We have become accustomed to receive everyday, so much bad news that makes it hard to appreciate those positive facts or stories that take place in the midst of the whirl of our life. It is therefore the objective of this article, and others that will be published in future editions, to share with the reader historical cases of people as human as us, who have sacrificed part of his life to improving in Chile health conditions and human qualities. So, we will refer briefly to the Life and Work of German priest, father Wolfgang Wallisfurth Ploch.
Born in Dessau, Germany, in July 1915 Wolfgang Wallisfurth came in August 1938 with the purpose of study and be ordained a priest in Chile. Nevertheless, before coming to these lands he enrolled at the University of Bonn where he conducted seminars in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Astrochemistry and Philosophy, in combination with sports like Jiu-Jitsu, Fencing and Canoeing. Few years ago in Santiago, U.S. astronomers have built the Astronomical Observatory of the Catholic University, located at the top of Cerro San Cristobal, in which, after arrival, Wolfgang Wallisfurth as the person in charge worked on that telescope, being the Southern Cross its first astronomical photo.
As an amusing anecdote, days after his arriving to Chile and as a seminarian, Wallisfurth experienced the Earthquake of San Carlos, Chillan and Concepcion, which occurred in January, 1939. Not knowing how to react, or what went on around him when his bed was shaking and the walls and ceilings echoed in the town of Punta de Tralca, all the rest of his companions, who had seconds were already out in the yard, shouting him in chorus: "go out gringo, go out gringo." As he did not understand well what they told one of his companions, through the broken glass from a barred window, shouted him to leave the place before crushing the structure. That would be their first experience with Chilean earthquakes.
Considered in the seminar by the others as the "astrophysicist", Wallisfurth took contact with leading scientists, philologists and theologians, including the American prominent Jesuit priest from Alsace, Gustavo Weigel, who taught him a novel way to present thesis. From that November 28, 1943, when Wallisfurth was ordained priest in the city of Puerto Montt by Bishop Ramon Munita Eyzaguirre, he became known as the "father Dr. Wallisfurth" since a year earlier had also received his Ph.D. in theology, whose thesis was suggested by the aforementioned Jesuit Weigel. Given their excellent skills in mathematics and physics, he obtained the title of Civil Constructor at the State Technical University (today USACH).
From that moment his strength, fresh impetus (which earned him the nickname "The Volcano") and his interest in supporting, giving health and education, to the Chile's most deprived families, did not cease until his death, which occurred unexpectedly in Germany in July 1992. Indeed, in the fifties father Dr. Wallisfurth noticed that almost 30% of the population called "callampas" that surrounding Santiago, came from the Maule Region and lived in unsanitary conditions, exposed to pests and diseases, and that young people “maulinos” (from the El Maule area) migrated to the capital of Chile with not work, which exposed them to vices. Therefore, and seeking funds as well in Germany as in the United States, he decided not only to provide jobs and health to the inhabitants of the Maule, but estimated that Chilean families requiring decent homes (“familiengerecht" in German language) with a minimum of approximately 70 square meters built, considering one bath, one kitchen and five rooms. And since the heads of households needed a stable work within the same area where they lived, Dr. Wallisfurth in person managed in 1962 the creation of the company known as Celulosa Constitución (CELCO), which was later expropriated by the President Salvador Allende, and back to tender in 1976 by CORFO, leaving CELCO, from then, in hands of the company Petroleos de Chile Copec S.A. Therefore, "The Volcano" regretted very much when in 1973 he was forced to sell CELCO to the government of Mr. Salvador Allende, being Patricio Aylwin Azocar (future president of Chile in 1991) the lawyer who managed such a transfer. In 1959 the father Dr. Wallisfurth brought from Germany the well known CARITAS. He then creates the related entity INVICA (dedicated solely to the construction of decent low-income housing) and in 1964 he founded the German Foundation for the Development of Chile, FUNDAL, whose objective was to position our country as a future economic power, given the existing mineral resources and raw materials. To do this he personally managed with President Jorge Alessandri, the promulgation of Decree No. 412 in 1963, regards the agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Chile, consisting of free tax from customs duties machinery and vehicles used for charities. Among other works, he was the founder of “Sociedad Lechera del Sur”, i.e. SOUTH DAIRY COMPANY.
