Klaus Schnellenkamp
Encyclopedia
Klaus Schnellenkamp is an established Chilean author. He gained worldwide fame after his spectacular escape from the Colonia Dignidad
to Germany
in December 2005. His book in German Geboren im Schatten der Angst; Ich überlebte die Colonia Dignidad. (Born in the shadow of fear; I survived the Colonia Dignidad) is a not just a dramatic account of his life within the Colonia Dignidad and his struggle to survive but also shows the human nature's reaction and astounding creativity when faced with such inhumane and desperate situations.
leader Paul Schäfer
to Chile
in order to found and built up the Colonia Dignidad
.
Schnellenkamp attended the German private school
within the Colonia Dignidad
from 1980 to 1990, where he got good grades. Contrary to the regulations of the sect leadership he studied technical literature in natural and social sciences. This in combination with his secretly written poems and ballads led to repeated punishment and social isolation
within the community.
After graduation Schnellenkamp became active in the business management of the sect
. In spite of his very rebellious position towards the sect
leadership Schnellenkamp managed to develop and strengthen his position within the Colonia Dignidad
. From this position he was able to get a good insight into the intrigues of the group which presented itself to the outside world as a charitable community. Due to his public criticism of the economic criminal activity
of the sect
, Klaus Schnellenkamp became a victim of murder attempts several times.
Two years after the escape of the sect leader Paul Schäfer
, Schnellenkamp made up for his missing official school graduation, when in August 1999 he took the required exams. In 2000 he acquired his Chilean higher education entrance qualification
and subsequently passed the state university entrance examination.
In 2002 Klaus Schnellenkamp took up one term of an occupational study of managerial economics
. In the same year he acquired the German general qualification for university entrance
and in the subsequent year studied two semesters of managerial economics
and business administration at the distance learning university
of FernUniversität Hagen
. Between 2004 and 2005 he qualified as a polyglot
graduate
in managerial economics
and industrial management.
Since December, 2005 Klaus Schnellenkamp has been living in Munich
, Germany. His autobiography
which appeared in spring of 2007 Geboren im Schatten der Angst (Born in the Shadow of the Fear) has attracted the attention of both the German and Chilean public. Since May, 2008 he has been working as an independent
entrepreneur
in Munich
.
Colonia Dignidad
Villa Baviera , formerly known as Colonia Dignidad is a hamlet in Parral Commune, Linares Province, Maule Region, Chile. Located in an isolated area of central Chile, it lies 35 km southeast of the city of Parral, on the north bank of the Perquilauquén River. It was founded by a group of German...
to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in December 2005. His book in German Geboren im Schatten der Angst; Ich überlebte die Colonia Dignidad. (Born in the shadow of fear; I survived the Colonia Dignidad) is a not just a dramatic account of his life within the Colonia Dignidad and his struggle to survive but also shows the human nature's reaction and astounding creativity when faced with such inhumane and desperate situations.
His Life
Klaus Schnellenkamp parents Kurt Schnellenkamp Nelaimischkies (* 14 March 1927) and Elisabeth Witthahn Krüger (* 31 May 1936; - † 23 July 2009) were the co-founders of the Colonia Dignidad. In 1961 they followed the sectSect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
leader Paul Schäfer
Paul Schäfer
Paul Schäfer Schneider was the founder and former leader of a sect and agricultural commune of German immigrants called Colonia Dignidad —later renamed Villa Baviera—located in the south of Chile, about 340 km south of Santiago...
to 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...
in order to found and built up the Colonia Dignidad
Colonia Dignidad
Villa Baviera , formerly known as Colonia Dignidad is a hamlet in Parral Commune, Linares Province, Maule Region, Chile. Located in an isolated area of central Chile, it lies 35 km southeast of the city of Parral, on the north bank of the Perquilauquén River. It was founded by a group of German...
.
