Tomás Hirsch
Encyclopedia
Tomás René Hirsch Goldschmidt (born July 19, 1956) is a leftist Chile
an politician and businessman. He was the Together We Can Do More
pact candidate for the 2005 Chilean presidential election, winning 5.4% of the vote.
to Jewish-German
parents. His mother, Lysa Goldschmidt, arrived in Chile before World War II
, while his father, Jorge Hirsch, arrived in the country escaping from Nazi
concentration camps.
During his youth, Hirsch became interested in Silo
, an Argentinian writer and leader of a movement that inspired the founders of the Humanist Party
.
In 1974 Hirsch began studying Industrial Civil Engineering
at the University of Chile, but dropped out in 1978. Later he began working on his brother's photo company.
Hirsch is married to Juanita Vergara and has two children.
, and was president of the party from 1994 until 1999. He was also one of the founders of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy
(CPD) and served as Chile's ambassador to New Zealand
between 1990–92, under the democratic government of Patricio Aylwin
. In January 1993, the Humanist Party withdrew from the CPD.
Hirsch unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the lower house of Congress
in 1997 and for President
in 1999, representing the Humanists.
Hirsch was a leading spokesperson for the victims of the Pinochet regime - when Pinochet was under house arrest
in London. He would often appear on international news cables demanding that Pinochet be sent to Spain
and be put on trial for crimes against humanity. He criticized the government of Ricardo Lagos
for pushing for Pinochet’s release from detention claiming that Pinochet would never stand trial in Chile where he was protected by the Chilean Army
and the Chilean political establishment. Hirsch has also been a major critic of the course the Coalition of Parties for Democracy
has taken and was cynical of the euphoria
created by the election of the socialist president Michelle Bachelet
claiming that her government meant a continuation of the same for most Chileans.
Hirsch has a highly revolutionary
conception of Chilean society and his party calls for systemic changes to the economy to create a more egalitarian, truly socialistic and democratic society for all Chileans. He is also a supporter of the cause of the natives of Chile – the Mapuches. Some of his views are close to those of the Communist Party of Chile
(with which his party formed an electoral front in the coalition Juntos Podemos Más
(English
: Together we can do more) in the Chilean presidential elections of 2005. He is supported by a broad layer of progressive and left-wing people who believe the political "right" has unfairly controlled Chilean politics since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship. Hirsch has been arrested on a number of occasions by the Chilean police for taking part in demonstrations in support of political causes.
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 politician and businessman. He was the Together We Can Do More
Juntos Podemos Más
Juntos Podemos Más por Chile is a political coalition created in 2003, consisting of the Communist Party of Chile, the Humanist Party, the Christian Left Party of Chile, and several other smaller left-wing organizations.The...
pact candidate for the 2005 Chilean presidential election, winning 5.4% of the vote.
Biography
Hirsch was born in Santiago, ChileSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
to Jewish-German
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...
parents. His mother, Lysa Goldschmidt, arrived in Chile before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, while his father, Jorge Hirsch, arrived in the country escaping from Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
concentration camps.
During his youth, Hirsch became interested in Silo
Mario Rodríguez Cobos
Silo —pseudonym of Mario Luis Rodríguez Cobos — was an Argentine writer and founder of the Humanist Movement....
, an Argentinian writer and leader of a movement that inspired the founders of the Humanist Party
Humanist Party (Chile)
The Humanist Party is a progressive left-wing political party in Chile, founded in 1984.In December 1990, Laura Rodríguez became the first elected representative of any Humanist Party in the world after winning a seat as part of the Concertación coalition, after Augusto Pinochet handed over...
.
In 1974 Hirsch began studying Industrial Civil Engineering
Industrial engineering
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering dealing with the optimization of complex processes or systems. It is concerned with the development, improvement, implementation and evaluation of integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy, materials, analysis...
at the University of Chile, but dropped out in 1978. Later he began working on his brother's photo company.
Hirsch is married to Juanita Vergara and has two children.
Political life
In 1983 Hirsch helped found the Humanist Party, the first political party legalized (1987) under the dictatorship of Augusto PinochetAugusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
, and was president of the party from 1994 until 1999. He was also one of the founders of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy
Coalition of Parties for Democracy
The Concert of Parties for Democracy , more often known as the Concertación, is a coalition of center-left political parties in Chile, founded in 1988...
(CPD) and served as Chile's ambassador to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
between 1990–92, under the democratic government of Patricio Aylwin
Patricio Aylwin
Patricio Aylwin Azócar was the first president of Chile after its return to democratic rule in 1990, following the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.- Early life :...
. In January 1993, the Humanist Party withdrew from the CPD.
Hirsch unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the lower house of Congress
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
in 1997 and for President
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
in 1999, representing the Humanists.
Hirsch was a leading spokesperson for the victims of the Pinochet regime - when Pinochet was under house arrest
Augusto Pinochet's arrest and trial
General Augusto Pinochet was indicted for human rights violations committed in his native Chile by Spanish magistrate Baltasar Garzón on 10 October 1998. He was arrested in London six days later and finally released by the British government in March 2000...
in London. He would often appear on international news cables demanding that Pinochet be sent to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and be put on trial for crimes against humanity. He criticized the government of Ricardo Lagos
Ricardo Lagos
Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar is a lawyer, economist and social democrat politician, who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. He won the 1999-2000 presidential election by a narrow margin in a runoff over Independent Democrat Union candidate Joaquín Lavín...
for pushing for Pinochet’s release from detention claiming that Pinochet would never stand trial in Chile where he was protected by the Chilean Army
Chilean Army
The Chilean Army is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 45,000-person army is organized into seven divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade....
and the Chilean political establishment. Hirsch has also been a major critic of the course the Coalition of Parties for Democracy
Coalition of Parties for Democracy
The Concert of Parties for Democracy , more often known as the Concertación, is a coalition of center-left political parties in Chile, founded in 1988...
has taken and was cynical of the euphoria
Euphoria (emotion)
Euphoria is medically recognized as a mental and emotional condition in which a person experiences intense feelings of well-being, elation, happiness, ecstasy, excitement and joy...
created by the election of the socialist president Michelle Bachelet
Michelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a Social Democrat politician who was President of Chile from 11 March 2006 to 11 March 2010. She was the first woman president of her country...
claiming that her government meant a continuation of the same for most Chileans.
Hirsch has a highly revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
conception of Chilean society and his party calls for systemic changes to the economy to create a more egalitarian, truly socialistic and democratic society for all Chileans. He is also a supporter of the cause of the natives of Chile – the Mapuches. Some of his views are close to those of the Communist Party of Chile
Communist Party of Chile
The Communist Party of Chile is a Chilean political party inspired by the thoughts of Karl Marx and Lenin. It was founded in 1922, as the continuation of the Socialist Workers Party, and in 1934 it established its youth wing, the Communist Youth of Chile .In the last legislative elections in Chile...
(with which his party formed an electoral front in the coalition Juntos Podemos Más
Juntos Podemos Más
Juntos Podemos Más por Chile is a political coalition created in 2003, consisting of the Communist Party of Chile, the Humanist Party, the Christian Left Party of Chile, and several other smaller left-wing organizations.The...
(English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Together we can do more) in the Chilean presidential elections of 2005. He is supported by a broad layer of progressive and left-wing people who believe the political "right" has unfairly controlled Chilean politics since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship. Hirsch has been arrested on a number of occasions by the Chilean police for taking part in demonstrations in support of political causes.