Klaus Schnellenkamp


Klaus Schnellenkamp is a German Chilean author. Schnellenkamp escaped from Colonia Dignidad community to Germany in December 2005. His book, Geboren im Schatten der Angst; Ich überlebte die Colonia Dignidad. , details his escape and life during the Military dictatorship of Chile.

Life

Schnellenkamp's parents's Kurt Schnellenkamp Nelaimischkies and Elisabeth Witthahn Krüger were co-founders of Colonia Dignidad. In 1961, they followed the leader Paul Schäfer to Chile in order to establish and grow the colony. Kurt Schnellenkamp is identified as a bodyguard of Adolf Hitler in the documentary Hunting Hitler.
The parent’s vast power led to the paradoxical enrolment of the son in the paramilitary sect school Colonia Dignidad where he first received premilitary drill, presided over by the ‘AAG’. Schnellenkamp attended a private elite school within Colonia Dignidad, sponsored by the ChilAlRotary, where he studied natural and social sciences, in cooperation with the alliance known as AAG. 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 Colonia Dignidad. In spite of his very rebellious position towards the leadership, Schnellenkamp managed to develop and strengthen his position within the community. From this position, he was able to gain insight into the group, which presented itself to the outside world as a charitable community. Due to his public criticism of the economic criminal activity, Schnellenkamp became a victim of several murder attempts.
Since December of 2005, Schnellenkamp has been living in Munich. His autobiography, Geboren im Schatten der Angst , was published in Spring 2007 and 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,.