Pro-Government Militias
Colonia Dignidad (Chile)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 399 |
| Country: | Chile |
| Date formed: | Sept. 11, 1973 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | Colonia Dignidad was founded by German émigré Paul Schäfer who came to Chile in 1961 to escape accusations for sex abuse against children in Germany. He was accompanied by members of his German community. The group became pro-government after the military coup in 1973 which brought Pinochet to power. |
| Date dissolved: | March 11, 1990 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | Colonia Dignidad was coded as PGM when it functioned as detention centre for the Pinochet regime. It therefore ceased to be a PGM upon transition to democracy. |
| Termination Type(s): | change in government |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution); military (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | self-maintained |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | foreign nationals |
| Primary Membership: | religious |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | The group was located in the Parral Commune, about 350 km south of Santiago |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, 300] |
| Target(s): | civilians; unarmed political opposition, government critics |
| Purpose(s): | self-defense and security |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | Colonia Dignidad is now known as Villa Baviera. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | Colonia Dignidad functioned as detention centre for political opposition, where those detained were also tortured. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | Colonia Dignidad killed and tortured political opposition they detained on behalf of the Pinochet regime. DINA agents were present on place and conducted torture, but residents also participated in committing the atrocities. They conducted biological experiments on political prisoners in the lab for bacteriological warfare for the army. The Colonia is also responsible for the fate of disappeared civilians during Pinochet. Children residing in the Colonia Dignidad were subjected to sexual abuse and sometimes torture. Other residents were regularly beaten and tortured. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | kidnapping/abductions; killing; beating; torture; sexual violence |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | yes |
| PGM Members Paid? | no |
| Reasons for Membership: | Many residents of Colonia Dignidad had been residents in a community in Germany, led by the charismatic preacher Paul Schäfer. Schäfer was accused of pedophilia and organized the emigration of community members to Chile. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | A news source reports that members wore uniforms of the Chilean army and had heavy weaponry. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | Colonia Dignidad was led by Paul Schäfer, a German immigrant and former Nazi army nurse. The Colonia had links to DINA (the Chilean secret police under Pinochet), as well as the army. Schäfer himself had close links with Chile’s ruling elite and the DINA leader. Colonia Dignidad was able to operate with impunity as a “state within a state”. In return for their work for DINA, Colonia Dignidad received official protection. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.