Dietlinde Hachmann

Book release “Mein Wunscherbe”

"Mein Wunscherbe" is the title of my book debüt. This is the correct heritage of my mother. I've liked it because it otherwise nobody wanted from my family.

This heritage is seemingly incredible because it contained not only hundreds of letters, but also many images and behind it in turn this almost incredible story. I knew previously only a small part of the hidden.
 
Here, a little overview:

As a 19nth year old student, my mother met an Indian student in Scotland. That it "Love at first sight" - and by both sides are, emerges clearly from it. The 2nd world war separated the two before "it" started correctly. Back in Germany, she experienced the horrors of war. She had married and got until 1951 four children. She had told her husband before she married him of the love for the Indian, the love of her life.

What do all men do if they want to conquer a woman? He promised to her should she one day find this Indian again and say that it means still more he would share them. What a promise!

It started with the normality of everyday life, thinking him. Following a sudden inspiration, as I later researched was the woman of her Indian love three days previously died, sought and found him in India. It follows an extensive correspondence.

In Hamburg, she founded the German-Indian society. She was one of the few people who could make a "private" call with Nehru, the Indian Prime Minister who visited  Hamburg in 1956. He adopted it with the words: "We’ll see us again in Delhi!" what they did, because just a month later her ship went to Bombay, where she experienced a great reception by the German Consul General Wilhelm von Pochhammer and many Indians.

From there she travelled some time later by train throughout India to Calcutta to her love which had now become a very successful and well-known man. From there she travelled Darjeeling, the Himalayas, Sikkim and much more. After several weeks in strict secrecy of their love before his daughter, his parents, his friends and his staff, she travelled further up on the southern trip of the country, thence to Delhi, where she again met Nehru, but also the Indian President Dr. Prasad, and further to Amritsar. Thence back on Lucknow, Varanasi to Kolkata.

More than 12 000 kilometers she travelled by train across the country, 1956, for 8 months as a woman, mostly alone.

A drama played out at home during this period, which was held by correspondence. I wanted to inherit all this, so it was my "wish" heritage.

I was certainly determine after I had seen all the material and sorted: my children must read this and my sisters! None of properly had an idea. So I started to take everything in a book together. It was not easy now is finished written and I have contact with the family of this Indian. I also was in India and saw the "original sites" of this fantastic story.

Why this book had to be written.

This story represents no reason for me, why my mother, my father or my  "Uncle " Deboo should be ashamed. Quite the contrary: I am proud of them! 

Three important reasons:

- First, clarification for fact for my German family, of course the same for my Indian family.

Nobody has known something about this love of the two protagonists perhaps someone has suspected something, but not known. It was the time when this story took place as highly reprehensible fulfill such love, so can be shaken today only incredulous to the header, that the so-called "honour" of the family had a much higher priority. In Germany a lot has changed since that time, in India also. However, there are still too many unhappy loves.

- Second, the honour I’ll give to my mother.

She tried to feel many young Indian students who are difficult for States, which felt lonely, alien and left alone to give a little home in Hamburg in our Germany. First there were only a few students, but the number becomes steadily. This caused it to establish the German-Indian society in Hamburg e.V. after 1942 the first establishment of same name had been in October 1954 for the second time. With the participation of Subhas Chandra Bose, the celebrated today freedom fighter of India, the former Hamburg Mayor of Krogmann was elected President. However, the legal capacity was withdrawn in 1951 again together because multiple personalities of NSDAP members had found.

That my mother has done something human excellent undoubtedly, is clear. With this book I personally that recognise and appreciate. Because my father as her husband, also participated, a part of this honour is to him.

- The third and no less important aspect is my "Uncle Deboo", Dr. Debabrata Chatterjee.

A monument should be set him!

Through his work as a botanist, by his research, he has helped to minimize the famines in this huge India of country. I believe that it is not enough to designate "only" a street in the botanical garden of Calcutta after him, as happened. Certainly he would have done even more great, he would be not so early and come so tragically killed.