded by Horst Pohle, the Ger\u00adman lec\u00adtor sent by the DA<\/span> to Cal\u00adcut\u00adta in 1934. Pohle was asked to be present at all the pro\u00adgrammes of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety by Franz Thier\u00adfelder, the Gen\u00ader\u00adal Sec\u00adre\u00adtary of the DA<\/span>, in a let\u00adter writ\u00adten in 1935. Thier\u00adfelder claimed that the pres\u00adence of the Ger\u00adman lec\u00adtor was essen\u00adtial to sig\u00adni\u00adfy the DA<\/span>\u2019s encour\u00adage\u00adment to the Soci\u00adety (NAI<\/span>: Home Polit\u00adi\u00adcal. EW<\/span> 1941. NA-F-10<\/span>\u2013103). Pohle, a mem\u00adber of the Nazi par\u00adty, was known to the colo\u00adnial sur\u00adveil\u00adlance as a Nazi pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00addist and agent (Roy 2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a pro\u00adgres\u00adsive ges\u00adture, the Soci\u00adety includ\u00aded a few women as well. Maitray\u00adee Basu Chat\u00adter\u00adjee, a prac\u00adtic\u00ading physi\u00adcian who had received a schol\u00adar\u00adship from the DA<\/span> to study med\u00adi\u00adcine at Munich was list\u00aded as an advi\u00adsor. The list of mem\u00adbers also includ\u00aded \u201cMrs. Sushama Sen\u00adgup\u00adta, M.A.\u201d who was the prin\u00adci\u00adpal of a girls\u2019 school in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Soci\u00adety some\u00adtimes invit\u00aded \u201cmain\u00adstream\u201d politi\u00adcians to deliv\u00ader lec\u00adtures. One such guest was Humayun Kabir, a writer and a mem\u00adber of the Indi\u00adan Nation\u00adal Con\u00adgress. He spoke on the polit\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly innocu\u00adous sub\u00adject of \u201cKant and mod\u00adern thought\u201d on 13th<\/sup> Sep\u00adtem\u00adber 1935.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nev\u00ader\u00adthe\u00adless, the Society\u2019s main agen\u00adda seems to have been to pro\u00advide plat\u00adforms to per\u00adsons con\u00adnect\u00aded in diverse ways to the Nazi polit\u00adi\u00adcal estab\u00adlish\u00adment. For exam\u00adple, on 16th<\/sup> Sep\u00adtem\u00adber 1933 Her\u00adbert Richter, the Ger\u00adman Vice Con\u00adsul of Cal\u00adcut\u00adta, spoke on \u201cNew Ger\u00admany\u201d (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712). The con\u00adtents of the lec\u00adture were pre\u00adsum\u00adably sim\u00adi\u00adlar to anoth\u00ader speech titled \u201cEle\u00adments of New Ger\u00admany\u201d that Richter deliv\u00adered around the same time at the Vish\u00adwa Bharati Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty (Bhat\u00adtacharya 1990: IX<\/span>). This speech was replete with Nation\u00adal Social\u00adist pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00adda like the \u201cneces\u00adsi\u00adty of pre\u00adserv\u00ading the puri\u00adty of Aryan blood,\u201d a mea\u00adsure which, claimed Richter, \u201cmust be com\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsi\u00adble to my Indi\u00adan friends\u201d (Framke 2021: 115).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 27th<\/sup> March 1934, the Soci\u00adety orga\u00adnized a lec\u00adture by Heinz Nitzschke, the pre\u00adde\u00adces\u00adsor of the afore\u00admen\u00adtioned Horst Pohle. Nitzschke\u2019s lec\u00adture was on \u201cThree Ger\u00adman Soci\u00adol\u00ado\u00adgists: Fer\u00addi\u00adnand T\u00f6n\u00adnies, Hans Frey\u00ader and Leopold von Wiese\u201d (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712). Among the soci\u00adol\u00ado\u00adgists in ques\u00adtion, Frey\u00ader and von Wiese tried to con\u00adform to Nazi pol\u00adi\u00adtics in dif\u00adfer\u00adent ways (Klinge\u00admann 1996). Accord\u00ading to a colo\u00adnial sur\u00adveil\u00adlance report, Nitzschke, a mem\u00adber