Carlos Keller
Encyclopedia
Carlos Keller Rueff was a far-right
Chile
an writer, historian, and political figure.
, into a family of German origin and completed his education at universities in Germany. He received his doctorate in 1921 and soon became known as a student of Chilean historian Alberto Edwards and Oswald Spengler
, with whom he had struck up a friendship in Germany. His first book, Spengler y la Situaciòn Politica Cultural de la America Iberica (1927) argued for a strong hierarchical
basis to Latin America
n politics in order to preserve Spanish
identity.
in 1930 he was considered as a possible chairman of this prestigious academic body. Keller went to work for the Department of Census and Statistics from 1927, becoming director general in 1931. He also served as a professor at a number of Chilean universities and a journalist. His 1931 book La Eterna Crisis Chilena continued his political work, with him arguing that Chile faced a crisis because it failed to fully adopt Western
ways and instead just crudely imitated them. Keller soon met Jorge González von Marées
and launched the National Socialist Movement of Chile
with him. Keller was not a strict follower of German-style Nazism
but instead he saw Chilean nacismo as seeking to do away with the corruption in democracy
. He looked to the example of Diego Portales
as a strong modernizing dictator and sought to develop Chilean economic independence through the growth of a middle class
.
saw him released and he returned to study. Keller largely stayed aloof from politics after this (he did not join the rebranded Vanguardia Popular Socialista
) and his 1949 novel La Locura de Juan Bernales was seen as an attack on Jorge González von Marées, with whom he had become disillusioned. Keller lived out the remainder of his life as an academic, taking no further role in political activity.
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an writer, historian, and political figure.
Early years
Keller was born in Concepción, ChileConcepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
, into a family of German origin and completed his education at universities in Germany. He received his doctorate in 1921 and soon became known as a student of Chilean historian Alberto Edwards and Oswald Spengler
Oswald Spengler
Oswald Manuel Arnold Gottfried Spengler was a German historian and philosopher whose interests also included mathematics, science, and art. He is best known for his book The Decline of the West , published in 1918, which puts forth a cyclical theory of the rise and decline of civilizations...
, with whom he had struck up a friendship in Germany. His first book, Spengler y la Situaciòn Politica Cultural de la America Iberica (1927) argued for a strong hierarchical
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
basis to Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n politics in order to preserve Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
identity.
Emergence of the Nacis
Upon returning to Chile he served as chairman of the cultural orgaisation the German-Chilean League and in this role had helped to introduce Spengler's thoughts to a Chilean audience. Such was Keller's reputation that when the Ibero-Amerikanische Institut was set up in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1930 he was considered as a possible chairman of this prestigious academic body. Keller went to work for the Department of Census and Statistics from 1927, becoming director general in 1931. He also served as a professor at a number of Chilean universities and a journalist. His 1931 book La Eterna Crisis Chilena continued his political work, with him arguing that Chile faced a crisis because it failed to fully adopt Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
ways and instead just crudely imitated them. Keller soon met Jorge González von Marées
Jorge González von Marées
Jorge González von Marées El Jefe was a Chilean political figure and author.Born in Santiago of a German mother. He was ideologically influenced by Oswald Spengler...
and launched the National Socialist Movement of Chile
National Socialist Movement of Chile
Movimiento Nacional Socialista de Chile was a political movement in Chile, during the Presidential Republic Era, which initially supported the ideas of Adolf Hitler, although it later moved towards a more indigenous form of fascism....
with him. Keller was not a strict follower of German-style Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
but instead he saw Chilean nacismo as seeking to do away with the corruption in democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. He looked to the example of Diego Portales
Diego Portales
Diego José Pedro Víctor Portales Palazuelos was a Chilean statesman and entrepreneur. As a minister of president José Joaquín Prieto Diego Portales played a pivotal role in shaping the state and government politics in the 19th century, delivering with the Constitution of 1833 the framework of the...
as a strong modernizing dictator and sought to develop Chilean economic independence through the growth of a middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
.
Later years
When the Nacis attempted a coup in 1938 Keller was arrested, although a presidential decree from Pedro Aguirre CerdaPedro Aguirre Cerda
Pedro Aguirre Cerda was a Chilean political figure. A member of the Radical Party, he was chosen as the Popular Front's candidate for the 1938 presidential election, and was triumphally elected. He governed Chile until his death in 1941...
saw him released and he returned to study. Keller largely stayed aloof from politics after this (he did not join the rebranded Vanguardia Popular Socialista
National Socialist Movement of Chile
Movimiento Nacional Socialista de Chile was a political movement in Chile, during the Presidential Republic Era, which initially supported the ideas of Adolf Hitler, although it later moved towards a more indigenous form of fascism....
) and his 1949 novel La Locura de Juan Bernales was seen as an attack on Jorge González von Marées, with whom he had become disillusioned. Keller lived out the remainder of his life as an academic, taking no further role in political activity.