Schnellenkamp attended the German private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
within the Colonia Dignidad
Colonia Dignidad
Villa Baviera , formerly known as Colonia Dignidad is a hamlet in Parral Commune, Linares Province, Maule Region, Chile. Located in an isolated area of central Chile, it lies 35 km southeast of the city of Parral, on the north bank of the Perquilauquén River. It was founded by a group of German...
from 1980 to 1990, where he got good grades. Contrary to the regulations of the sect leadership he studied technical literature in natural and social sciences. This in combination with his secretly written poems and ballads led to repeated punishment and social isolation
Social isolation
Social isolation refers to a lack of contact with society for members of social species. There may be many causes and individuals in numerous generally social species are isolated at times, it need not be a pathological condition. In human society, in those cases where it is viewed as a pathology,...
within the community.
After graduation Schnellenkamp became active in the business management of the sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
. In spite of his very rebellious position towards the sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
leadership Schnellenkamp managed to develop and strengthen his position within the Colonia Dignidad
Colonia Dignidad
Villa Baviera , formerly known as Colonia Dignidad is a hamlet in Parral Commune, Linares Province, Maule Region, Chile. Located in an isolated area of central Chile, it lies 35 km southeast of the city of Parral, on the north bank of the Perquilauquén River. It was founded by a group of German...
. From this position he was able to get a good insight into the intrigues of the group which presented itself to the outside world as a charitable community. Due to his public criticism of the economic criminal activity
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
of the sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
, Klaus Schnellenkamp became a victim of murder attempts several times.
Two years after the escape of the sect leader Paul Schäfer
Paul Schäfer
Paul Schäfer Schneider was the founder and former leader of a sect and agricultural commune of German immigrants called Colonia Dignidad —later renamed Villa Baviera—located in the south of Chile, about 340 km south of Santiago...
, Schnellenkamp made up for his missing official school graduation, when in August 1999 he took the required exams. In 2000 he acquired his Chilean higher education entrance qualification
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
and subsequently passed the state university entrance examination.
In 2002 Klaus Schnellenkamp took up one term of an occupational study of managerial economics
Managerial economics
Managerial economics as defined by Edwin Mansfield is "concerned with application of economic concepts and economic analysis to the problems of formulating rational managerial decision." It is sometimes referred to as business economics and is a branch of economics that applies microeconomic...
. In the same year he acquired the German general qualification for university entrance
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
and in the subsequent year studied two semesters of managerial economics
Managerial economics
Managerial economics as defined by Edwin Mansfield is "concerned with application of economic concepts and economic analysis to the problems of formulating rational managerial decision." It is sometimes referred to as business economics and is a branch of economics that applies microeconomic...
and business administration at the distance learning university
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
of FernUniversität Hagen
FernUniversität Hagen
The University of Hagen, is the largest and the only state-run distance teaching university in Germany. The Headquarters are located in Hagen, Germany....
. Between 2004 and 2005 he qualified as a polyglot
Multilingualism
Multilingualism is the act of using, or promoting the use of, multiple languages, either by an individual speaker or by a community of speakers. Multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. Multilingualism is becoming a social phenomenon governed by the needs of...
graduate
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
in managerial economics
Managerial economics
Managerial economics as defined by Edwin Mansfield is "concerned with application of economic concepts and economic analysis to the problems of formulating rational managerial decision." It is sometimes referred to as business economics and is a branch of economics that applies microeconomic...
and industrial management.
Since December, 2005 Klaus Schnellenkamp has been living in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany. His autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
which appeared in spring of 2007 Geboren im Schatten der Angst (Born in the Shadow of the Fear) has attracted the attention of both the German and Chilean public. Since May, 2008 he has been working as an independent
Independent business
In business, an independent business as a term of distinction generally refers to privately owned companies . Independent businesses most commonly take the form of sole-proprietorships...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
Literature
Klaus Schnellenkamp: Geboren im Schatten der Angst: Ich überlebte die Colonia Dignidad. Herbig, München 2007, ISBN 978-3-7766-2505-9.External links
- Klaus Schnellenkamp im Global Magazin Welt-Sichten zu Neujahr 2009 (Textbeitrag)
- Klaus Schnellenkamp im Interview mit Berliner Morgenpost am 15. März.2007 (Textbeitrag)
- Klaus Schnellenkamp im Online-Portal Crossover September 2007 (Textbeitrag)