of the Nazi par\u00adty, reg\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly deliv\u00adered lec\u00adtures on Nazi Ger\u00admany and met Indi\u00adan nation\u00adal\u00adists at Calcutta\u2019s Young Men\u2019s Chris\u00adt\u00adian Asso\u00adci\u00ada\u00adtion where he taught Ger\u00adman as well (NAI<\/span>: EAD<\/span> File No. 665\u2011X\\38. P11<\/span>, C3<\/span>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Soci\u00adety invit\u00aded one of its mem\u00adbers, Bata Krish\u00adna Ghosh, an erst\u00adwhile stipend hold\u00ader of the DA<\/span> who taught Ger\u00adman at the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Cal\u00adcut\u00adta, to lec\u00adture on \u201cRecent Ger\u00adman research\u00ades in Lin\u00adguis\u00adtics\u201d on 20th<\/sup> April 1934 (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712). Ghosh hap\u00adpened to be the head of the stu\u00addent sec\u00adtion of the Soci\u00adety, which Sarkar man\u00adaged to start at this Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty (WBSA<\/span>. IB<\/span> File No. 355\u201341.Sl.183). A sur\u00adveil\u00adlance report from 1939 sus\u00adpect\u00aded Ghosh of being sym\u00adpa\u00adthet\u00adic towards the Axis (NAI<\/span>: Home Pol. EW-1939<\/span>, NA-F-93kw). The same report also men\u00adtioned Dr. R. Ahmed, Prin\u00adci\u00adpal of the Cal\u00adcut\u00adta Den\u00adtal Col\u00adlege and Hos\u00adpi\u00adtal and a Vice Pres\u00adi\u00addent of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety, as well as Prof. Baneswar Dut\u00adta from the Col\u00adlege of Engi\u00adneer\u00ading, Jadavpur (now Jadavpur Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty), an hon\u00adorary mem\u00adber of the Soci\u00adety, as being \u201cpro-Axis\u201d. Both are list\u00aded as office hold\u00aders in a pam\u00adphlet of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10217).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lec\u00adtures were often accord\u00aded sym\u00adbol\u00adic impor\u00adtance by the Ger\u00adman polit\u00adi\u00adcal estab\u00adlish\u00adment. For instance, a pub\u00adlic lec\u00adture organ\u00adised by the Soci\u00adety on 15th<\/sup> Decem\u00adber 1934 on \u201cEngi\u00adneer\u00ading and indus\u00adtri\u00adal Ger\u00admany\u201d, was deliv\u00adered by Jatin\u00addra Nath Basu, an erst\u00adwhile stipend hold\u00ader of the DA<\/span> as well as an advis\u00ader of the Soci\u00adety. He was also a pro\u00adfes\u00adsor at the Col\u00adlege of Engi\u00adneer\u00ading, Jadavpur. The lec\u00adture was attend\u00aded by the Ger\u00adman Con\u00adsul and Vice Con\u00adsul of Cal\u00adcut\u00adta, as well as by Horst Pohle (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712). This lec\u00adture was lat\u00ader pub\u00adlished in Ger\u00adman as a book\u00adlet and sent to Sarkar from Berlin in 1939 (WBSA<\/span> IB<\/span> File No. 355\u201341 SL<\/span> 183).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eugenics, Hindu revivalism, Nazi politics (1936\u20131939)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Around 1936, the lec\u00adtures orga\u00adnized by the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture start\u00aded to focus increas\u00ading\u00adly on sub\u00adjects asso\u00adci\u00adat\u00aded with Nation\u00adal Social\u00adism. These lec\u00adtures sought to dis\u00adpel the anti-Nazi views that were fre\u00adquent\u00adly artic\u00adu\u00adlat\u00aded in the Indi\u00adan Press. As the Mit\u00adteilun\u00adgen<\/em> stat\u00aded in 1937, \u201cunfriend\u00adly atti\u00adtude towards Ger\u00admany\u201d per\u00adsist\u00aded in cer\u00adtain Indi\u00adan cir\u00adcles and Indi\u00adan mag\u00ada\u00adzines often pub\u00adlished \u201cill-dis\u00adposed arti\u00adcles about today\u2019s Ger\u00admany\u201d (Mit\u00adteilun\u00adgen<\/em> April 