EIDLITZ, Walther. Vienna 28.8.1892 — Vaxholm, Uppland, Sweden 28.8.1978. Austrian Author interested in Indian Religion. Son of Sigmund Eidlitz and Friederike Weiss (d. 1944 in Theresienstadt), a well-to-do Jewish family. Studies at Technische Hochschule, Vienna, graduated as building engineer. Participated in the WW I as guard in a war prisoner camp and after it started a career as free author. Now he took Christianity, but was also interested in humanistic Zionism and anthroposophy. In 1924 Literaturpreis der Stadt Wien. Originally he was fascinated with Nazi ideology and in vain tried to be acknowledged as a “honorary Aryan”. As a converted Jew he left Austria soon after the Anschluss, leaving his family, and went to India where he was interned during the war. In 1946 returned to Europe. After a second visit to India in 1950-51 he settled down in Sweden for the rest of his life. In India he acknowledged Swāmi Sadānanda alias Dr. Ernst Georg Schulze as his guru and himself used the name Vāmana Dāsa. Hon. Dr. 1975 Lund. Married 1923 Helena (Hella) Spira, one son. I have not found out, how his family escaped Nazis, but later they were living with him in Sweden.
Publications: A number of poems, dramas, short stories and novels, 1920-36.
– Bhakta. Eine indische Odyssee. 266 p. Hamburg 1951; Die indische Gottesliebe. 340 p. Olten & Freiburg 1955; Die unverhüllte Bhakti. 79 p. Stockholm 1957.
– Der Glaube und die heiligen Schriften der Inder. 508 p. 20 pl. Olten & Freiburg i. Br. 1957.
– Kṛṣṇa-Caitanya. Sein Leben und seine Lehre. 561 p. Acta Univ. Stockh., Stockholm Studies in Comparative Religion. Stockholm 1968.
– Der Sinn des Lebens. Der indische Weg zum liebenden Hingabe. 191 p. Olten & Freiburg i. Br. 1974.
– Many of his books were also translated into English and Swedish.
Sources: Dt. Biogr. Enz. 3, 1996; Dt. Lit. Lex. 4, 1972; Preface and cover of his 1955 book; geni.com with small photo; Wikipedia with bibliography.
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