{"id":111903,"date":"2021-02-21T16:53:49","date_gmt":"2021-02-21T23:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=111903"},"modified":"2021-02-21T16:53:49","modified_gmt":"2021-02-21T23:53:49","slug":"when-the-world-boycotted-the-germans-sri-lanka-opened-its-doors-to-the-germans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/02\/21\/when-the-world-boycotted-the-germans-sri-lanka-opened-its-doors-to-the-germans\/","title":{"rendered":"When the World boycotted the Germans, Sri Lanka opened its doors to the Germans"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Senaka Weeraratna<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Sri Lanka was a haven for\nGermans in the pre – war period as well as the immediate post – war\nperiod. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was treated as the Mecca\nof Buddhism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The intellectual space for\nexploration of Buddhism in Germany had already been created by the writings\nof Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Hermann Oldenberg, Karl<\/strong> Eugen <\/strong>Neumann, among\nothers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that alone was insufficient to learn Buddhism.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germans had to touch base with Buddhism in a setting of actual\npractice and learn more from teachers well – versed in the Dhamma. The ideal\nplace was Sri Lanka. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Europeans, especially\nGermans, using informal networks visited British Ceylon in the early period to\nsap the Wisdom of the East.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were welcomed in\nBuddhist Temples and the ordained German monks were supported by the Sinhala\nBuddhist laity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

German Buddhist pioneers like\nDr. Paul Dahlke, Ven. Nyanatiloka, Ven. Nyanaponika, Ven. Gnanawimala etc were\nrevered by the Buddhist Sinhalese. Nyanatiloka and Nyanaponika were given\nCitizenship status of Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When World War Two occured,\nthe German nationals remaining in Ceylon were arrested and first interned at\nthe Diyatalawa Military camp and later relocated to DehraDun in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  The\nostracization of Germans <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ostracization of Germans\nin British colonies commenced then and continued thereafter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost the entirety of Europe\nthat was occupied by Germany during the WW2 was virtually a closed area for the\nGermans after the war. Memories of the war lingered among people in former\noccupied Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Battered and Bruised the\nGermans went through immense hardship. It was at this time that a young Sinhala\nbusinessman, Asoka Weeraratna on his first visit to Germany in 1951 saw the\npain and suffering of the Germans. He was determined to do something positive\nand long lasting for the Germans. He chose to give the gift of Buddhism to a\npeople in distress disillusioned with the failure of their own religions to\nprevent repeated wars taking place in Europe.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing the necessity to propagate Buddhism, especially in Germany,\nAsoka Weeraratna succeeded with his heroic efforts, sacrificial labours,\ndevotion and energy in establishing the German Dharmaduta Society in\n1952. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Dr.  Georg\nAhrens was the first German Ambassador to Sri Lanka. He arrived in 1953. He too\nbecame a victim of boycotts and ‘persona non grata’ treatment by the Western\nDiplomats and officialdom. But the Buddhists warmly welcomed him and provided a\npublic platform for him to speak.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A well attended public\nmeeting was held at the Colombo Town Hall on September 06, 1954 sponsored by\nthe German Dharmaduta Society to raise funds ( One Million Rupees – Dasa Laksha\nAramudala ) to sponsor a Buddhist Mission to Germany, to coincide with the\nBuddha Jayanthi Celebrations in 1956<\/strong>..\nMr. Dudley Senanayake, then former Prime Minister, presided at this\nmeeting. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Top Picture – Mr. Dudley\nSenanayake is seen addressing the gathering. The monk in the picture ( left of\nMr. Henry Amarasuriya) is Samanera Friedrich Muller ( German ) who later became\nwell known as Ven. Polgasduwe Nyanawimala Thera ( a disciple of Ven.\nNyanatiloka Maha Thera). <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Middle Picture –  The\nGerman Ambassador Dr. Georg Ahrens is seen speaking. <\/strong>The monk in the picture ( left of Mr. Henry\nAmarasuriya) is Samanera Friedrich Muller (German).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottom Picture – Left to\nRight Dr. G.P. Malalasekera, Hon. J.R. Jayewardene, Hon. C.W.W. Kannangara,\nHon. R.G. Senanayake, Dr. Georg Ahrens ( German Ambassador ) and Hon. U Ba Lwin\n( Burmese Ambassador).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Georg Ahrens, the German Ambassador said he had been a student\nof Buddhism and had been greatly impressed by its tolerance. He had visited a\nGerman Bhikkhu in a hospital in Kandy and was much impressed by his lofty\nideals. This Bhikkhu wished all success to the mission. The world was passing\nthrough great tribulation and people wanted peace. This was not wishful\nthinking but a genuine desire for enduring peace. He wished the mission success\nin its noble work to bring the teaching of the Buddha to the German people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a Full Report of this\nMeeting in the Ceylon Daily News of September 07, 1954, please visit the\nfollowing web link<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ceylon\ncould give the world a gift : Peace through Buddhism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by a ‘\nDaily News’ Reporter<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

