Klaus Schnellenkamp

Presentation by Klaus Schnellenkamp in Göttingen, 2009
Klaus Schnellenkamp before a German Talkshow, March 2007
Interview with the German Television ARD-Brisant, 2007

Klaus Schnellenkamp (born 24 December 1972 in Colonia Dignidad, Chile) is an established Chilean author. He gained worldwide fame after his spectacular escape from 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 Colonia Dignidad) is a not just a dramatic account of his life within 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's Kurt Schnellenkamp Nelaimischkies (14 March 1927 - 26 November 2017) and Elisabeth Witthahn Krüger (31 May 1936 - 23 July 2009) were co-founders of Colonia Dignidad. In 1961 they followed the sect leader Paul Schäfer to Chile in order to found and built up the colony.

Schnellenkamp attended the German private school within Colonia Dignidad from 1980 to 1990, where he got the highest grades. Contrary to the official regulations, he studied natural and social sciences, in cooperation with the alliance known as AAG (a German-Chilean spin-off of the HIAG), sponsored by the circle ChilAlRotary. 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 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 several murder attempts.

Two years after the escape of the sect leader Paul Schäfer, Schnellenkamp acquired his still missing official Chilean higher education entrance qualification and subsequently passed the state university entrance examination. Afterwards 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, Geboren im Schatten der Angst (Born in the Shadow of the Fear), appeared in spring 2007 and has attracted the attention of both the German and Chilean public. Since May 2008, he has been working as an independent entrepreneur in Munich.

Literature

Klaus Schnellenkamp: Geboren im Schatten der Angst: Ich überlebte die Colonia Dignidad. Herbig, München 2007, ISBN 978-3-7766-2505-9.

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