Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Karachi, Hans Joachim Kiderlen has said that cultural relations between Germany and Sindh would be further strengthened through academic linkages for sustainable relations in future.
He was speaking as Chief Guest at a seminar on 'Cultural Relations between Germany and Sindh: Past and Present', organised by Institute of Sindhology, University of Sindh in collaboration with Consulate General, Federal Republic of Germany, Karachi here on Saturday.
The seminar was attended by a large number of scholars and writers from different parts of the province as well as students and teachers of the varsity. Kiderlen said that more seminars and conferences will be organised under the same theme to promote the existing relations between Germany and Sindh province.
He praised the services of German scholars Dr Ernest Trumpp, Dr Annemarie Schimmel and Elsa Kazi for the promotion of academic as well as cultural relations with Sindh. Kiderlen said that academic programmes between Sindh University and Universities of Germany would be initiated and efforts will be made for setting up of Cultural Centre at the University of Sindh to strengthen cultural relations and research on historical aspect.
He expressed his gratitude to the scholars of Sindh for remembering the services of the German scholars for the development of Sindhi language and literature. Kiderlen announced that 'Risalo' of Shah Bhittai compiled by Dr Trumpp would be reprinted so that youth can benefit from it.
Sindh University, vice chancellor, Mazharul Haq Siddiqui who presided over the seminar said that Germany and Sindh have old and historical relations. He said that culture is very important aspect of geography and sociology and itself is a study. He added that time and relations are linked with history while time and space are linked with geography.
The vice chancellor welcomed the idea about establishment of cultural centre at the university and academic linkages between Sindh University and German Universities. Noted scholar, Dr GA Allana said that Dr Ernest Trumpp was the first scholar from Germany who laid the foundation stone of cultural relations between Sindh and Germany in the 19th Century.
He said that most remarkable contribution made by late Dr Trumpp was writing of Sindhi reading book in Devnagri and Arabic, Shah Jo Risalo in 1859, Arabic Sindhi character and Sindhi grammar.
He said history records that from the 14th century AD, various European travellers including Nicholas Withington visited Sindh and have left their reports with full of information about the land, the people and their culture.
Dr Habibullah Siddiqui said that the German-Sindh nexus relates only to intellectual and educational fields. He said that German orientalists have been coming to Sindh to teach, preach and contribute towards development of Sindhi language, culture and Sufism.
He said that in modern times a Sindhi sage and scholar, Allama II Kazi married a German intellectual, Elsa Gertrude Loesch and together they illumined the intellectual and educational life of the people of Sindh.
In his paper on Mother Elsa Kazi, noted scholar Dr Abdul Jabbar Junejo said that Mother Elsa Kazi is respected in Sindh and held in great esteemed among literary circles.
He said that Elsa Kazi was a prominent figure as historian, poetess, fiction writer and painter. He said that 'History of Civilisation' is a unique presentation of Muslim history, which was written in novel form along with many characters by Mother Elsa Kazi.
Professor Aijaz Qureshi said that it is necessary that cultural relations between Sindh and Germany be promoted. He also proposed opening of Sindh and Germany cultural centres. In his paper on German Contribution in Archaeology of Sindh, Professor Mukhtiar Kazi said that a German scholar, Salome Zajadacz Hasternat worked on archaeological monuments 'Chaukhandi Tombs' for five years and published a book 'Chaukhandi Grabers' in 1978. He added that perhaps this was the first contribution made by any German scholar for the development of archaeology in Sindh.
Dr Hidayat Akhund in his paper on Dr Annemarie Schimmel said that Dr Schimmel was a symbolic bridge between Sindh and Germany. He said that her contribution towards Sindhi literature is worth mentioning particularly the Sindhi mystic poetry was main focus of her studies.
He said that Dr Schimmel visited Sindh many times and she used to visit shrines of Bhittai and Sachal. Institute of Sindhology Director, Shukat Hussain Shoro said that the cultural relations between Germany and Sindh go back to thousands of years, when Aryans started migration from Germany and landed in Sindh.
He said that at the early stage, Aryans established their settlements on the banks of the mighty Indus River, from where they expended their settlements all over North India.
He said that historical evidences suggest that approximately 600 years back, during the Middle Ages, some of Sindhi clans migrated from Sindh and permanently settled in Germany and these Sindhi's are known in Germany as Sinties.
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