Biography

German explorer and prospector Bernhard Eunom Philippi travelled to Chile multiple times, working for their government to encourage German colonisation in the country, and known in Latin America as Bernardo Philippi. B.E. Philippi and his brother, Rudolph Amandus, who would also move to Chile and become a highly influential botanist and explorer, were born in Charlottenburg near Berlin. Both were schooled by their mother until they moved to Switzerland in 1818 and attended the school of J.H. Pestalozzi. At this point Bernhard Philippi went to study at the Berlin Technical School and after graduating in 1830 fulfilled his childhood desire to travel, visiting Chile, China, India and Africa.

On his return in 1831 he joined the Naval College where he remained until 1835. His naval connections would once again give him an opportunity to travel to Chile, this time with a doctor of natural history, Carlos Segueth. Together they began collecting indigenous artefacts and relics that he hoped later to sell, beginning in Coquimbo and Copiapo in the central north, moving on to the northern states before parting with Segueth in southern Peru where he remained for a short period. Returning to Chile to recover from a bout of malaria he began to explore and study the region of Ancud, which was planned for European Colonisation. In 1840 he returned to Germany to meet his brother in Kassel, where R.A. Philippi was a professor of natural Sciences. Together they travelled to Berlin to sell B.E. Philippi's artefacts and present his findings to the Natural Sciences Society, which in turn gained him funding for further exploration.

On his third trip to Chile in 1841 he explored the regions of Valdivia, where he owned a ranch, Osorno and Lake Llanquihue (in the present day region of Los Lagos) making plans for European colonisation of the area. In 1843 the Chilean government employed him as naturalist on Juan William's mission to claim the Straits of Magellan for Chile, which was successful, and he used the opportunity to map this region as well.

In 1848 he was officially employed as the colonising agent for the government and he returned to Europe to promote the country to potential immigrants. He would travel in Europe for three years in this role, by which time he had organised the movement of 200 colonists to the shores of Chile. In 1851 his brother was also enlisted, spurred by the political difficulties he was experiencing at the time, and R.A. Philippi began to manage his brother's ranch near Valdivia.

B.E. Philippi's colonisation effort was successful but also controversial and he was accused of only bringing Protestants to the country which provoked confrontation with the government, and despite his protests that Catholics were largely prohibited from leaving their diocese he was removed from the project. Instead he was put in charge of governing the Magallanes region and to reinstate possession, which had been lost in conflicts with indigenous groups.

In August 1852 he left on a short journey into the interior to confront a local Chief regarding the recent violence. Accompanied by six other men the trip was only supposed to last a few days but none of the men ever returned. Later that year a porter confessed that Philippi had been murdered in retaliation for the killing of other indigenous people, however, his body was never found. Perhaps the largest success of B.E. Philippi's career was his persuading his brother to emigrate. R.A. Philippi remained in Chile and with the help of his son, Federico, transformed the National Museum, created a botanical garden and explored unknown regions of Chile, discovering a huge number of new species.

Biography

German explorer and prospector Bernhard Eunom Philippi travelled to Chile multiple times, working for their government to encourage German colonisation in the country, and known in Latin America as Bernardo Philippi. B.E. Philippi and his brother, Rudolph Amandus, who would also move to Chile and become a highly influential botanist and explorer, were born in Charlottenburg near Berlin. Both were schooled by their mother until they moved to Switzerland in 1818 and attended the school of J.H. Pestalozzi. At this point Bernhard Philippi went to study at the Berlin Technical School and after graduating in 1830 fulfilled his childhood desire to travel, visiting Chile, China, India and Africa.

On his return in 1831 he joined the Naval College where he remained until 1835. His naval connections would once again give him an opportunity to travel to Chile, this time with a doctor of natural history, Carlos Segueth. Together they began collecting indigenous artefacts and relics that he hoped later to sell, beginning in Coquimbo and Copiapo in the central north, moving on to the northern states before parting with Segueth in southern Peru where he remained for a short period. Returning to Chile to recover from a bout of malaria he began to explore and study the region of Ancud, which was planned for European Colonisation. In 1840 he returned to Germany to meet his brother in Kassel, where R.A. Philippi was a professor of natural Sciences. Together they travelled to Berlin to sell B.E. Philippi's artefacts and present his findings to the Natural Sciences Society, which in turn gained him funding for further exploration.