1937: 87). The jour\u00adnal added that it was for\u00adtu\u00adnate that Benoy Kumar Sarkar con\u00adtin\u00adued his work of spread\u00ading the truth about con\u00adtem\u00adpo\u00adrary Ger\u00admany through his Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture. Mit\u00adteilun\u00adgen<\/em> then men\u00adtioned a num\u00adber of lec\u00adtures which osten\u00adsi\u00adbly aimed to \u201cspread the truth\u201d in 1936. They were on \u201cWin\u00adter\u00adhil\u00adf\u00adswerk<\/em> or Win\u00adter Relief Mea\u00adsures in Ger\u00admany\u201d (Benoy Kumar Sarkar), \u201cAvi\u00ada\u00adtion in the Ger\u00adman Reich\u201d (Biren Roy) and \u201cEugenic Research in Ger\u00admany\u201d (Pra\u00adful\u00adla Chan\u00addra Biswas). The sum\u00admaries of the talks can be found in the Fed\u00ader\u00adal Archives in Berlin (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the speak\u00aders, the avi\u00ada\u00adtor Biren Roy was con\u00adsid\u00adered to be \u201canti-British\u201d by the colo\u00adnial sur\u00adveil\u00adlance, which also alleged that he received finan\u00adcial remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion from the Nazi par\u00adty in India for con\u00adduct\u00ading pro-Ger\u00adman pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00adda (WBSA<\/span> File 236\u201339. Part 1). Roy spoke glow\u00ading\u00adly of the advances made in Ger\u00admany in the sphere of aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anoth\u00ader speak\u00ader, the anthro\u00adpol\u00ado\u00adgist Pra\u00adful\u00adla Chan\u00addra Biswas, a lec\u00adtur\u00ader at the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Cal\u00adcut\u00adta, had stud\u00adied at the Kaiser Wil\u00adhelm Insti\u00adtute (KWI<\/span>) in Berlin with a fel\u00adlow\u00adship from the Alexan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Foun\u00adda\u00adtion, which often co-oper\u00adat\u00aded with the DA<\/span> (Roy 2021). His research guide was the direc\u00adtor of the KWI<\/span>, the \u201crace hygien\u00adist\u201d Eugen Fis\u00adch\u00ader, who pro\u00advid\u00aded schol\u00adar\u00adly legit\u00adi\u00adma\u00adcy to Nazi racial pol\u00adi\u00adtics (Kr\u00f6n\u00ader 2005:403).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The syn\u00adop\u00adsis of Biswas\u2019 lec\u00adture from 23rd<\/sup> Decem\u00adber 1936 reveals that he tried to asso\u00adciate the sub\u00adject to a \u201cHin\u00addu past\u201d by claim\u00ading that Manu\u2019s laws had a eugeni\u00adcist dimen\u00adsion. He then went on to endorse the law passed in Ger\u00admany in July 1933 \u201cfor the pre\u00adven\u00adtion of hered\u00adi\u00adtary defec\u00adtive prog\u00ade\u00adny\u201d. This noto\u00adri\u00adous law led to the forced ster\u00adil\u00adiza\u00adtion of thou\u00adsands and lat\u00ader to sys\u00adtem\u00adat\u00adic mur\u00adders (Euthana\u00adsia) of many who were con\u00adsid\u00adered \u201cunwor\u00adthy\u201d of liv\u00ading (Hed\u00adwig and Pet\u00adter 2017).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benoy Kumar Sarkar, in his intro\u00adduc\u00adtion to the lec\u00adture by Biswas, also attempt\u00aded to relate Hin\u00addu con\u00adven\u00adtions to eugen\u00adics by claim\u00ading that the \u201ctra\u00addi\u00adtion\u00adal Hin\u00addu ideas of exogamy and endogamy are at bot\u00adtom eugenic\u201d (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712). In his own lec\u00adture on Win\u00adter\u00adhil\u00adf\u00adswerk<\/em> deliv\u00adered on 14th<\/sup> May 1936, Sarkar expressed the neces\u00adsi\u00adty of India to emu\u00adlate \u201cthe orga\u00adnized char\u00adi\u00adty of the Ger\u00adman peo\u00adple under state aus\u00adpices, like the Win\u00adter Help Pro\u00adgram of the Hitler regime\u201d (Mit\u00adteilun\u00adgen<\/em> April 1937:87). He glossed over the fact that this pro\u00adgramme was pri\u00admar\u00adi\u00adly a pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00addis\u00adtic ven\u00adture con\u00adduct\u00aded by the Nazi gov\u00adern\u00adment for help\u00ading only the \u201cracial\u00adly and polit\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly desir\u00adables\u201d (Vor\u00adl\u00e4n\u00adder 1986: 341\u2013380).