ABSTRACT
The spread of Buddhism beyond the Asian confines and its settlement in numerous Western countries has been an important and well-recognized subject within Buddhist Studies for two decades. Charles S.Prebish has been at the forefront of those studying and promoting research in this field.1 Furthermore, unlike other US-scholars studying Buddhism in the West, Prebish has not restricted his view to North America. Instead, he has also taken an interest in Buddhism’s spread to and history in other Western countries. In line with this global perspective which seeks to register and compare developments in the institutionalization of Buddhism, noting processes of adaptation and innovation as well as tracing individual stories of deceased and living Buddhist pioneers and teachers, this chapter aims to add a further piece to the colourful mosaic of “Buddhism beyond Asia.” The chapter introduces the early German Buddhist Paul Dahlke, a main figure of the emerging Buddhist movement during the 1920s in Germany. Dahlke was the builder of the famous Buddhist House which still exists in Berlin and constructor of the first monument in Europe publicly venerating the Buddha. Yet despite Dahlke’s importance for the lasting establishing of Buddhism in continental Europe, his achievements and efforts are hardly known outside the German-speaking world.
