German Dharmaduta Society

The German Dharmaduta Society is an organization established to promote Buddhism in Germany and other Western Countries, and was founded by Asoka Weeraratna, in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 21 September 1952.

The idea of forming a Society to propagate Buddhism in Germany and other western countries dawned on Asoka Weeraratna, then a young businessman dealing in jewellery and Swiss wristwatches, while he was on his first business visit to Germany in 1951. Asoka Weeraratna became aware of the spiritual hunger in Germany, which was slowly recovering from total devastation due to the Second World War, and the search for an alternative moral and spiritual philosophy, that placed a very high emphasis on peace and non-violence. On his return from West Germany and convinced of the potential for growth of Buddhism in that country, Weeraratna established the Lanka Dhammaduta Society on 21 September 1952, which was later renamed the German Dharmaduta Society (GDS). Ven. Ñânatiloka Mahâthera, the well known German Scholar monk was the first Patron of the Society.

In 1953, Weeraratna, by this time the Honorary Secretary of the Society, on his second visit to Germany, made a survey of Buddhist activities in that country and published his investigations in a report entitled 'Buddhism in Germany'. The Society in 1954 launched the Million Rupee Fund under the patronage of Dudley Senanayake, the former Prime Minister, to collect funds for the permanent establishment of the Buddha Sâsana in Germany, as Arahant Mahinda had done it in Sri Lanka.

With growing public support, the Society soon won the recognition and encouragement of the State and the Million Rupee Fund was declared an Approved Charity by the Government. Among the many benefactors who contributed to this Fund, particular mention must be made of Walther Schmits, a German Buddhist, who left a valuable legacy of DM 550.000 to the Society. In 1955 the Government granted to the Society an acre of vacant crown land in Bullers Road, Colombo on a 99-year-old lease. In August 1956, Hon. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, Prime Minister, declared open at a ceremonial public meeting, amidst a large gathering, the newly built Headquarters and Training Centre of the Society at 417, Bullers Road (Bauddhaloka Mawatha), Colombo 7 consisting of a two-storied dormitory of 14 rooms, an Assembly Hall, Office and Library, built at a cost of Rs. 125.000.

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