http:\/\/archives.dailynews.lk\/2002\/12\/07\/fea11.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Polgasduwa\nIsland Hermitage built by the highly Venerated German monk, Ven. Nyanatiloka\nMaha Thera in 1911 stands as a monument to the deep cultural bonds between two\ncountries. So does Das Buddhistische Haus ( Berlin Buddhist Vihara) in Berlin –\nFrohnau, Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven.\nNyanatiloka’s message<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a memorable message to the publication ‘Buddhism in Germany’\n(1953) Ven. Nyanatiloka says as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It was just 50 years ago in 1903, that I came first to this\nisland which, since then, I have considered my spiritual home, and I am\ntherefore happy to be now a citizen of Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, it will be understood that it was the great wish of my heart\nto give the country of my origin the best I possessed, i.e. the Dhamma. And to\nthat end I have devoted the greatest part of my 50 years in the Sangha. I did\nso in the firm conviction that the Dhamma will take root in my home country,\nGermany, and may have a great future there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now it has been a very great pleasure to me to hear that Mr.\nWeeraratna returned from Germany with the very same conviction, and was able to\nreport on lively Buddhist activities there. I believe that the chances for\nBuddhist mission work in Germany are now greater than ever before. I am\ntherefore very happy that the Lanka Dharmadutha Society has undertaken that\ngreat task of sending a well-prepared mission to Germany and to support\nBuddhist work there, in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I greatly appreciate the initial work done by the Society up to\nnow, and particularly the sacrificing labour, devotion and energy shown by the\nFounder and Secretary of the Lanka Dharmadutha Society, Asoka Weeraratna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I should, indeed, regard it as a happy culmination of my life if\nVesak 1956, i.e. the year 2500, will see a well-established mission in Germany,\nwhich will not fail to have a far-reaching influence on the other Western\ncountries, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wish the Society full success in their great and noble\nenterprise. Selfless effort to give the Dhamma to those who are most in need of\nit will be of great blessing to those who give and receive”. – Nyanatiloka\n(May 25, 1953)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ill treatment of Germans by the Allies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Western Allies after the\nSecond World War treated the Germans and the Japanese in the most brutal\nfashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thousands of German POWs died\nin concentration camps run by the Americans and the British. Mostly through\nforced starvation of the prisoners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Sri Lanka, we did not\nadopt the hatred of the Allies towards their enemies, Germans and Japanese,\ndespite being a former British colony.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sinhalese in particular\nnever ostracized the Germans. Never looked at Germans or the Japanese through\nthe lens of their adversaries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The German visitors to Sri\nLanka were always given a warm welcome in our homes, especially at a time when\nthe rest of the world, influenced by the victorious Allies shunned them. The\nGerman people were demonized by the Allies and were made to feel guilty\ncollectively for the crimes of Hitler and the Nazis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Sri Lanka,  German\nBuddhist monks were treated with utmost respect and extended a high level of\nhospitality that they would never receive in their home country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bridge of friendship that has been built between the people\nof Sri Lanka and the people of Germany over the last one hundred and fifty\nyears must be strengthened and continued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

see also<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.shenaliwaduge.com\/germany-sri-lanka-still-thinks-you-our-friend\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senaka Weeraratna  <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Senaka Weeraratna Sri Lanka was a haven for Germans in the pre – war period as well as the immediate post – war period.  It was treated as the Mecca of Buddhism.  The intellectual space for exploration of Buddhism in Germany had already been created by the writings of Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Hermann Oldenberg, Karl Eugen Neumann, among others. But that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[165],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-senaka-weeraratna"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111903\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}