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Physician Fernheim (Paraguay)

Dollinger, Gerhard, 1914-2002

  • CA-MHA-2024-759
  • Person
  • 1914-2002

"Born 1914, d. on 16 July 2002 in Ittersbach near Karlsruhe, Germany; Physician and German Honorary Consul in Paraguay.

In the history of the Fernheim colony, the name of no other doctor in the field of health care has become as well known as that of Dr. Gerhard Dollinger. His activity began here in 1951 and lasted for thirteen years. This makes him one of the doctors who have worked here for the longest time in a responsible position.

Towards the end of the Second World War, Dollinger was taken prisoner by the Americans. There he had met Dr. Wilhelm Rakko, who was also a prisoner and came from the Mennonite settlements in the Ukraine and later worked in the Neuland colony. The Fernheim colony was looking for a doctor, preferably a surgeon. Through the mediation of Dr. W. Rakko, contact was established between him and the →Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Frankfurt. Since the beginning of the war, the MCC had supplied the Fernheim colony with doctors wherever possible. The necessary arrangements were made, and the Dollingers, then still without children, began the journey, first by ship to Buenos Aires, then by river boat to Asunción and from there by plane to Filadelfia, Paraguay. The physician Dr. A. Wägele, who had previously worked in Filadelfia, left his position and went to Brazil.

Dollinger's task was to continue the hospital's operations. This also included the nursing courses, the sole area of responsibility of the doctors at that time. Some graduates stayed in the company, others soon married, and so there was a constant need for sisters on mission stations or in other colonies. Dollinger ensured a good working atmosphere and no less variety in leisure activities – previously unknown here.

Due to their spontaneous, friendly way of approaching everyone, the couple soon had a large circle of acquaintances and friends. The Dollingers, who had become "family" in the meantime, were fully integrated into the colony community. Dollinger contacted the doctors of the neighboring colonies and developed a thoroughly efficient cooperation. They met at monthly intervals. Dollinger always used his holiday stays in his home country to learn something new from friends with colleagues from other disciplines. In this way, he kept himself up to date medically and otherwise.

His income here was disproportionate to what his peers earned in the Federal Republic of Germany. One time he was paid with money, the other time with cattle. Apparently, both parties were satisfied, because it was said (not verifiable today) that the agreement was to be valid for life.

From his non-professional activity, his commitment at that time to the settlers of the colony, who were listed as stateless, should be mentioned. Thus, through his mediation, some of the citizens were able to obtain German citizenship. At the same time, he was officially appointed honorary consul by the German authorities – with the coat of arms above the door and the German flag in front of the house entrance.

After thirteen years of activity, the Dollingers decided to return home. This was followed by a job in a German hospital, an assignment in a mission hospital in Syria, and then the Dollingers settled in a private practice in Ittersbach, near Karlsruhe. Dollinger then worked very intensively here for more than two decades, only to spend the last years of his life in seclusion on the outskirts of the village. He told of his experiences in the Chaco Paraguay in several books."

~ Auto-translated from German text on https://www.mennlex.de/doku.php?id=art:dollinger_gerhard