Carlos Keller facts for kids

Carlos Keller Rueff (born January 3, 1898 – died February 28, 1974) was a Chilean writer, historian, and a person involved in politics. He was known for his ideas about how society and government should be organized.

Early Life and Studies

Carlos Keller was born in Concepción, Chile. His family was from Germany. He studied at universities in Germany and earned his doctorate degree in 1921. He became known for his studies with Chilean historian Alberto Edwards and a German thinker named Oswald Spengler. Keller even became friends with Spengler in Germany.

In his first book, Spengler y la Situaciòn Politica Cultural de la America Iberica (1927), he wrote about his ideas. He believed that Latin American countries needed a clear system of leadership, like a pyramid. This, he thought, would help them keep their Spanish culture strong.

Starting a Political Movement

After returning to Chile, Carlos Keller led a cultural group called the German-Chilean League. Through this role, he helped introduce Spengler's ideas to people in Chile. He was so well-respected that he was considered to lead an important academic group in Berlin in 1930.

From 1927, Keller worked for the Department of Census and Statistics. He became its director general in 1931. He also taught as a professor at several Chilean universities and worked as a journalist.

His 1931 book, La Eterna Crisis Chilena, continued his political writings. In this book, he argued that Chile faced problems because it didn't fully adopt Western ways. Instead, he felt it just copied them without truly understanding.

Soon after, Keller met Jorge González von Marées. Together, they started the National Socialist Movement of Chile. Keller's ideas for this movement were different from German Nazism. He believed Chilean nacismo aimed to fix corruption in democracy. He looked up to Diego Portales, a strong leader from Chile's past. Keller wanted Chile to become economically independent by helping its middle class grow.

Later Years and Retirement from Politics

In 1938, when the Nacis tried to take over the government, Keller was arrested. However, the president at the time, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, ordered his release. After this, Keller went back to his studies.

He mostly stayed away from politics after this event. He did not join the new political group that formed later. His 1949 novel, La Locura de Juan Bernales, was seen as a criticism of Jorge González von Marées. Keller had become disappointed with him. Carlos Keller spent the rest of his life as an academic, focusing on his studies and no longer taking part in political activities.

See also

In Spanish: Carlos Keller para niños