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Boris WeisfeilerAmerican mathematician, professor at Pennsylvania State University, traveler, prisoner of the semi-military camp-colony Dignidad in Chile.
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Boris Weisfeiler: American Mathematician, Traveler, and Prisoner
- Emigration and Career
- Travel and Disappearance
- Political Influences and Witness Testimony
- Renewed Investigation and Lawsuit
- Dignidad: A Center of Abuses
- Government Pressure and Investigation
Boris Weisfeiler: American Mathematician, Traveler, and Prisoner
Boris Weisfeiler (1906-1985) was an American mathematician, Penn State University professor, avid traveler, and prisoner of the semi-military colony Dignidad in Chile.
Emigration and Career
Weisfeiler emigrated from the USSR in 1975 and worked as a mathematics professor at Penn State University in the United States.
Travel and Disappearance
One of Weisfeiler's passions was traveling. In 1985, he visited Chile, where he was arrested under suspicious circumstances by the Chilean secret police (DINA) and handed over to the security forces of the secluded German colony, Dignidad. He was considered missing since January 4, 1985.
Political Influences and Witness Testimony
The American embassy in Chile made minimal efforts to investigate Weisfeiler's fate, likely due to political considerations involving Pinochet's regime. In 1987, a witness to the abduction came forward, claiming to have participated in Weisfeiler's arrest and delivery to Dignidad. There were further reports of Weisfeiler being seen alive in the colony.
Renewed Investigation and Lawsuit
In 2000, an investigation into Weisfeiler's disappearance was reopened by Chilean lawyer Hernan Fernandez, hired by Weisfeiler's family. The US State Department also became involved, demanding a thorough investigation from the Chilean government. An official lawsuit (number 169) was filed against General Augusto Pinochet, then head of state and patron of Dignidad.
Dignidad: A Center of Abuses
Witness accounts suggested that Pinochet used Dignidad as a secret detention and torture camp for political opponents. DINA chief Pedro Espinoza was implicated in the murder of Charles Norman, an American correspondent.
Government Pressure and Investigation
In 2006, a letter signed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and several US senators and congressmen was sent to Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, urging her to expedite the investigation and determine Weisfeiler's fate.