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is notable that the pres\u00adi\u00addent of the pro\u00adgramme fea\u00adtur\u00ading Sarkar\u2019s lec\u00adture was the monk Swa\u00admi Shar\u00advadanan\u00adda from the Ramkr\u00adish\u00adna Mis\u00adsion. The audi\u00adence com\u00adprised monks from this order as well as mem\u00adbers of the Ger\u00adman con\u00adsulate, includ\u00ading the Con\u00adsul, Eduard von Selzam (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712). This occa\u00adsion was not just a man\u00adi\u00adfes\u00adta\u00adtion of Sarkar\u2019s agen\u00adda of herald\u00ading a cross-fer\u00adtil\u00adiza\u00adtion of Nazi tenets with his visions of Hin\u00adduism; the event which took place at the Bud\u00addhist Hall also pro\u00advid\u00aded a con\u00adtact zone in which the pur\u00advey\u00adors of Hin\u00addu revival\u00adism and Nazi pol\u00adi\u00adtics could interact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ramkr\u00adish\u00adna Mis\u00adsion was inter\u00adest\u00aded in cul\u00adti\u00advat\u00ading Ger\u00adman intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adals, some of whom were also attract\u00aded to its mes\u00adsages of spir\u00adi\u00adtu\u00adal\u00adism. In March 1934, the Mission\u2019s rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtives wrote to the For\u00adeign Min\u00adistry in Berlin ask\u00ading for help in dis\u00adsem\u00adi\u00adnat\u00ading its Eng\u00adlish lan\u00adguage jour\u00adnal Prabud\u00addha Bhara\u00adta<\/em> (Awak\u00adened India) among Ger\u00adman uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties (PA-AA<\/span> R122626<\/span>). The jour\u00adnal already enjoyed some pop\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adi\u00adty among some Ger\u00adman schol\u00adars asso\u00adci\u00adat\u00aded with the DA<\/span>, which reg\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly received it (Roy forth\u00adcom\u00ading 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anoth\u00ader event orga\u00adnized by the Soci\u00adety on 7th<\/sup> April 1937 at the usu\u00adal venue, the Bud\u00addhist Hall, entailed five monks from the Ramkr\u00adish\u00adna Mis\u00adsion read\u00ading out the papers pre\u00adsent\u00aded by five Ger\u00adman philoso\u00adphers at an inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal sem\u00adi\u00adnar held in March, on the occa\u00adsion of the cen\u00adte\u00adnary of Ramakrishna\u2019s birth (BA<\/span> Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benoy Kumar Sarkar also admired the Four-Year Plans ini\u00adti\u00adat\u00aded by Her\u00admann G\u00f6ring from Jan\u00adu\u00adary 1937. In a lec\u00adture titled \u201cEco\u00adnom\u00adic aspects of the Ger\u00adman Four Year Plan\u201d, deliv\u00adered on 31st<\/sup> July 1937, Sarkar waxed elo\u00adquent on \u201cthe ascend\u00ading curves of Ger\u00adman econ\u00ado\u00admy since the estab\u00adlish\u00adment of the Nazi regime in 1933\u201d and the Four-Year Plan that fol\u00adlowed (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sur\u00adveil\u00adlance record from 1938 report\u00aded that in 1936 and 1937, the Ger\u00adman Con\u00adsulate in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta was pro\u00advid\u00ading finan\u00adcial aid to \u201cthe local Indo-Ger\u00adman insti\u00adtute run by Benoy Sarkar for train\u00ading young Ben\u00adgalis on pro-Nazi