On his third trip to Chile in 1841 he explored the regions of Valdivia, where he owned a ranch, Osorno and Lake Llanquihue (in the present day region of Los Lagos) making plans for European colonisation of the area. In 1843 the Chilean government employed him as naturalist on Juan William's mission to claim the Straits of Magellan for Chile, which was successful, and he used the opportunity to map this region as well.

In 1848 he was officially employed as the colonising agent for the government and he returned to Europe to promote the country to potential immigrants. He would travel in Europe for three years in this role, by which time he had organised the movement of 200 colonists to the shores of Chile. In 1851 his brother was also enlisted, spurred by the political difficulties he was experiencing at the time, and R.A. Philippi began to manage his brother's ranch near Valdivia.

B.E. Philippi's colonisation effort was successful but also controversial and he was accused of only bringing Protestants to the country which provoked confrontation with the government, and despite his protests that Catholics were largely prohibited from leaving their diocese he was removed from the project. Instead he was put in charge of governing the Magallanes region and to reinstate possession, which had been lost in conflicts with indigenous groups.

In August 1852 he left on a short journey into the interior to confront a local Chief regarding the recent violence. Accompanied by six other men the trip was only supposed to last a few days but none of the men ever returned. Later that year a porter confessed that Philippi had been murdered in retaliation for the killing of other indigenous people, however, his body was never found. Perhaps the largest success of B.E. Philippi's career was his persuading his brother to emigrate. R.A. Philippi remained in Chile and with the help of his son, Federico, transformed the National Museum, created a botanical garden and explored unknown regions of Chile, discovering a huge number of new species.

Biography

German explorer and prospector Bernhard Eunom Philippi travelled to Chile multiple times, working for their government to encourage German colonisation in the country, and known in Latin America as Bernardo Philippi. B.E. Philippi and his brother, Rudolph Amandus, who would also move to Chile and become a highly influential botanist and explorer, were born in Charlottenburg near Berlin. Both were schooled by their mother until they moved to Switzerland in 1818 and attended the school of J.H. Pestalozzi. At this point Bernhard Philippi went to study at the Berlin Technical School and after graduating in 1830 fulfilled his childhood desire to travel, visiting Chile, China, India and Africa.

On his return in 1831 he joined the Naval College where he remained until 1835. His naval connections would once again give him an opportunity to travel to Chile, this time with a doctor of natural history, Carlos Segueth. Together they began collecting indigenous artefacts and relics that he hoped later to sell, beginning in Coquimbo and Copiapo in the central north, moving on to the northern states before parting with Segueth in southern Peru where he remained for a short period. Returning to Chile to recover from a bout of malaria he began to explore and study the region of Ancud, which was planned for European Colonisation. In 1840 he returned to Germany to meet his brother in Kassel, where R.A. Philippi was a professor of natural Sciences. Together they travelled to Berlin to sell B.E. Philippi's artefacts and present his findings to the Natural Sciences Society, which in turn gained him funding for further exploration.

On his third trip to Chile in 1841 he explored the regions of Valdivia, where he owned a ranch, Osorno and Lake Llanquihue (in the present day region of Los Lagos) making plans for European colonisation of the area. In 1843 the Chilean government employed him as naturalist on Juan William's mission to claim the Straits of Magellan for Chile, which was successful, and he used the opportunity to map this region as well.

In 1848 he was officially employed as the colonising agent for the government and he returned to Europe to promote the country to potential immigrants. He would travel in Europe for three years in this role, by which time he had organised the movement of 200 colonists to the shores of Chile. In 1851 his brother was also enlisted, spurred by the political difficulties he was experiencing at the time, and R.A. Philippi began to manage his brother's ranch near Valdivia.

B.E. Philippi's colonisation effort was successful but also controversial and he was accused of only bringing Protestants to the country which provoked confrontation with the government, and despite his protests that Catholics were largely prohibited from leaving their diocese he was removed from the project. Instead he was put in charge of governing the Magallanes region and to reinstate possession, which had been lost in conflicts with indigenous groups.

In August 1852 he left on a short journey into the interior to confront a local Chief regarding the recent violence. Accompanied by six other men the trip was only supposed to last a few days but none of the men ever returned. Later that year a porter confessed that Philippi had been murdered in retaliation for the killing of other indigenous people, however, his body was never found. Perhaps the largest success of B.E. Philippi's career was his persuading his brother to emigrate. R.A. Philippi remained in Chile and with the help of his son, Federico, transformed the National Museum, created a botanical garden and explored unknown regions of Chile, discovering a huge number of new species.