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Georg Franz Kolschitzky is a historical novel set during the 1683 Siege of Vienna, following a ruined trader whose fluency in Turkish makes him a city's last, unlikely hope — and whose disputed legend later credited him with bringing coffee to Vienna. Based on a true story.
Publication status: paperback and Kindle editions are available now on Amazon as of 14 September 2026.
Vienna, 1683. As an Ottoman army lays siege to the city, a ruined trader with a gift for languages becomes its last line of communication with the outside world. Captured and condemned, he survives to leave behind a legend Vienna still tells today — about a war, and a cup of coffee.
Sunjae Sharmah writes historical fiction grounded in real events. Georg Franz Kolschitzky is his debut novel. He lives and writes in Gurgaon, India.
Sunjae Sharmah writes historical fiction grounded in real events, drawn to the moments history usually compresses into a single footnote. Georg Franz Kolschitzky began as a question — how does a besieged city end up known for its coffee? — and grew into a five-year excavation of the 1683 Siege of Vienna, including research trips to Austria supported by letters of recommendation from the Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum at the Austrian Embassy, New Delhi, that opened doors into the country's universities, war museums, and cartographic institutions. Sunjae lives and writes in Gurgaon, India. This is his debut novel.
Why an obscure 17th-century figure deserved a novel
Separating documented history from three centuries of legend
Researching the 1683 Siege of Vienna from India
The real story behind Vienna's coffee-house culture
For verified historical context distinguishing fact from legend, see our Fact vs. Legend article and The Real Story behind the siege.
High-resolution cover art available on request.
Available on request.
For interviews, review copies, or media enquiries: sunjae@georgkolschitzky.com