lines\u201d, refer\u00adring in all like\u00adli\u00adhood to the stu\u00addent sec\u00adtion of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety estab\u00adlished by Sarkar and head\u00aded by Batakr\u00adish\u00adna Ghosh (NAI<\/span>: EAD<\/span> F.No. 665\u2011X\\38. Part II<\/span>, P.9). On 14th<\/sup> May 1939, the British-run Cal\u00adcut\u00adta based news\u00adpa\u00adper The States\u00adman<\/em> pub\u00adlished a report titled \u201cNazi pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00adda in India\u201d in which it referred to the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture and claimed that \u201camong its list of office bear\u00aders are Indi\u00adans trained in Ger\u00admany who have def\u00adi\u00adnite\u00adly pro-Nazi lean\u00adings\u201d (NAI<\/span>: EAD<\/span> F.No. 288\u2011X).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is pos\u00adsi\u00adble that Sarkar was wary of the colo\u00adnial author\u00adi\u00adties. A pro\u00adgramme of the Soci\u00adety from April 1939 shows the date of its estab\u00adlish\u00adment as 1932, prob\u00ada\u00adbly to prove that it exist\u00aded before the Nazis came to pow\u00ader (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fed\u00ader\u00adal Archives in Berlin have an undat\u00aded list of \u201cCourse of stud\u00adies and inves\u00adti\u00adga\u00adtions\u201d to be pur\u00adsued by dif\u00adfer\u00adent mem\u00adbers of the Soci\u00adety (BArch Berlin: R57<\/span>\/10712). The top\u00adics includ\u00aded \u201cTrav\u00adels in Ger\u00admany\u201d by Biren Das Gup\u00adta, \u201cGer\u00adman influ\u00adence on Indi\u00adan thought\u201d (Naren\u00addra Nath Law), \u201cGer\u00adman achieve\u00adments in med\u00adi\u00adcine, surgery and hygiene\u201d (Amulya Chan\u00addra Ukil), \u201cEco\u00adnom\u00adic, Social and Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal devel\u00adop\u00adments of the Ger\u00adman Peo\u00adple\u201d (Benoy Kumar Sarkar), \u201cThe Progress of Indol\u00ado\u00adgy in Ger\u00admany\u201d (Nali\u00adnaksha Dutt), \u201cWomen\u2019s activ\u00adi\u00adties in Ger\u00admany\u201d (Sushama Sen\u00adgup\u00adta), and Ger\u00adman jour\u00adnal\u00adism (Pra\u00adful\u00adla Kumar Chakrabar\u00adty) among oth\u00aders. This list demon\u00adstrates that mem\u00adbers with\u00adout any ties with Ger\u00admany could also be induced to advo\u00adcate \u201cGer\u00adman achieve\u00adments\u201d, under\u00adscor\u00ading once more the appeal that Ger\u00admany enjoyed among a sec\u00adtion of the intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal elite in Calcutta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Polit\u00adi\u00adcal Archive of the Ger\u00adman For\u00adeign Min\u00adistry has a book\u00adlet with a pho\u00adto\u00adgraph and details of a pro\u00adgramme orga\u00adnized by the Soci\u00adety. The pho\u00adto, dat\u00aded Jan\u00adu\u00adary 10, 1938, is titled \u201cBangiya Jar\u00adman Vidya Sam\u00adsad at home\u201d (PA<\/span> AA<\/span>: R10477<\/span>). It depicts a meal in progress at an appar\u00adent\u00adly expen\u00adsive restau\u00adrant. The cap\u00adtion men\u00adtions the names of the assem\u00adbled com\u00adpa\u00adny, which include, apart from Benoy Kumar Sarkar, oth\u00ader Ben\u00adgalis with Ger\u00adman con\u00adnec\u00adtions like Biren Roy and Satin Das Gup\u00adta. The lat\u00adter, an hon\u00adorary sec\u00adre\u00adtary of the Soci\u00adety, was the Man\u00adag\u00ading Direc\u00adtor of the Indo-Swiss Trad\u00ading Co. Mem\u00adbers of the Ger\u00adman con\u00adsulate in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta includ\u00ading the Con\u00adsul Count Erd\u00admann Graf von Podewil\u00adlis-D\u00fcrniz and the com\u00admer\u00adcial agent Carl Rass\u00admuss were also present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notable