Reviews and comment from the Demon Crew - creative writers at De Montfort University, Leicester.

Tuesday 6 March 2018

Germans in India: for converts and trade

Panikos Panayi's talk about the 'Germans in India' taught me something I never knew before. His focus was on German influence during the 18th and 19th centuries - and this really interested me.

Germans travelled for many reasons: some were missionaries while others were merchants or businessmen. The good relations businesses established have helped shape gloablisation today.
 
However Panikos Panayi also emphasised the role of missionaries who spread the teachings of Luther and the Lutheran church through the Basel Mission. Missionaries described their journeys throughout India as they sailed on boats to secure converts. Herman Gundert was an important figure during this time and he went back and forth to India. To do his mission he learnt the local languages such as Hindustani and Bengali.
Herman Gundert
Prof. Panayi's talk made it clear that the German presence in India was very different from the British presence. His talk has made me keen to find out more about this history and explore the different ways in which India as been affected by different European countries - and how those effects are still evident today.
E. Hussain

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