On the other hand, his love for Chile came to the point that since its arrival in 1938 until the early seventies, managed to accumulate a collection of over 80 000 books, among them old maps of South America and other historical documents from colonial times to the early nineteenth century, which became an important source of consultation known as "Dr. Wolfgang Wallisfurth Hispanic Library", which was carried out in Chile and is currently located at the center of the city known as Cologne, in Germany, under the leadership of the archdiocese of that city in an extension of land known as "Maternushaus" (i.e. Mother House).
In health father Wallisfurth, "The Volcano", did much to Chile, not only as the founder of the School of Nursing Assistants, but for his strong influence in the area of Puerto Montt city, where he deftly handled the existing financial support from and to Germany, which intensified after the sixties. Indeed, in Natural Health, is discussed, but not yet entirely clear (and current research area), thanks to the efforts and influence of P. Dr. Wallisfurth in that area, both residents and businessmen in the city of Puerto Montt helped with substantial funding to the Natural Life Covinat Cooperative Ltd., in order to cover the cost of the $ 850,000 escudos of the plot of land in Santiago, that the Administration of COVINAT owed to England at the end of the sixties; plot of land where the “Villa de Vida Natural” is currently located: 261 Tomas Moro street.
Finally, despite many disappointments that Dr. teol. Wallisfurth experienced himself both in Chile and in the United States for their business (since he was misunderstood), he always kept his joy and energy, to consolidate at that time more than anyone else the traditional ties of friendship and assistance between Germany and Chile. Finally, worn but never exhausted by the many works on Chilean soil, where he was ordained a priest, obtained a doctorate in theology and received a degree in Civil Construction, father Dr. Wallisfurth could rest in peace in the beloved land of his native Germany.
Photo made at the end of 1967 of the german priest, father Dr. Wolfgang Wallisfurth Ploch, (born July 27, 1915 - + July 11, 1992)
Sources of Information:
[1] “Gottes Mann für Lieb und Seele, Wolfgang Wallisfurth 1915 bis 1992. Weltpriester in Chile”, Dr. Rudolf Schloz and priest Maurus Matthei, O.S.B. Fundal. August 1997.
[2] Archivo Nacional. Documentos del Ministerio de Justicia. Departamento de Personas Jurídicas.
[3] Empresas COPEC S.A. Gerencia General. El Golf 150, Piso 17. Las Condes
Rodolfo J. Novakovic
Físico e Ingeniero Físico
E-Mail: rodolfonovakovic@gmail.com
Born in Dessau, Germany, in July 1915 Wolfgang Wallisfurth came in August 1938 with the purpose of study and be ordained a priest in Chile. Nevertheless, before coming to these lands he enrolled at the University of Bonn where he conducted seminars in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Astrochemistry and Philosophy, in combination with sports like Jiu-Jitsu, Fencing and Canoeing. Few years ago in Santiago, U.S. astronomers have built the Astronomical Observatory of the Catholic University, located at the top of Cerro San Cristobal, in which, after arrival, Wolfgang Wallisfurth as the person in charge worked on that telescope, being the Southern Cross its first astronomical photo.
As an amusing anecdote, days after his arriving to Chile and as a seminarian, Wallisfurth experienced the Earthquake of San Carlos, Chillan and Concepcion, which occurred in January, 1939. Not knowing how to react, or what went on around him when his bed was shaking and the walls and ceilings echoed in the town of Punta de Tralca, all the rest of his companions, who had seconds were already out in the yard, shouting him in chorus: "go out gringo, go out gringo." As he did not understand well what they told one of his companions, through the broken glass from a barred window, shouted him to leave the place before crushing the structure. That would be their first experience with Chilean earthquakes.
Considered in the seminar by the others as the "astrophysicist", Wallisfurth took contact with leading scientists, philologists and theologians, including the American prominent Jesuit priest from Alsace, Gustavo Weigel, who taught him a novel way to present thesis. From that November 28, 1943, when Wallisfurth was ordained priest in the city of Puerto Montt by Bishop Ramon Munita Eyzaguirre, he became known as the "father Dr. Wallisfurth" since a year earlier had also received his Ph.D. in theology, whose thesis was suggested by the aforementioned Jesuit Weigel. Given their excellent skills in mathematics and physics, he obtained the title of Civil Constructor at the State Technical University (today USACH).