among the oth\u00ader guests were the philoso\u00adpher C. G. Jung and the eth\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgist Egon Frei\u00adherr von Eick\u00adst\u00adedt. The latter\u2019s views on race enjoyed con\u00adsid\u00ader\u00adable influ\u00adence among the Nazi rul\u00ading elite (Preu\u00df 2017: 186\u2013191). The pho\u00adto\u00adgraph was most prob\u00ada\u00adbly tak\u00aden at a func\u00adtion orga\u00adnized by the Soci\u00adety to hon\u00adour Eick\u00adst\u00adedt as well as oth\u00ader Ger\u00adman del\u00ade\u00adgates to the Indi\u00adan Sci\u00adence Con\u00adgress which was held in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta in Jan\u00adu\u00adary 1938. The book\u00adlet con\u00adtains a sum\u00adma\u00adry of the pro\u00adceed\u00adings of this for\u00admal occa\u00adsion which most\u00adly con\u00adsist\u00aded of speech\u00ades cel\u00ade\u00adbrat\u00ading Ger\u00adman sci\u00adence as well as Germany\u2019s suc\u00adcess in over\u00adcom\u00ading past obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not sur\u00adpris\u00ading that in a let\u00adter to the For\u00adeign Min\u00adistry in Berlin in August 1938, the Ger\u00adman Con\u00adsulate in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta named the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture as the most impor\u00adtant orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion in India encour\u00adag\u00ading Ger\u00adman-Indi\u00adan cul\u00adtur\u00adal rela\u00adtion\u00adship. It praised the Society\u2019s efforts to unite Indi\u00adans who had stud\u00adied in Ger\u00admany and to pro\u00admote and fos\u00adter the study of Ger\u00adman insti\u00adtu\u00adtions, sci\u00adences, and arts (PA<\/span> AA<\/span>: RZ501<\/span>\/60667).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last avail\u00adable bul\u00adletin of the Soci\u00adety is the resume of Benoy Kumar Sarkar\u2019s lec\u00adture on \u201cNew ten\u00adden\u00adcies in Ger\u00adman Social Phi\u00adlos\u00ado\u00adphy\u201d, deliv\u00adered on 20th<\/sup> March 1939 (BArch R57<\/span>\/10712).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This arti\u00adcle has pro\u00advid\u00aded a brief sketch of the back\u00adground and activ\u00adi\u00adties of the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture. It is evi\u00addent from this short dis\u00adcus\u00adsion that the Soci\u00adety ful\u00adfilled Sarkar\u00b4s per\u00adson\u00adal mis\u00adsion of invent\u00ading a past and imag\u00adin\u00ading a future for India, com\u00adbin\u00ading ele\u00adments of what he held to be the \u201cHin\u00addu spir\u00adit\u201d and the Ger\u00adman \u201cadvance\u00adments\u201d, par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly under Hitler\u2019s lead\u00ader\u00adship. Though some of the lec\u00adtures doubtless\u00adly served to sat\u00adis\u00adfy the curios\u00adi\u00adty of the edu\u00adcat\u00aded Ben\u00adgalis about Ger\u00adman sci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic and cul\u00adtur\u00adal devel\u00adop\u00adments, the Soci\u00adety was pri\u00admar\u00adi\u00adly meant to func\u00adtion as a mouth\u00adpiece for uncrit\u00adi\u00adcal prop\u00ada\u00adga\u00adtion of Ger\u00admany, par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly of Nazi poli\u00adcies and world\u00adviews, which were offered as par\u00ada\u00addigms to an audi\u00adence look\u00ading for nation\u00adal self-asser\u00adtion. In this regard, the Ben\u00adgali Soci\u00adety of Ger\u00adman Cul\u00adture was an instru\u00adment of Nazi pro\u00adpa\u00adgan\u00adda in the 1930s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bibliography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bhat\u00adtacharya, Swa\u00adpan Kumar. 1990. Indi\u00adan Soci\u00adol\u00ado\u00adgy. The role of Benoy Kumar Sarkar.