The life, work and witness of Bishop Helmut Frenz, who died in Germany, were recalled in testimony of the general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Rev. Martin Junge. He expressed condolences on behalf of the Lutheran communion to family, friends and colleagues, and paid tribute for his role as a defender of human rights when he served in Chile - where he still knew him as a pastor - and Germany.
The former president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile brought to mind the actions of Frenz in defense of the population during the Chilean dictatorship, calling him "one of the largest Lutheran prophets of his generation, a champion brave and uncompromising in pursuit for justice and rights humans, "who arrived in Chile in 1965, was elected bishop in 1970 and attended the call of the gospel to work for justice.
"Even before the violent coup of September 11, 1973, he was a leader of the rescue efforts to protect the latin americans who fled to Chile. After the coup he helped organize efforts to protect those who are being targeted by the Pinochet regime, and to blame the regime for using torture, disappearance, exile and other serious human rights violations, "said Junge.
Frenz has become a major ecumenical figure in Chile to join forces with the Roman Catholics and evangelicals on issues of justice, efforts recognized by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which granted the Nansen Refugee Award. The following year, in Europe, he was informed that the Chilean military dictatorship would not let him return to his field of pastoral work.
At this Frenz acted as general secretary of Amnesty International, German Section, in defense of human rights. Junge added that returning to church work, "he was a champion for victims of torture, refugees and migrants in Germany and around the world."
He became fortunate to live long enough to see the end of general Augusto Pinochet’ regime, to be awarded the Medal of Honor of the Chilean Parliament in 2001, and received the title of "Honorary Citizen of Chile" from the hands of President Michele Bachelet in 2007, who presented as reason the fact that "Chile has grown in his heart," said Junge and gave "Thank God for Helmut Frenz!"
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