New Delhi [India], November 8 : Austrian Ambassador to India, Katharina Wieser, hosted Vinay Gupta, the author of the book, 'A Rescue in Vienna' at her residence alongwith Israeli ambassador to India, Reuven Azar.
Talking to ANI about Gupta's book, Wieser praised it and said that it's an incredible story. A Rescue in Vienna is an endearing family memoir that sheds light on a fascinating slice of history, and an unusual piece of heroism.
"They [the Jewish families] stayed with him for a longer time and set up a business in Ludhiana in Punjab. And over time one of these families emigrated in a complicated way to the United States and the other one ended up in Australia. So these families did not stay in India. But it's an incredible book and it sheds a very important, it sheds light on a very important phase of history, both in Europe and also in India. One of the families moves on to Karachi and then has to leave there again. They again set up a business there, but then life became difficult for Jews there and then they emigrated to the United States," she said.
When Vinay Gupta heard of the daring exploits of his grandfather, he embarked on a journey to uncover the truth. What he found was the exceptional tale of an unassuming yet enterprising man from Punjab who chose to help strangers in their most dire hour of need.
The year is 1938 and Kundanlal, a machine tool manufacturer from Ludhiana, is in Vienna for surgery. As he is recovering, he befriends Lucy and Alfred Wachsler, a young Jewish couple about to have their first child. From them, Kundanlal learns of the changing political climate in Europe attacks against Jewish people and the Aryanisation of their businesses. As the owner of multiple factories, he finds himself in a unique position to help. Applying for visas on behalf of the Wachslers, Kundanlal sponsors them, along with four other Jewish families, providing proof of employment, financial backing and shelter. He starts new businesses to employ the men and builds homes for the families back home.
When they arrive in Punjab, the families are forced to contend with the slow pace of life in small-town India, a stark contrast to cosmopolitan Vienna. But even this interlude is fleeting as the British round up all people of German descent-Jewish and Gentile alike-and ship them to internment camps across the country, echoing in a way the events in Europe.
Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Austria, and the chances of any visit from Austria to India, Wieser said that after the new government is formed in Austria, they would try to arrange an official visit to India.
"The visit of Prime Minister Modi to Austria after 41 years was a high point I would say in the very good relations we have had over the past few years. We are celebrating 75 years of bilateral relations. This Sunday is sort of the day when we are celebrating 75 years and so his visit which came on top of several other visits at the high political level that have been taking place over the past years, meetings between our two foreign ministers, a week-long visit of our Minister of Labour and Economy to India in February, but of course the high point was this very high-level engagement and with a big focus also on our business development and the development of a strategic, sustainable economic partnership in the future. So it's given a real boost to our bilateral relations and we're very happy that we were able to pull that off after a long time," she said.
Wieser said that when PM Modi invited Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, it was not just a personal invite, but an official one. So, they would arrange a visit after a new Federal Chancellor would be chosen.
"When Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Austria, he invited Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer to come to India. But as we had elections at the end of September, we have a caretaker government right now so negotiations are going on, because ours will be a coalition government. We do not know who our Federal Chancellor will be, but these invitations are usually issued not at the personal level only but to the institutional level. So it is an invitation to the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Austria, and we will certainly be working very hard that once we have a government in place, we will hopefully be able to have a return visit to India," she said.
Talking about Donald Trump's victory in the US Presidential elections, Wieser said that Austria and the US have had a good trans-Atlantic partnership and they would maintain it, no matter who the President would be.
"Good relations with the United States are very important to Austria. We have a very strong Trans-Atlantic partnership, and we are confident that we will maintain very good relations with the United States, no matter who is the president of the United States. So we have a very strong and stable base to our partnership, which is one of the most consequential and important partnerships, and we'll continue on that," she said.