Bookstore

The authors of this book claim that in the whole history of German mercantile and diplomatic-political connection with India from 1854 to 1939 and beyond, no other German, official or private, showed so much interest, dedication and goodwill to understand India's social, economic and political situation and engage himself on her behalf internationally as did Franz Josef Furtwängler (1894-1965). And yet he is largely unknown in India. No one after reading this book can have a different opinion. Which other German can claim to have talked or chatted with Gandhi, Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose, the Maharaja of Baroda and a number of Indian trade union officials and proletarian? He was also the single German who propagated and agitated for the Indian freedom struggle outside India.

Franz Josef Furtwängler and India: A German Trade Union Internationalist's extraordinary engagement with India