<\/em> Bur\u00add\u00adwan: Bur\u00add\u00adwan University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Framke, Maria. 2021. \u201cNation\u00adal\u00adsozial\u00adis\u00admus, antikolo\u00adnialer Wider\u00adstand und Exil\u00ader\u00adfahrun\u00adgen: Deutsch-indis\u00adche und deutsch-deutsche Begeg\u00adnun\u00adgen in Britisch-Indi\u00aden der 1930er und 1940er Jahre.\u201d In: J\u00f6rg Zedler (ed.) The Bom\u00adbay Talkies Lim\u00adit\u00aded. Akteure \u2013 deutsche Ein\u00adfl\u00fcsse \u2013 kul\u00adturhis\u00adtosch\u00ader Kon\u00adtext.<\/em> Munich: utzver\u00adlag, pp. 103\u2013135.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hart\u00adnack, Chris\u00adtiane. 2022. \u201cIndo-Ger\u00adman\/Ger\u00adman-Indi\u00adan Encoun\u00adters in the Psy\u00adcho\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal Sci\u00adences.\u201d In: Hans Hard\u00ader and Dhruv Raina (eds.) Dis\u00adci\u00adplines and Move\u00adments. Con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adtions between India and the Ger\u00adman-speak\u00ading World<\/em>. Hyder\u00adabad: Ori\u00adent Black\u00adswan, pp. 189\u2013212.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hed\u00adwig, Andreas, and Dirk Pet\u00adter (eds.) 2017. Auslese der Starken \u2013 \u201eAus\u00admerzung\u201c der Schwachen. Eugenik und NS-<\/span>\u201eEuthanasie\u201c im 20. Jahrhun\u00addert.<\/em> Mar\u00adburg: Hes\u00adsis\u00adches Staatsarchiv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klinge\u00admann, Carsten. 1996. Sozi\u00adolo\u00adgie im Drit\u00adten Reich<\/em>. Baden-Baden: Nomos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kr\u00f6n\u00ader, Hans Peter. 2005. \u201cFis\u00adch\u00ader, Eugen.\u201d In: Wern\u00ader E. Ger\u00adabek, Bern\u00adhard D. Haage, Gun\u00addolg Keil, and Wolf\u00adgang Weg\u00adn\u00ader (eds.) Enzyk\u00adlop\u00e4die Medi\u00adzingeschichte.<\/em>  Berlin and New York: De Gruyter, pp. 403.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preu\u00df, Dirk. 2017. \u201cEgon Frei\u00adherr von Eick\u00adst\u00adedt.\u201d In: Michael Fahlbusch, Ingo Haar, and Alexan\u00adder Pin\u00adwin\u00adkler (eds.) Hand\u00adbuch der v\u00f6lkischen Wis\u00adsenschaften.<\/em> Berlin and Boston: De Gruyter Old\u00aden\u00adbourg, pp. 186\u2013191.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roy, Bai\u00adjayan\u00adti. 2021. \u201cIndia Insti\u00adtute of the Deutsche Akademie.\u201d MIDA<\/span><\/em> Archival Reflex\u00adi\u00adcon,<\/em> 10 pp. DOI<\/span>: 10.25360\/01\u20132022\u201300029<\/a>. Avail\u00adable at: https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/reflexicon\/india-institute-of-the-deutsche-akademie-1928\u201345\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roy, Bai\u00adjayan\u00adti. Forth\u00adcom\u00ading (2023). \u201cHak\u00adenkreuz<\/em>, Swasti\u00adka and Cres\u00adcent: The reli\u00adgious fac\u00adtor in Nazi cul\u00adtur\u00adal pol\u00adi\u00adtics regard\u00ading India.\u201d In: Ger\u00addi\u00aden Jonker and Isabel\u00adla Schwader\u00ader (eds.) Reli\u00adgious Entan\u00adgle\u00adments between Ger\u00admans and Indi\u00adans, 1800\u20131945.<\/em> Cham: Pal\u00adgrave Macmillan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarkar, Benoy K. 1934. The Hitler State: A Polit\u00adi\u00adcal, Eco\u00adnom\u00adic and Social Remak\u00ading of the Ger\u00adman Peo\u00adple.<\/em> Lahore: Civ\u00adil and Mil\u00adi\u00adtary Gazette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sar\u00adtori, Andrew. 2010. \u201cBeyond Cul\u00adture-Con\u00adtact and Colo\u00adnial Dis\u00adcourse: \u201cGer\u00adman\u00adism\u201d in Colo\u00adnial Ben\u00adgal.\u201d In: Shru\u00adti Kapi\u00adla (ed.) An intel\u00adlec\u00adtu\u00adal His\u00adto\u00adry for India.