Herbert Fischer: A Life Story of Indo-German Entanglement

The biography of the East German (GDR) diplomat Herbert Fischer (1914–2006) and his friendship with Gandhi, and his role in the anti-colonial movement serves Alexander Benatar as a source to explore the nuances of the entangled histories of India and both Germanys, the BRD and the DDR. A youthful vagabond, pacifist, and friend to Gandhi and Nehru, Fischer’s life exemplifies the complexities and interconnections between countries in cultural, social, and political spheres. With vast international experience and knowledge of India, Fischer returned to East Germany after the war to begin a remarkable political career, eventually returning to India as the East German ambassador. Benatar traces perceptively the intrigues of the tripartite relationship of the two Germanys and India during the post-World War II era to illustrate political facets of the Indian-German encounter.