From that moment his strength, fresh impetus (which earned him the nickname "The Volcano") and his interest in supporting, giving health and education, to the Chile's most deprived families, did not cease until his death, which occurred unexpectedly in Germany in July 1992. Indeed, in the fifties father Dr. Wallisfurth noticed that almost 30% of the population called "callampas" that surrounding Santiago, came from the Maule Region and lived in unsanitary conditions, exposed to pests and diseases, and that young people “maulinos” (from the El Maule area) migrated to the capital of Chile with not work, which exposed them to vices. Therefore, and seeking funds as well in Germany as in the United States, he decided not only to provide jobs and health to the inhabitants of the Maule, but estimated that Chilean families requiring decent homes (“familiengerecht" in German language) with a minimum of approximately 70 square meters built, considering one bath, one kitchen and five rooms. And since the heads of households needed a stable work within the same area where they lived, Dr. Wallisfurth in person managed in 1962 the creation of the company known as Celulosa Constitución (CELCO), which was later expropriated by the President Salvador Allende, and back to tender in 1976 by CORFO, leaving CELCO, from then, in hands of the company Petroleos de Chile Copec S.A. Therefore, "The Volcano" regretted very much when in 1973 he was forced to sell CELCO to the government of Mr. Salvador Allende, being Patricio Aylwin Azocar (future president of Chile in 1991) the lawyer who managed such a transfer. In 1959 the father Dr. Wallisfurth brought from Germany the well known CARITAS. He then creates the related entity INVICA (dedicated solely to the construction of decent low-income housing) and in 1964 he founded the German Foundation for the Development of Chile, FUNDAL, whose objective was to position our country as a future economic power, given the existing mineral resources and raw materials. To do this he personally managed with President Jorge Alessandri, the promulgation of Decree No. 412 in 1963, regards the agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Chile, consisting of free tax from customs duties machinery and vehicles used for charities. Among other works, he was the founder of “Sociedad Lechera del Sur”, i.e. SOUTH DAIRY COMPANY.
On the other hand, his love for Chile came to the point that since its arrival in 1938 until the early seventies, managed to accumulate a collection of over 80 000 books, among them old maps of South America and other historical documents from colonial times to the early nineteenth century, which became an important source of consultation known as "Dr. Wolfgang Wallisfurth Hispanic Library", which was carried out in Chile and is currently located at the center of the city known as Cologne, in Germany, under the leadership of the archdiocese of that city in an extension of land known as "Maternushaus" (i.e. Mother House).
In health father Wallisfurth, "The Volcano", did much to Chile, not only as the founder of the School of Nursing Assistants, but for his strong influence in the area of Puerto Montt city, where he deftly handled the existing financial support from and to Germany, which intensified after the sixties. Indeed, in Natural Health, is discussed, but not yet entirely clear (and current research area), thanks to the efforts and influence of P. Dr. Wallisfurth in that area, both residents and businessmen in the city of Puerto Montt helped with substantial funding to the Natural Life Covinat Cooperative Ltd., in order to cover the cost of the $ 850,000 escudos of the plot of land in Santiago, that the Administration of COVINAT owed to England at the end of the sixties; plot of land where the “Villa de Vida Natural” is currently located: 261 Tomas Moro street.
Finally, despite many disappointments that Dr. teol. Wallisfurth experienced himself both in Chile and in the United States for their business (since he was misunderstood), he always kept his joy and energy, to consolidate at that time more than anyone else the traditional ties of friendship and assistance between Germany and Chile. Finally, worn but never exhausted by the many works on Chilean soil, where he was ordained a priest, obtained a doctorate in theology and received a degree in Civil Construction, father Dr. Wallisfurth could rest in peace in the beloved land of his native Germany.
Photo made at the end of 1967 of the german priest, father Dr. Wolfgang Wallisfurth Ploch, (born July 27, 1915 - + July 11, 1992)
Sources of Information:
[1] “Gottes Mann für Lieb und Seele, Wolfgang Wallisfurth 1915 bis 1992. Weltpriester in Chile”, Dr. Rudolf Schloz and priest Maurus Matthei, O.S.B. Fundal. August 1997.
[2] Archivo Nacional. Documentos del Ministerio de Justicia. Departamento de Personas Jurídicas.
[3] Empresas COPEC S.A. Gerencia General. El Golf 150, Piso 17. Las Condes
Rodolfo J. Novakovic
Físico e Ingeniero Físico
E-Mail: rodolfonovakovic@gmail.com
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