'When the War Began We Heard of Several Kings'

The book is a moving account of about two thousand South Asians mostly sailors and soldiers from villages in Bengal, Nepal, the Northwest Frontier and Punjab, who were held for years in German prison camps. They attracted the close attention of army officers, diplomats and secret agents, of emigrant revolutionaries of India, of German artists, academics and industrialists. The book introduces and makes available rich German archives as yet unknown to the non-German speaking world.

Cartea este o relatare emotionanta a aproximativ doua mii de sud-asiatici, in mare parte marinari si soldati din sate din Bengal, Nepal, Frontiera de Nord-Vest si Punjab, care au fost detinuti ani de zile in lagarele de prizonieri germani. Ei au atras atentia stransa a ofiterilor armatei, a diplomatilor si a agentilor secreti, a revolutionarilor emigranti din India, a artistilor, universitarilor si industriasilor germani.