A German court decided not to enforce a verdict handed by a Chilean court against Hartmut Hopp, one of the leading figures of the abusive "Colonia Dignidad" cult, for allegedly aiding in the sexual abuse of children and minors.

The 74-year-old Hopp was a close aide of ex-Nazi and convicted pedophile Paul Schäfer, who founded "Colonia Dignidad" in Chile in 1961. Many children and youths growing up at the remote compound suffered sexual abuse, with the cults' leadership eventually facing charges of weapons smuggling, unlawful imprisonment and drug use. During the era of military dictator Augusto Pinochet, the colony also served as a torture site for the secret police, with residents allegedly taking part. Dozens were killed at the site.

Fleeing Chile

The founder, Paul Schäfer, managed to avoid arrest until 2005. He was sentenced to 20 years for child abuse in 2006 and another 13 years on charges of homicide, torture, and violating weapon laws. He died while in prison in 2010 at the age of 88.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime No charity here "Dignity Charitable and Educational Society" was the full name of the isolated settlement Colonia Dignidad in southern Chile. The sect was founded in 1961 by the German evangelical youth worker Paul Schäfer, who came from Bonn. It served as a torture center during Chile's military dictatorship (1973 - 1990).

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime "Uncle Paul" In the 1950s, Paul Schäfer abused children from a Baptist church in Germany. During the investigation of his case, he fled to Chile, where he founded Colonia Dignidad. He sexually abused the children who were forced to work there - some of them were actually abducted from Germany. "Uncle Paul" maintained good relations with right-wing extremist circles.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime Evil mastermind Opponents of the military regime were tortured and murdered at Colonia Dignidad. Electric shocks were used for child abuse. After the end of the dictatorship in 1990, Paul Schäfer went undercover, escaping justice once again. He was arrested in Buenos Aires in 2005 and was sentenced to jail for 25 cases of sexual abuse. On April 24, 2010, he died in a prison in Santiago de Chile.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime Where are our children? On May 5, 1988, relatives of the young people detained in the Colonia Dignidad demonstrated in front of the settlement. The founder of the sect, Paul Schäfer, claimed he wanted to build an original Christian community there. In reality, during General Pinochet's dictatorship, the colony served as a branch of the Chilean secret service Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional (DINA).

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime Shaking hands with the dictator The former CSU chairman Franz Josef Strauss (left) entertained good relations with Chile's dictator Augusto Pinochet (right), pictured here during a state visit in November 1977. He was also a welcome guest at Colonia Dignidad. Until the mid-1990s, a signed portrait of the former Prime Minister of Bavaria was hanging in the central building of the settlement.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime The colony after Pinochet Patricio Aylwin, the President of Chile from 1990 to 1994, declared that Colonia Dignidad was "a state within the state." As the first elected head of state after the dictatorship (pictured here with Pinochet), he led the country's transition to democracy and tried to close down the enclave. In 1991, he withdrew the charitable status of the settlement.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime Late atonement Kurt Schnellenkamp, co-founder of Colonia, was imprisoned in 2013. The 88-year-old was sentenced by the Chilean state for unlawful detention of minors and sexual abuse. His son Klaus, who escaped from the settlement, reported on his childhood in the totalitarian sect in his book "Born in the Shadow of Fear," published in 2007.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime Still on the loose The former vice-chief and medical doctor of Colonia Dignidad, Hartmut Hopp, fled to Germany after being sentenced in Chile in 2011. Although there is an international arrest warrant out against Hopp, Germany allows him to live undisturbed in Krefeld, as the country does not extradite its own citizens.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime A trip to the past Former residents of the colony still live on the 30,000-hectare area near the southern Chilean city of Parral. The dorms, where men, women and children used to sleep separately, were converted into apartments for families.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime Welcome to atrocity land Unbelievable, but true: Now that Colonia Dignidad's totalitarian leadership has been dismantled, the remaining residents promote tourism at the settlement. The colony, now called Villa Baviera, offers jeep tours, organizes a yearly Oktoberfest, and is planning a museum dealing with its dark past. Many people are against the idea of making an entertainment village out of this location.

Colonia Dignidad: Chile's colony of crime Many still missing The search continues. In 2005, the Chilean state released a secret archive file found at the former Colonia Dignidad. The archive indexes approximately 39,000 individuals. Human rights groups still hope to uncover the fate of the many people who disappeared during the Pinochet dictatorship. Author: Astrid Prange / eg



Read more: Chile, Germany establish Colonia Dignidad commission

Hopp, who served as the "Colonia Dignidad" doctor, faced charges of his own. In 2011, a Chilean court sentenced him on 16 counts of aiding the sexual abuse of children. However, Hopp managed to flee the South American country before his sentence was set to start. Chilean authorities subsequently asked Germany to enforce the sentence on German soil. In 2017, a Krefeld court granted the request, ruling that Hopp needed to serve a five-year prison term. Hopp's attorneys launched an appeal.

A German indictment for Hopp?

The verdict on Tuesday by the higher regional court in Düsseldorf overturned last year's court decision.

According to the Düsseldorf judges, Chilean authorities had failed to prove that Hopp had committed any actions punishable under German law. Despite Hopp's senior position in the colony, it was not proven that he "at least objectively made it easier" for Schäfer to commit his crimes, the court said.

The ruling is final and there is no possibility of appeal.

Krefeld prosecutor Axel Stahl said his department was looking into filing charges against Hopp under German law. The indictment would involve aiding child abuse, but also Hopp's alleged involvement in the murder of three opposition activists in 1976 and non-medically justified distribution of psychoactive drugs.

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Hopp 'shun, insulted' in Germany's Krefeld

Victims' representative Wilfried Hempel, who managed to flee "Colonia Dignidad" at the age of 20, said the verdict was a "big mistake."

The German court failed to take into account some 24,000 pages of court papers from Chile and also did not talk to the victims, according to the attorney.

"The ruling is an invitation to all the pedophiles of the world to seek refuge in Germany," Hempel said.

In turn, Hopp's lawyer Helfried Roubicek said that the verdict vindicated his client and "hopefully returned Hartmut Hopp some of his dignity." After fleeing to the town of Krefeld, Hopp has been "shun, insulted and excluded from daily social life" and faced protests in front of his home, Hempel added.

The ruling has also been criticized by opposition lawmakers in the German parliament, with Left party deputy Jan Korte describing it as a "slap in the face" for the victims. After Hopp was legally declared a free man, "the government should promptly take all possible steps to finally investigate the perpetrators, both in Chile and Germany," he said.

dj/jm (AFP, epd, dpa, KNA)

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