<\/em> Cam\u00adbridge: Cam\u00adbridge Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty Press, pp. 68\u201384.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thier\u00adfelder, Franz. 1937. India Insti\u00adtute of the Deutsche Akademie 1928\u20131937<\/em>. Munich: India Institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vor\u00adl\u00e4n\u00adder, Her\u00adwart. 1986. \u201cNS-Volkswohlfahrt und Win\u00adter\u00adhil\u00adf\u00adswerk des deutschen Volkes.\u201d Viertel\u00adjahrshefte f\u00fcr Zeit\u00adgeschichte <\/em>34, 3: pp. 341\u2013380.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bai\u00adjayan\u00adti Roy, Goethe-Uni\u00adver\u00adsit\u00e4t Frank\u00adfurt am Main<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

MIDA<\/span> Archival Reflex\u00adi\u00adcon<\/strong>

Edi\u00adtors: Anan\u00addi\u00adta Baj\u00adpai, Heike Liebau<\/strong>
Lay\u00adout: Nico Putz, Paula Schn\u00adabel, Jannes Thode<\/strong>
Host: ZMO<\/span>, Kirch\u00adweg 33, 14129 Berlin<\/strong>
Con\u00adtact: archival.reflexicon [at] zmo.de<\/strong>

ISSN<\/span> 2628\u20135029<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4192,"template":"","categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4187","reflexicon","type-reflexicon","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reflexicon"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Bengali Society of German Culture (Bangiya Jarman Vidya Samsad) in German Archives - MIDA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Baijayanti Roy gives an account of the Bangiya Jarman Vidya Samsad's development and entanglement with Germany's National Socialist Party.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/en\/reflexicon\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Bengali Society of German Culture (Bangiya Jarman Vidya Samsad) in German Archives - MIDA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Baijayanti Roy gives an account of the Bangiya Jarman Vidya Samsad's development and entanglement with Germany's National Socialist Party.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/en\/reflexicon\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MIDA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-14T12:39:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/BJVS_1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"791\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"507\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"23 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/en\\\/reflexicon\\\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/en\\\/reflexicon\\\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Bengali Society of German Culture (Bangiya Jarman Vidya Samsad) in German Archives - MIDA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/en\\\/reflexicon\\\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/en\\\/reflexicon\\\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/BJVS_1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-08T11:23:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-14T12:39:03+00:00\",\"description\":\"Baijayanti Roy gives an account of the Bangiya Jarman Vidya Samsad's development and entanglement with Germany's National Socialist Party.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/en\\\/reflexicon\\\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/en\\\/reflexicon\\\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/en\\\/reflexicon\\\/bengali-society-of-german-culture\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/BJVS_1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.projekt-mida.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/BJVS_1.png\",\"width\":791,\"height\":507,\"caption\":\"On this picture you can see a gathering of the Bangiya Jarman Vidya Samsad. 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