Paul Dahlke (Buddhist)

Paul Dahlke (1865 to 1928) was a German physician who also became one of the founders of Buddhism in Germany. Born in Osterode, he studied medicine in Berlin, received his medical degree in August 1887 and soon took over a homeopathic medical office. His medical publications include a work on heatstroke from 1887 and the book Gesichtete Arzneimittellehre, on the study of remedies, from 1914. After a journey around the world from 1898 he met Buddhism in Ceylon, made a second journey there to learn more, studied Pali and spoke with Sinhala Buddhist monks. He translated Buddhist literature into German, wrote widely on Buddhist teaching, and founded two Buddhist magazines. In 1924 he established Das Buddhistische Haus in Berlin Frohnau, considered the first Buddhist temple in Europe. He died in 1928 and was buried on the property.